Haute-Vienne
Haute-Vienne (; , ; Upper Vienne) is a département in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwest-central France. Named after the Vienne River, it is one of the twelve départements that together constitute Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The prefecture an ...
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Nouvelle-Aquitaine () is the largest Regions of France, administrative region in France by area, spanning the west and southwest of Metropolitan France. The region was created in 2014 by the merging of Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
in western France. It is considered to be the traditional capital of the Basse Marche. Inhabitants are known as ''Dorachons''. Some say that Le Dorat owes its name to the gilded angel located at the summit of the "Lou Dora" bell tower.
Geography
The town is located 50 km north of
Limoges
Limoges ( , , ; , locally ) is a city and Communes of France, commune, and the prefecture of the Haute-Vienne Departments of France, department in west-central France. It was the administrative capital of the former Limousin region. Situated o ...
. The river
Brame
The Brame (; ) is a long river in the Creuse and Haute-Vienne '' départements'', central France. Its source is at La Souterraine. It flows generally west. It is a right tributary of the Gartempe into which it flows between Thiat and Darnac.
...
forms part of the commune's northwestern border. There is one
SNCF
The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
train station on the line Limoges-Poitiers that connects the town to Paris.
History
In the year 950, missionaries reconstructed a church dedicated to the Saint Michel. 20 years later, the Saint Pierre chapel and the chapitre du Dorat were founded near the church Saint Michel. During the Medieval period, the Saint Pierre chapel was known for its veneration of King St. Clovis.Krynen, Jacques. ''«Qu'est-ce qu'une nation?» La réponse médiévale française.'' Revue historique de droit français et étranger (1922-) 64.1 (1986): 71-78.
Le Dorat was a town of nobility and property owners. In 1356, the town was besieged by the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
and during the
European wars of religion
The European wars of religion were a series of wars waged in Europe during the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries. Fought after the Protestant Reformation began in 1517, the wars disrupted the religious and political order in the Catholic Chu ...
from 1524 to 1648, the town was badly damaged.
Sights
Le Dorat is an ancient town, with fine examples of Romanesque architecture, especially the 11th Century Collegiate of Saint-Pierre.
Events
There is plenty to do all year round with horse racing events in June, July and August; a national horse show in September; sound and light show; craft days; Christmas market as well as concerts, tennis, cinema, fishing, sailing and windsurfing."Information about the place"
In 2019 le Dorat hosted the World Sheep Shearing Championship.
See also
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Communes of the Haute-Vienne department
The following is a list of the 195 communes of the Haute-Vienne department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2025):Le dossier hagiographique des saints Israël et Théobald du Dorat ', "Saint Israël, chanoine de l’An Mil - Etablissements canoniaux, pouvoir épiscopal et seigneuries laïques au temps des premiers Capétiens, Limousin et royaume de France", international colloquium organised by Université de Limoges and the CRIHAM, November 2014, Limoges-Le Dorat, France. Éd. Lavaud, 2020.