Pompadour : a quiet place, strongly connected to nature, history and horses

The name of Pompadour became world famous due to the favourite of Louis XV: Madame de Pompadour (Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson) to whom the King gave the chateau of Pompadour and the associated title of Marquise. The town is famous for its chateau and its stud farm, the Pompadour National Anglo-Arab Stud, headquarters of the French National Stud and France's principal production centre of Anglo-Arabian horses. Pompadour is located some 45 km west by north-west of Brive la Gaillarde.

The Pompadour's Castle (15th century) is registered as a historical monument. Of the castrum of Guy de Lastours, built around 1000, nothing remains. The castle was completely rebuilt in the 15th century by Geoffrey Helie de Pompadour who became marquis in 1614. The title of Marquis de Pompadour became famous when King Louis XV gave it to his mistress, the famous Marquise de Pompadour in 1745. The marquisate was bought in 1761 by the Duke of Choiseul before the creation in 1763 of the horse stud by the Comptroller General of Finance Bertin. The castle was no longer maintained and was not habitable in 1790 apart from the middle part. After 1793 the castle was mostly pulled down leaving no more than part of the middle and the gatehouse.

The Pompadour Racecourse is known as the city of the horse and organizes racing every sunday during the summer in the outdoor enclosure facing the castle. It also hosts an international cross-country course.
From 1972 to 2014 The 'Club Méditerranée of Pompadour village hosted many French and European holidaymakers. It had an accommodation capacity of 450 rooms and numerous sports facilities (19 tennis courts, 3 riding courses with two first-class, five riding schools, a rugby/soccer field etc.). This property has been known since the 1970s to be the spearhead of horse riding for Club Med.
The National Stud of Pompadour houses the headquarters of the National Stud.

To see: the castle in Pompadour, priory and national stud farm, Ségur castle (8 kms), Chapelle St Blaise (1 km).

Here are the site of the local tourist office.