Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s favourite mistress, received her title and this château from the king in 1745. History relates that La Pompadour (who was plain Antoinette Poisson before she caught the king’s eye) never visited her Limousin retreat, but Louis founded a stud next door and the Château-Haras de Pompadour, at Arnac-Pompadour (30 km W of Uzerche via the D7), is now a national stud farm, famous for its Anglo-Arab horses. The château’s terraced gardens are open to the public along with the stables. Race meetings are held at the race course below the château.