Curemonte (Limousin: Curamonta) is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France. It is a medieval village characterised by its three castles. In a fortified position on a ridge overlooking a valley on both its eastern and western flanks, the village has historically had a strategic importance in the area. Curemonte is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. Its inhabitants are called Curemontois.

Toponymy

The name for Curemonte is derived from low Latin Cura montis meaning a location used for an operating estate that's on a mountain or hill.

History

The existence of Curemonte is confirmed from as early as 860 when it was mentioned in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Beaulieu. Rodolphe de Turenne, Archbishop of Bourges, had donated the village of Saint-Genst and its vineyards at Curemonte to the Abbey of Beaulieu. It was in the 11th century that the village flourished, passing through the Viscounts of Turenne.

Geography

Location

The municipality of Curemonte is located at the southern end of the department of Corrèze.

Physical geography

The village of Curemonte is built on a ridge line that overlooks the valleys of the Sourdoire and the Maumont.

Demographics

Places and monuments