Arnac-Pompadour travel guide

Visit Arnac-Pompadour (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France)

Arnac-Pompadour is a village in the Corrèze department of south-west France, about 40 kilometres north of Brive-la-Gaillarde.

Explore Arnac-Pompadour

France This Way review: Arnac-Pompadour is unlike any village you have visited before, because it is dominated entirely by a castle and a horse rearing and racing centre, with the village itself a small addition to these main attractions

The road through the centre of the village has a sweeping view across the racetrack and horse training area to one side, and an imposing castle on the other side. These are the main reasons that visitors come to Arnac-Pompadour, but you will also find a small village and a centre with cafes and restaurants to the side of the castle.

Haras National of Arnac-Pompadour

Arnac-Pompadour is a Haras National centre. That is, a national centre where horses are trained and bred. Originally these were established for military purposes, but they are now moe concerned with the welfare, breeding and training of horses in all aspects of French life.

Ideally you will visit Arnac-Pompadour on a day when horse racing is taking place, since of course that adds to the atmosphere of the village.

Various events take place throughout the year (more in summer) such as equestrian displays and shows. These usually take place in the arena of the Manège de l'Orangerie, originally the manège de débourrage (centre where horses are broken in) of the chateau.

During the summer, there is also a light and sound show in the castle grounds.

Chateau de Pompadour

The Chateau de Pompadour is the base for the Haras National and your visit includes a tour of the stables of the Haras.

The original castle was built here in the 10th century, although this was destroyed by a fire at the end of the 12th century. The castle we see today was built in the 15th century. This was given by King Louis XV to the Marquise de Pompadour in 1745, and she created a private haras here in 1751.

On the outside of the castle, to the front you can see the high defensive walls and a deep moat.

You enter the castle through the gatehouse, a defensive structure built to defend the castle during the Wars of Religion. This gatehouse originally controlled a drawbridge but this is now lost.

Inside the Chateau de Pompadour you see various things of interest, including a large collection of about 300 horse drawn vehicles. You also see the forge where the horses get new horseshoes and the stables. Among the highlights is the balustrade, with a very extensive view across the racecourse.

The rooms of the castle that you can visit include the salon, with Aubusson tapestrues and Limoges procelain and beautiful costumes; the dining room; the library; and the bedroom of the Marquise, frnished as it was in the 18th century.

In the village of Arnac-Popmadour, as well as a choice of cafes, you will discover a small chapel, the Chapel Saint-Blaise. The inside of the chapel is almost entirely decorated with wall paintings, painted by the artist Andrè Brasilier at the end of the 20th century. These include paintings with a theme of horses as well as those of a Biblical nature!

Attractions nearby

Our favourite destinations near Arnac-Pompadour are the pretty village of Ségur-le-Château and the historic town of Uzerche, both of them very pleasant to visit.

You can find more travel ideas in the Correze guide and the Limousin guide.