Situated in the Corrèze, some ten miles away,
Brive-la-Gaillarde is the closest major town to La Dornac.
Even though the inhabitants settled around the first century, the
city only started to grow much later. Starting around the 5th century, the
original city starts to develop around a church dedicated to Saint-Martin-l'Espagnol. During the 12th century
walls are built around the city and during the Hundred Years' War a second wall
is built. These fortifications no longer exist and are now replaced by
boulevards.
The commune was named "Brive" until 1919, when it was renamed
"Brive-la-Gaillarde". The word "Gaillarde" probably stands for bravery or
strength, but it can also refer to the city's walls. Brive now extends outside
of its original boundaries into Malemort and Ussac. The medieval centre is
mainly a commercial district with retail shops and various cafés. It is also the
location of the city hall, the main police station, and the Labenche museum. One
notable landmark outside the inner city is the Pont Cardinal, a bridge which
used to be a crossing point for travellers from Paris to Toulouse. Finally, it
is the home of CA Brive rugby union team.
