The Castle of Châlus-Chabrol testifies to the power of its owners, who were all members of the most important families in France: the Sully, d'Albret, Borgia and, lastly, Bourbon.
The most memorable event to do with the castle remains the death of Richard the Lionheart, King of England, who besieged it in 1199.

It was built in 1280 by Géraud de Maulmont, adviser to the Viscountess of Limoges, Marguerite of Burgundy. It was greatly damaged during the Revolution. It was dismantled in1790 and used as a prison; its ruins remain an interesting testimony to a late 13th century castle. From the Middle Ages onwards, a town grew up around this castle, with a new church and a graveyard (an annexe of the mother church in Lageyrat).

The Castle of Montbrun, in the commune of Dournazac, came under the control of the Earldom of Poitou in the Middle Ages. It is next to a little river, the Dournajou, and next to Le Grand Puyconnieux, one of the highest points of the "Monts de Châlus". It was built in the late 12th century by Aymeric Brun, who also founded the Priory of Thavaud in 1180, several kilometres away.

The Castle of Les Cars was the residence of the Pérusse family, major servants of the "royal administration" from the 14th to the 17th century, and it has an unusual profile in the area of the Monts de Châlus. Indeed, archaeological discoveries show the splendour of the site during the Renaissance, while the ruins show that the architecture was adapted to using firearms during the Wars of Religion.

This 180 km signposted-route brings together 14 sites; mainly fortified castles which are open to the public and are located on the boundaries of Limousin, Perigord and Angoumois.

Four of them can be found in the Monts de Châlus - Montbrun, Châlus-Chabrol, Châlus-Maulmont, and Les Cars.

It is the crowned lion with the heart pierced by an arrow, evoking the King of England who was mortally wounded at Châlus, which is the emblem of this route.

There are other castles to be discovered as you wander through the Monts de Châlus or their immediate surroundings:

• The Castle of Lastours (Rilhac-Lastours); shows and events.
• The Castle of Brie (Champagnac La Rivière); fortified house from the late Middle Ages.
• Le Mas-Nadaud (Pageas); late medieval county house, destined to become the House of the Perigord - Limousin Natural Regional Park.
• The Castle of Faye (Flavignac); classical late 18th century chateau (not open to the public) and still many more...