snapshot: Carennac
OVERLOOKING the banks of the Dordogne River and Calypso Island, our village of Carennac is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in all of France. Carennac dates back to the eleventh century (1050AD) built by Benedictine monks, their priory's coffers grew rich from pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela.
The real magic of our village is how you can feel yourself literally propelled back in-time to the Middle Ages ... wandering through the tiny streets with leaning houses and overhanging wooden balconies it’s easy to imagine you’re back in 16th century France.
Carennac is best known for its typical Quercy architecture and the richly carved 12th century tympanum of its Romanesque priory-church, Saint-Pierre. The cloisters, which were rebuilt in the 1400’s after the Hundred Years’ War, are also wonderful to explore -- as is the rest of the village.
With the exception of the months July/ August it’s not impossible to have our village completely to yourself. The reason? a majority of our homeowners either live in major metropolitan areas of France or internationally leaving the village virtually deserted outside of major holiday periods.
This is place is a photographers' dream ... great pictures are a snap! a bientôt! Jack
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I have just looked it up in Google Map. I guessed it was around Brive. I remember going there and seeing houses that looked similar. It's 127kms from Périgueux where I live. I'd love to go and visit the place. Too bad it's mainly inhabited in Summer. It's probably very pretty and clean, but has it got a soul?
Nice pictures. W
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