The villages and fortified towns of Dordogne and Périgord: Historical heritage
The fall of the Carolingian Empire at the beginning of the 10th century gave way to feudalism and very difficult living conditions for the peasants. To guarantee the security of the stronghold, defensive villages were built with a church as a central point and surrounded by ramparts, the circulades. These fortified villages which were directly built at the instigation of a king (of France or England) or a count of Toulouse bear the name of “bastides”. In the south-west of France, between Périgord and the Pyrenees, there are today nearly 400 bastides. Several of them are located in the Dordogne less than an hour by car from the campsite in Saint-Aulaye La Dordogne Verte. Do you want to discover history and admire the architecture of remarkably well-preserved fortified villages? Between a cave visit and your swimming lengths in the heated swimming pool of the aquatic area of our campsite in the green Périgord, cross the ramparts and stroll cheerfully in the cobbled streets of the bastides.
A discovery of the unique local heritage between Saint-Aulaye and Nontron
Have you just dropped off your suitcases in the middle of your stay which overlooks the private terrace of your prestigious mobile home in Saint-Aulaye? After a refreshing dip in our establishment’s swimming pool, take a walk as a couple or as a family along the course of the Dronne. You will see the mill on the Rizonne, one of the emblematic constructions of this town classified as a green station. Let yourself be seduced by the ramparts flanked by towers, the 13th century castle with beautiful proportions, the sober facade and the Romanesque capitals of the Sainte-Eulalie church and the old stone bridge which spans the Rizonne. Then head to the capital of Périgord Vert, Nontron, located an hour by car from our campsite with swimming pool in Saint-Aulaye in the Périgord-Limousin regional natural park. You will arrive, perhaps without knowing it, at the gates of the Massif Central. Nontron is home to a castle listed as a historical monument built between the 17th and 19th centuries with a Renaissance-style facade and a park with an evocative name below the building, the Jardin des Arts.
Brantôme, a magnificent abbey on the way to Compostela
If you book a holiday rental in Saint-Aulaye at the La Dordogne verte campsite, Brantôme is one of the essential visits to make during your stay. This town of 2,000 inhabitants, located on one of the Compostela routes, attracts pilgrims and hikers. But also history buffs. The Saint-Pierre de Brantôme abbey, an architectural jewel of the Périgord Vert, has retained its abbey church and part of its original cloister. Open to the public, it houses two museums and the town hall.
Brantôme is distinguished by its concentration of monuments, with several castles and remarkable historic buildings that the fascinated visitor discovers one by one at the bend of an alley or at the top of a hill. The best way to discover this bastide is probably to walk through the Porte des Réformés and let yourself be carried away by your curiosity. Wonder and beautiful vacation photographs guaranteed.