Tulle

Visit Tulle, Limousin

Tulle is the capital (prefecture) of the Correze department, in the Limousin region of France and on the Correze river. Historically the town has been an important centre for lace production, and was the town where the material called tulle - a finely woven material used for wedding veils etc - was invented.

Exploring Tulle

It is in the heart of the attractive and bustling old town around the cathedral that your visit to Tulle will focus, with interesting medieval houses and buildings and a pleasant river frontage to enjoy.

In the open squares and the side streets there are numerous small architectural highlights to discover, such as ornate balconies and carved decorative doorways, along with a couple of particularly fine late-medieval houses such as the Maison de Loyac (an imposing stone house with an ornate entrance and two small towers in Place Gambetta) and the Maison Lauthonie, and an imposing town hall.

The town is built across several hills, so the narrow streets that pass through the town are often replaced by steep staircases. It is along these that you will find much of the medieval character of Tulle, with the balconied houses often featuring architectural highlights such as ornately carved doorways.

Much the most important monument here is Tulle Cathedral, built next to the river in the 12th to 13th centuries and incorporating both roman and gothic style elements. The imposing belltower (with the tallest spire in Limousin) was added after the main cathedral was finished.

Inside the cathedral cloisters the Museum of Traditional Arts has some interesting exhibits, drawn from the history of both the cathedral and from Tulle and the surrounding region, and including religious art and sculpture and examples of the local pottery.

Other monuments you will discover in Tulle include the Church of Saint-Pierre, the Chapel de l'Hopital, and the Palace of Justice (next to the river). Note also the interesting facade of the 19th century theatre as you walk along the riverside through the Place de la Republique.

Attractions nearby

Not far from Tulle you can visit two other very attractive Limousin towns - Uzerche is an extensive medieval town to the north-west while Argentat is a picturesque town on the Dordogne river to the south-east.

See Limousin and Correze (the region and department for Tulle) for more travel ideas...

Tourist classifications for Tulle: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 1*;

Suggested places to visit near Tulle, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Collonges-la-Rouge 25km; Turenne 28km; Curemonte 30km; Treignac 30km; Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne 33km; Martel 39km; Carennac 39km; Terrasson 39km; Segur-le-Chateau 40km; Meymac 43km; Loubressac 44km;

Tulle tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Gouffre de la Fage - site of natural beauty (26km) : Eglise de Saint Pierre (Carennac) - religious monument (39km) : Jardins de l'Imaginaire - remarkable garden (40km) : Castelnau-Bretenoux Chateau - national monument (41km) : Parc-arboretum de Neuvic d'Ussel - remarkable garden (42km) : Chateau Montal - national monument (46km) : Gouffre de Padirac - site of natural beauty (46km) : Abbaye Sainte Marie (Souillac) - religious monument (47km) :

See more places and a map at places near Tulle