RochechouartChâteau de Rochechouart et l'église Saint-Sauveur
©Château de Rochechouart et l'église Saint-Sauveur|Office de tourisme Porte Océane du Limousin
Rochechouart

Visit Rochechouart

A commune in the Périgord Limousin Nature Park, 10 minutes from Saint-Junien, 20 minutes from Oradour-sur-Glane, 45 minutes from Limoges, welcome to Rochechouart!

Between the Middle Ages and today

The picturesque, formerly fortified town of Rochechouart boasts an exceptional built heritage: medieval castle, church with its torso spire, and all the houses built of impactite, which are part of the town’s history: the Maison des Consuls (15th century), the Rue Dorée, the quartier des prières, the Grand’Rue…

Did you know? The town’s name is closely linked to the Viscounts de Rochechouart family, who reigned for over 800 years. The family’s roots lie in the château, built on the rocky spur in the 13th century. It retains its 15th-century allure, and since 1985 has housed a departmental museum of contemporary art.

An exceptional heritage

Rochechouart bears the scars of a giant meteorite that fell some 200 million years ago. The result of the encounter between heaven and earth, these rocks, known as impactites, have always been used in construction. They can be found in the Château/museum and throughout the Rochechouart area.

In 2008, the Rochechouart/Chassenon Astroblème National Nature Reserve was created to protect this exceptional geological heritage, manage this natural area and raise public awareness through educational activities and tours.

The Maison de la Réserve is committed to protecting these special rocks of great geological interest.

Un festival pour découvrir la météorite de Rochechouart
Un festival pour découvrir la météorite de Rochechouart
Un festival pour découvrir la météorite de Rochechouart

A geological site that attracts scientists from all over the world

The geological wealth of the Rochechouart/Chassenon Astroblème Nature Reserve is unique in France. A scientific drilling campaign was initiated in 2017 to better understand what happened when the meteorite fell around 200 million years ago.

Since its creation in 2016,the Centre International de Recherche sur les Impacts et sur Rochechouart (CIRIR) has enabled researchers from all over the world to come and study the subsoil of the impact crater. In 2022, scientists from all over the world came to Rochechouart to discover and discuss this geological treasure.

Continue your stay in Rochechouart

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