Saint-Robert travel guide

Visit Saint-Robert (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France)

Saint-Robert is a village in the Correze department in the region of Limousin.

The village is classified as one of the most beautiful villages of France and is on one of the important pilgrimage routes that lead to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle.

Explore Saint-Robert

France This Way review: although it is quite small and perhaps less impressive than some of the 'most beautiful villages of France', Saint-Robert is an attractive village in a pretty setting

The centre of Saint-Robert is a large open square next to the church, and all the major sites and monuments are close to here. You can park in the centre of Saint-Robert at quiet times of year, but in summer you will need to park in the large car park a few hundred metres from the centre.

Church of Saint-Robert

The church was built from the 11th century by Benedictine monks who were disciples of Robert de Turlande who founded the abbey at La-Chaise-Dieu. The church was inspired by that of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and built according to the plan for a pilgrimage church.

The part of the church that we see today is the 11th century transept and the 12th century choir and tower - the nave is no longer standing. The face with a clock that overlooks the square is one end of the transept of the original church.

The absence of a nave does mean that the church has an unusual form inside, but is still quite spacious. There is an ambulatory and three chapels around the choir, a wooden statue of Christ dating back to the 13th century as well as a large number of carved capital stones (among the most important collections in Limousin) as well as other statues.

At the rear of the church there is a viewpoint with beautiful views over the rolling valleys of the Correze countryside.

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Saint-Robert village

Around the church there are several narrow streets of stone houses with slate or terracotta roofs and wooden shutters. A loop following the street from the north-east corner of the square (next to the boulangerie) is the most interesting route to follow.

As you stroll along these streets in Saint-Robert look out for the charming architectural details such as stone balconies, wooden verandas and arched doorways. One attractive house (converted into apartments after the revolution) is the Chateau Beauroire, although it is in private ownership so not very easy to see.

In the village you can also see the 16th century Chateau Verneuil and the Maison Seguin, a tall house with a 17th century staircase, although again these are rather hidden behind walls and hedges.

The Chapel de Verneuil is a charming small chapel that was built in the 16th century as a private chapel for the castle that once stood here. The stained glass windows were added in the 18th century and the chapel is used for occasional services and exhibitions.

Close to the chapel you can see one of the original gates through the defences that allowed acess to the fortified village centre, and a small garden with columns from the original castle.

After completing this loop, if you leave the main square in Saint-Robert from the west you can see further historic houses of interest.

If you are visiting in July and August be sure to check out the dates of the classical music concerts which are held in the village. These are generally a number of interesting events taking place over the holiday period. The Saint-Robert office of tourism will be able to give you details of the programme for the summer.

There are limited commerces in Saint-Robert, but there is a bakers (that claims to be one of the few remaining bakers to still use the original traditional bread oven) and a small epicerie, so you can make a sandwich...

Places to visit near Saint-Robert

If you would like to explore the countryside around the village there are two marked trails that depart from the centre of Saint-Robert, each about seven kilometres long and taking about two hours. One leads to the Fontaine Miraculeuse (south) and the other to the Lavoir des Tuffets (north).

Segur-le-Chateau is only 26 kilometres from here and is another "most beautiful village of France". Segur-le-Chateau is a particularly lovely village with a river running through it and some fine colombage houses.

The 17th century church in the village of Saint-Bonnet-la-Rivière is an unusual round design.

The Chateau de Hautefort is one of the best known in France and is just 12 kilometres from Saint-Robert, across the departmental border in the Dordogne.

Garden lovers will enjoy a trip to the "Jardins de l'Imaginaire" at nearby Terrasson. These gardens have a very modern feel and have some wonderful water features. The town of Terrasson is also well worth a visit with its stone houses and grey slate roofs.

Explore elsewhere in the Massif Central. You can find more travel ideas in the Correze guide and the Limousin guide.