Brive-la-Gaillarde, Market town in Corrèze, France
Brive-la-Gaillarde is a commune in Corrèze in southwestern France that serves as the largest population center in the region. The town spreads across a basin where several rivers meet, with the historic core surrounded by newer residential areas.
The settlement formed around a church in the 5th century and grew into a fortified place during the Middle Ages. The town suffered partial destruction during the Wars of Religion and was later rebuilt following new urban plans.
The name Gaillarde comes from the Occitan word for brave or spirited, still felt in the town's character today. The center comes alive on market days when vendors sell truffles, walnuts and farm cheeses directly from their stalls.
Most sights sit within the center and can be explored on foot, though some lanes run on slopes. The railway station lies about a kilometer from the historic core and offers connections to several major French cities.
The town received the Croix de guerre for its liberation in August 1944, achieved by local resistance fighters without support from Allied troops. This success made it the first town in Occupied France to free itself through its own efforts.
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