The Château de Ventadour, like Châlucet, is a magnificent ruin standing on the very tip of a high narrow spur way above the river valleys converging at its feet, with a lone tower rising above the trees. Built in the twelfth century, the Château was abandoned in around 1600 by its owners, the dukes of Ventadour, in favour of a more comfortable house in Ussel. The celebrated troubadour Bernard de Ventadour was born here, child of a castle servant. The ruins are now undergoing lengthy restoration work to make them safe; you can get quite close but the site itself is fenced off.The castle is about 6km from Egletons on the Tulle–Ussel road. You take the dead-end turning to the farming hamlet of Moustier. But far the most dramatic approach is from below, up the winding road from NEUVIC – itself an ancient village, rather spoilt by the presence of an artificial lake which has elevated it to resort status. It does, however, have an interesting Musée de la Résistance, based on the life of Henri Queuille, a former government minister and résistant (May–Oct daily 10am–noon & 3–6pm; €3). There are hotels in Egletons, but it's much nicer to stay in Gimel-les-Cascades.
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