Troubadours are originally medieval artists, especially gifted as musician-poets. They were active in the French-speaking area. These artists provided the literary and musical accompaniment to court life. One of these troubadours, Bertrand de Ventadour, has given his profession to the route.

This route goes through the part of France where in the 12th century the troubadours went from one castle to another to show their skills. The castle Ventadour is one of them and of course included in this route. The route is about 120 km long and goes through the southeastern part of the Limousin and the regions Xaintrie and Ventadour.
Take some food with you for the road, because restaurants are few and far between here and not always open. Petrol stations can be counted on one hand, so make sure you have a full tank. The drive goes through an unspoilt area where heathland and scrubland alternate with pines and silver birches.

The tour starts in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. This pretty medieval town is nestled in a bend in the Dordogne. This 'beau lieu' (beautiful place) offers many architectural treasures, including the sumptuous portal of the Romanesque church of Saint Pierre and the remains of the Benedictine monastery Chapelle des Pénitents. A maze of narrow streets lined with old houses leads to the church. In the Rue Ste- Catherine stands a beautiful 16th century tower with shell decoration. On the Quai Faugère, the Maison des Gabariers with its large wooden balcony recalls the flourishing period of shipping. In the 19th century, the gabares sailed across the Dordogne to transport wood to Libourne.
From Beaulieu the route takes you along the river Cère and then turns off into the Cantal mountain range.

Hidden in the woods, the 11th century castle complex Les Tours de Carbonnières, along the Maronne River, is a strategically built site on a rocky hilltop, providing excellent views and defence against attack. The castle played a crucial role during the Hundred Years War and other conflicts in the region. The well-preserved towers and walls bear witness to the castle's military past and offer visitors an impressive journey back in time. When the noble family expanded, a new site was found nearby, Les Tours de Merle, again along the Maronne. Today, the medieval castle complex from the 12th century is a tourist attraction. The site is open for guided tours and presents an impressive fortress in the heart of a 10-hectare park. Admire the breathtaking view of the Maronne River before exploring the medieval plant garden. A puzzle game and historical animation, you will enjoy going back in time.
But you continue on the road to the open-air museum Les Fermes Medievales de Xaintrie. It is an atypical place conceived by a history enthusiast, after years of working at the Tours de Merle, who reconstructs at his own pace an entire medieval village. Washhouse, mill, chapel, house, thatched farm and stable with animals, everything is recreated down to the last detail in a more than realistic setting. Discover rural life in the 15th century, rich in detail and authenticity.

At the village of Spontour you can take a guided tour in a gabare boat from April to the end of October. From the boarding point in the Dordogne river you can experience the special time of the gabares!

Near the village of Moustier-Ventadour, at an altitude of 562 metres, rise on the top of a rocky spur, the remains of a former medieval castle from the 12th and 13th centuries. The castle of the Viscounts of Ventadour was a meeting place for troubadours in the 12th century. The viscounts encouraged courtly poetry and invited many troubadours. Not only nobles lived at the castle, but also servants. A son of a servant listened passionately to the artistic singers at the time and he soon became a sonorous poet too. He was called Bernard de Ventadour and also appeared to have other, less courtly interests. After adultery with the viscountess, the viscount removed the young poet from his domain.

The route ends in Egletons. The Lord of Ventadour could manage the city himself in the 13th century: The bell tower and the walls are still witnesses of the medieval past of the city.