Maison de Tayac

Maison de Tayac stands among the tower-topped townhouses of Uzerche's old quarter, a small Corrèze town perched on a rocky spur above the Vézère river. Also referred to as Château de Tayac, the building sits on the former Rue Pierre-Chalaud and ranks among the most photographed facades in the historic core.

Who owned the house?

Ownership first traces back to the Gautier family, active participants in the events of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era that followed. The property later passed to Jean Philippot de Tayac, mayor of Uzerche between 1866 and 1877. He and his wife left much of their fortune to the town and its hospice, a bequest still remembered locally as a defining act of civic generosity.

What makes its architecture stand out?

Uzerche is famous for its skyline of private towers, and Maison de Tayac contributes two distinctive ones. A tall square tower frames an ornate entrance door carved with a coat of arms bearing the bull — an emblem tied to the town itself and echoed elsewhere in its historic buildings. Alongside it rises a turret capped with a candle-snuffer roof, a conical form typical of dwellings straddling the late medieval and early Renaissance periods in this part of France.

Is the building protected as a heritage site?

Yes. The 16th-century doorway and turret were listed as a historic monument on 21 October 1963. That protection was widened in 2020 to cover the facades and roofs of the entire house, meaning the stonework at street level and the roofline above it now fall under the same conservation oversight.

Can visitors go inside?

Maison de Tayac remains a private residence, so its interior is not open to the public. The facade, towers, and carved portal, however, are fully visible from the street and form a natural stop on a walk through Uzerche's pedestrian old town, alongside its other tower houses.

How do you get there?

Uzerche lies in the Corrèze department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, along the route linking Limoges and Brive-la-Gaillarde. The historic centre, including Maison de Tayac, sits within the walkable old town, easiest to reach on foot from the central square or the Saint-Pierre church.

Najczęstsze pytania

What is Maison de Tayac? A historic townhouse in Uzerche, also known as Château de Tayac, recognisable by its square tower with a carved entrance and a turret topped by a candle-snuffer roof.

Who lived there? The Gautier family first, then Jean Philippot de Tayac, mayor of Uzerche from 1866 to 1877, whose family later donated their fortune to the town and its hospice.

When was it listed as a monument? The 16th-century door and turret were registered as a historic monument in 1963; protection was extended to the whole building's facades and roofs in 2020.

Can you visit the inside? No, it is a private home — only the exterior can be admired while walking through the old town.