Viscounty of Limoges

Built in a shingle of the Auvézère River, at the borders of Saint-Eloi, Saint Julien, Payzac and Beyssenac parishes, the place is naturally defensive.

The Château d'Aixe (or Jeanne d'Albret Tower) was constructed in the 13th century in Aixe-sur-Vienne, controlled by the viscounts of Limoges.

Probably around 1037 or 1059, the successor of Bishop Frotaire (the castrum founder) is said to have given Auberoche Castle [fr] to the Viscount of Limoges, in order to get the protection of this secular lord against the Count of Périgord.

The castle became a chaplain center which included 16 parishes (in 1365) and controlled two main, convergent traffic streams towards Périgueux city, through the Auvézère and Manoir valleys.

Confirmed as soon as September 1257, the judicial and administrative power was enforced in the whole district area by a provost, the agent of the viscount of Limoges.

Coat of Arms of the ancient Viscounts of Limoges
West and sightly south of Dalon Abbey is the town of Hautefort , and south of Lubersac is Pompadour . Although the two Lastours strongholds [ where? ] belonged to the princes of Limoges, they had less power than the viscomital families: Limoges, Comborn, Turenne, Ventadour, Comborn, Aubusson, Rochechouart.