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Located in Hautefort, in the Dordogne region, the Hôtel-Dieu is much more than a former hospital: it is a 17th-century architectural masterpiece and the headquarters of the Museum of the History of Medicine, which houses an exceptional collection of more than 6,500 medical objects.

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Hautefort Castle, located on a rocky outcrop overlooking the town and village of Hautefort, is a rare example of classical architecture in the Dordogne. Built from the 16th to the 17th century on the foundations of an old castle, its architecture is reminiscent of the castles of the Loire. The construction, led by architects Nicolas Rambourg and Jacques Maigret, was intended for the family of the Marquis de Hautefort, close to the king and influential at Court, renowned for their generosity towards the poor. During the Revolution, the castle was protected by the inhabitants of Hautefort, who repelled a revolutionary troop from Excideuil wanting to destroy it. At the beginning of the 20th century, the castle was in ruins, having lost its furniture, its woodwork and parquet floors. In 1929, it was bought by the Baron and Baroness de Bastard, who undertook a complete restoration. After the Baron's death in 1957, the Baroness continued the work alone. A fire in 1968 destroyed the central building, leaving only the charred exterior walls. Thanks to national and local generosity, as well as the support of personalities, Baroness de Bastard undertook a second restoration, even selling her works of art to finance the work. The facades, frames, ceilings, decorations and rooms were reconstructed identically from photos. The woodwork of the Château de Kerlaudy was recovered and the castle was completely refurnished. In 1977, Baroness de Bastard moved back into the castle and opened it to visitors. In 1984, she created the Château de Hautefort Foundation, to which she donated the building, its estate and its furniture. Today, the interiors not open to the public are still being restored. The French gardens, recreated by the baron and baroness, extend into terraces around the castle, with flowered boxwood embroidery beds and are classified as historic monuments. An English-style park of 30 hectares extends on the hill to the west of the castle.

Here, nature is exuberant, the shaggy moss and century-old boxwood refresh the walker, accompanied by the sound of flowing water. The dull roar of the Saut Ruban waterfall announces one of the most magical places in our forests, of which mouflons are the guardians. The discreet marked hiking trails guide you to the land of fairies and trolls. The Auvézère has its source in the Massif Central and winds westwards to enter the Dordogne where it flows into the Isle. With its unique fauna and flora, these crystalline and winding gorges, sometimes steep, are a hiker's paradise... It is between Savignac-Lédrier and Génis that it enters winding crystalline gorges that are sometimes very steep. They are equipped with particular flora and fauna, adapted to this very pronounced relief, with the mouflons as stars. The river offers majestic waterfalls, which reveal its torrential charm, notably that of Saut-Ruban in Saint-Mesmin. Experienced kayakers come here to train and organize national competitions.

The Hôtel-Dieu d'Hautefort dates from the 17th century and today houses the Hautefort Museum of the History of Medicine and also the tourist office. In Old French, Hôtel-Dieu meant “the hotel of God”, that is to say the hospitable house where one is received in the name and under the auspices of God. Hotels Dieu are hospitals of ancient foundation, which received orphans, destitute and pilgrims and which were administered by the Church. During your visit, you will be able to discover 7 rooms dedicated to different themes: The room of the eternal father: Originally the hotel god was designed to accommodate 11 women, 11 men and 11 children, the number 33 symbolizing the age of Christ. The room of the eternal father is a reconstruction of a room as it must have been at that time to accommodate eleven men. Also in this room, a reproduction of an abandonment tower: also called a “baby box”, this is a place where mothers could anonymously leave their babies, generally newborns, so that they are found and cared for there. The room of the divine word: Here is an exhibition of liturgical vestments. The Hippocrates room: This room is dedicated to pharmacy and biology equipment for the manufacture of medicines The Plato room: You will find four dental offices from different eras on display there from 1910 to 1970. from the first use of electricity to the office with x-ray and laser. The Aristotle room: This room is dedicated to the history of radiography and to gynecology and obstetrics. The Galien room: Pneumology, surgery and cardiology are exhibited in this Galien room. The chapel A Simples garden allows you to discover all these plants that are so useful to your health. A visit is possible with Madame LOUIS Geneviève, herbalist, whose store is close