Lembras: Hiking Trails, Forest and Architectural History

Trails, Forest and the Caudeau

Explore Lembras via forest trails, nature along the Caudeau and historic buildings. The Caudeau Valley borders the town to the south; to the northeast, it extends across a rolling plateau dominated by extensive woodland. The forests are home to a rich variety of plant and animal life. With a little patience, you may also spot deer there. For planning your trip, the trails differ mainly in length, format and theme: some are circular, others explain the watercourse or follow an out-and-back route.

The Sentier des Châtaigniers is a 7.3-kilometre circular trail that starts in Lembras. The route description was updated on 5 March 2025; it rates the trail as easy for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding. At 7.3 kilometres, this loop is longer than the two Caudeau trails, which are listed as 800 metres and 2.5 kilometres.

The 800-metre nature trail along the Caudeau in Lembras uses information panels to explain the watercourse and its surroundings. A second circular route along the Caudeau is 2.5 kilometres long and follows an out-and-back route. A tourist description published in 2020 mentions at least seven fish species in the Caudeau. This figure adds a specific detail about the watercourse’s wildlife to the information provided by the nature trail panels.

Historic Buildings and Their Stories

The Puits des Gironnets is 32 metres deep and topped by a small shelter with a pitched, tiled roof. A hand-turned wheel operates a winch positioned outside the well shaft. The well was carefully restored in 2008 and is no longer in use. Its structure allows you to see the handwheel and the separately positioned winch as parts of a mechanism.

The history of the Tour Cyrano dates back to 1113: at that time, the tower that stands today formed the bow of a fortress in Ribeyrie surrounded by three walls. Around 1198, Richard the Lionheart had the fortress demolished. The Tour Cyrano still stands at the crossroads of the roads to Queyssac and Greloux. The fortress and the crossroads therefore belong to different periods in its history.

The so-called “Roman bridge” of Lembras is a stone bridge over the Caudeau. Château la Renaudie is an 18th-century château in Lembras. Self-guided visits are possible; guided visits are available by appointment. The château has a contiguous 35-hectare vineyard. This vineyard accounts for 10 percent of the total AOC production of red Pécharmant wine. The 35 hectares describe the size of the vineyard; the percentage refers to Pécharmant AOC wine production.

Discover more destinations: Boulazac, Saint-Avit-Rivière, Abjat-Sur-Bandiat, Saint-Amand-De-Coly, Creysse, Le Change, Monsec, Siorac-De-Ribérac

For the main travel overview: Dordogne.