Monsempron - Saint-Géraud

The history of Monsempron (Mons-Sempronius) started, when in the 11th century Benedictine monks from Aurillac arrived and a priory, dependent from the abbey Saint-Géraud in Aurillac. The priory dominating the confluence of Lémance and Lot developed into a kind of fortified monastic town, that later got surrounded by a village. The first church here may have been small and simple. The church seen today got erected in the second half of the 12th century. It got enlarged and modified in the 16th and 17th century,

The secularisation of the Aurillac abbey ended the Benedictine life here, is in 1561 the priory was taken over by a chapter of canons. In 1632 the Lord of Fumel bought the office of prior of Monsempron for his underaged son. Léon de Saulx de Tavannes, prior from 1710 on, resided in Paris. All these priors were just interested in the revenue of the priory.

The chapter got dissolved in 1790. Part of the buildings were used by the municipality, but in 1793 they were put on sale.

By now the whole structure, including the "château prieural", the centre of the former priory.