Origin and history
The Carbonnières towers, located in Goulles in Corrèze, are a set of two strong houses erected between the 12th and 15th centuries, forming a medieval castrum. They stand on a rocky promontory 120 meters long, perched at 399 meters above sea level, at the bottom of a narrow valley between the Bedaine and Maronne rivers. This strategic site, now surrounded by forest, once marked the boundary between the Corrèze and the Cantal, in the historical region of the Black Xaintrie, south of the Maronne.
The first traces of occupation date back to the 11th century, with wooden buildings on a feudal motte. The south tower, known as the Bistor (the leaning), was built in the 13th century, while the north tower, more residential, dates from the 14th–15th centuries. They were built by the families of Carbonnières and Montal, co-teachers of the place. The Carbonnières, the influential family of Xaintrie, occupied the site from the 12th century, while the Montals settled there around 1200 via the marriage alliance of Durand de Montal with Dia de Carbonnières. In 1276, Durand de Montal's will mentions donations to the village's poor, attesting to a community organized below.
In the 13th century, the Carbonnières gradually abandoned their ancestral castrum for that of Merle, located 3 km northwest, more comfortable and suitable for settlement. Both towers were sold to vassals, Bertrand de Sermus and Guy de Surclam, before being abandoned in the 15th century. During the Wars of Religion (16th century), the southern tower suffered canon damage, losing its southeast angle. The castral village below, which still had about fifteen buildings in 1834, was finally deserted in 1936, leaving only ruins.
Architecturally, the towers have a massive stone structure, with a low room and three floors served by a screw staircase. The south tower, defensive, lacks comfort (no chimneys or wide windows), while the north tower, residential, has dust, latrines and chimneys. The village, spread over two hectares, housed houses, a chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine, a maladry and a notarial study. The last house, dated 1624, bears the inscription "1624 in Bourbouze" on its lintel.
The ruins of the Carbonnières towers, classified as a historical monument in 1970, are now owned by the municipality of Goulles. The site, open for free all year round, is connected to the towers of Merle by a medieval hiking trail, Merlin Road, traversing a steep two-hour journey. The Goulles coat of arms, representing three bands of diazur and eight coals, recaptures the coat of arms of the Carbonnières family, native to the place.
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