France: Uzerche

Uzerche was founded in the 2nd century on a strategic location – high ground of a rocky outcrop above the oxbow of the Vesere River – the entire town looks like one giant fortress surrounded by fortified perimeter walls. From the 10th century, Uzerche was home to an important Benedictine abbey. The town was besieged dozens of times through the centuries, but was never taken. Almost every house in town has turrets on the roof, in fact French say that “if you own a house in Uzerche, you own a castle in Limousine”.