Below the feet of the apostles, on either side of Christ, we see the dead rising from their tombs to receive judgement, including on His left, four figures who are among the Saved. The sculptors, who came from Toulouse in the 1130s, filled the surface of the tympanum (the semi-circular area above the doors) with people, angels and beasts both real and imaginary.
Thus both visitors and townspeople beheld an entrance richly carved with intoxicating Christian imagery depicting Judgement Day.Īt the entrance of Saint-Pierre abbey Pic: steve estvanik / Shutterstock While the monks accessed the abbey through the north transept, the medieval pilgrim entered the church through the south porch, which opened onto the main market square. Read more: Fire and murderous fury in medieval French city Laon The relics of saints Felicity, Prime and Félicien that he acquired for the abbey proved to be a potent draw for pilgrims.Īnd although nothing remains of the ninth-century church, the numerous pilgrims who came to venerate the saintly relics there left offerings so bountiful that the monks were able to start work on a new, larger abbey, built on the same site, before the middle of the twelfth century. And so they did.Īrchbishop Raoul founded the abbey of Saint-Pierre in 898 and installed 12 monks from nearby Solignac. Raoul was a canny operator focussed on attracting pilgrims (and their wallets) to his new foundation. The abbey’s location on the banks of the Dordogne river was in a strategically useful position. So enchanted was he that he ditched its old name, re-baptised it Bellus Locus (that’s ‘Beautiful Place’ to you and me), and founded a Benedictine abbey there.īut archbishop Raoul (or Rodolphe, depending on the source) didn’t set up shop simply because he liked the view. A ninth-century archbishop of Bourges happened upon the little village of Vellinus while surveying his seigneurial lands. We are here to help you make the most of your visit, so please contact us if you need to know more.Names can tell you a lot about a place, and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne is no exception. It is the centre for strawberries and there is a big festival there every May. The nearest town (4 km) is Beaulieu sur Dordogne, with its 12th Century Abbey and walled city with very narrow cobbled streets, it provides a variety of shops and restaurants. There is also a bar and tennis court in the village. There are 9 & 18 hole golf courses approximately 20 minutes away, and indoor and outdoor pools and water centres in the area. The area also boasts superb facilities for canoeing, fishing, and has some breathtaking scenery if you like cycling and walking. There is a farm in the village which produces goats cheeses and creme fraiche and it is a short walk to the farm shop for a delicious addition to lunch on the terrace!!īretenoux is a Bastide town with fabulous markets twice a week and markets in Beaulieu and Meyssac every week are excellent for fresh produce.
BEAULIEU SUR DORDOGNE PLUS
Les Eyzes Museums of Neanderthal Man, Lascaux Cave Paintings, River Vezere and Sarlat are all within an hour of the Moulin.įoie Gras, Truffles, Chestnuts and an abundance of fruit are all produced in the area plus the excellent Vin de Paille aperitif is produced by some local farmers.This is also the main area for walnuts which can be purchased from the growers together with wonderful walnut oil for salads and cooking. We are less than an hour away from a number of Pre-History sites with important cave dwellings and paintings of from the Neanderthal age. It is ½ an hour to Rocamadour Argentat, Turenne, Collanges La Rouge. Many of the "Beau Villages" and "Ville Fleurie" villages of France are in this area. Richard the Lionheart spent a lot of his life in the area and died near here. We are surrounded by wonderful fortified towns and medieval chateauxĪnd churches everywhere you go. Simpson are reputed to have stayed on many occasions!!!! The moulin is situated next to the 13 century Chateau d'Arnac in Nonards where Edward and Mrs. Situated in Nonards on the River Menoire which joins the Dordogne within 3 Kilometers, we are at the junction of the Lot and Dordogne departments of France, in an area of great natural beauty and historical interest.
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