Loop of Vendoire

Starting point: Vendoire church, opposite the war memorial.

Possibility to park at the town hall of Vendoire a few meters away.

At the intersection of roads D102 and C201, take the D102 towards Verteillac.

This walk is part of the hikes registered at the level of the Department. A topographical map is available at the Périgord Riberacois Tourist Office.

1. Towards the cemetery: Pass next to the church, walk along the castle wall. Pass in front of the old village school, transformed into a restaurant. Arrive before the cemetery, take the Route des Crêtes on the right.

2. Crest road: Contemplate the Nizonne valley from the crest road. You pass temporarily in the village of Nanteuil.

3. Montsalut: Take the road to the hamlet of Montsalut (municipality of Vendoire) on the right.

4. Towards the Tourbières: Continue on the road to Montsalut until the junction with the road to the Tourbières. Head opposite in the impasse of the Toubières site, visit the peat bogs of Vendoire (if you wish), otherwise take the path marked in yellow to the right to follow the site.

5. Towards the village: Take the impasse du Héron Blanc to the right to find the route des Tourbières. Turn left onto Route des Tourbières. At the crossroads between the impasse du Canard Sauvage and the route de la Croix, turn right onto the route de la Croix.

Follow the signs taking the first road on the left, the Route du Petit Jarnac. Arrive at the junction with the Léo Laffargue road, turn right towards the village. You can contemplate the castle from the Léo Laffargue road.

6. Return to the point of arrival at the Church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption.

Points of interest:

The castle of Vendoire, dating from the end of the 17th century, is built on a terrace near the church, on the site of a first castle, called Bourzac, built in the middle of the 16th century. The vast, luxurious residence has symmetrical, classic 18th century architecture: a main building flanked by two rectangular pavilions with mansard roofs and extended by the outbuildings. Note the pediments carved with lion heads, garlands, coats of arms and the caduceus, an emblem of peace and commerce, during the restoration at the end of the 19th century.

The natural site of the peat bogs of Vendoire, an original and little-known wetland, located at the bottom of the Lizonne valley, constitutes a basic peat bog of international interest, linked to a singular and diversified fauna and flora. From June to September, the peat bog house will take you to discover both the natural history and the past linked to human activities of this basic peat bog with a multi-millennial past. The site offers many activities such as: tree climbing, fishing, boat trips or thematic workshops. All year round - free visit of the interpretation trails - guided visit by appointment.

The Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption church in Vendoire was built in the 12th century according to a Latin cross plan with a nave and a semicircular apse largely taken up in the 19th century. It is designed in cut stone and limestone rubble, the gutter walls of its single nave are subsequently covered with paneling. Despite numerous alterations, it retains a square Romanesque bell tower pierced on each side with two bays with columns and cubic capitals. Note in particular, on the west facade, a portal with three arches with side walls and columns with carved capitals whose architecture comes directly from the neighboring Saintonge.