Mouleydier: La Castelle and the history of the locks

If you’re looking for a hotel in Mouleydier, the history of the village provides a concrete backdrop for your stay. The village’s houses stand on a hillside above the Dordogne’s right bank. Its points of interest include the medieval fortress of La Castelle, historic traces of fishing, and the waterworks at Tuilières.

Hillside setting and fortress history

The houses of Mouleydier stand on the hillside above the Dordogne’s right bank. The medieval castle of La Castelle was besieged and destroyed by Du Guesclin in 1375 during the Hundred Years’ War. A square well remains as a surviving trace of the fortress. This places a precisely dated turning point in the fortress’s history alongside a named relic.

A later chapter in the village’s history is the bridge over the Dordogne, built between 1840 and 1850. This makes it possible to distinguish the medieval history of La Castelle from a much later phase of construction.

Canal, locks, and engineering structures

The Dordogne lateral canal at Tuilières opened in 1844, allowing barges to avoid the shallows at Lalinde. Another engineering feature is the Tuilières flight of locks. It extends over 289 metres and overcomes a height difference of 22 metres. These figures convey different aspects: for the canal, the focus is on its purpose for navigation and the year it opened; for the flight of locks, its length and change in elevation.

The Tuilières lock complex was listed as a historic monument by decree dated 11 September 1996. The listing covers the junction basin, the upper and lower bridges, and the façades and roofs of the lock keepers’ houses upstream and downstream.

The Tuilières fish lift also has a precise construction date: it was built in 1989 and is equipped with a viewing window. Along with the flight of locks and the hydroelectric power station, it is one of the engineering features mentioned on a trip to the port of Tuilières.

Fish weirs and local history

The former fish weirs of Mouleydier are documented in a census dated 22 November 1794. It mentions Jean Delmas, known as “Carelle,” as a fisherman who worked in the caves. The fish weirs are considered likely to be unique in the Dordogne Valley. The dated entry and the named fisherman give this historic fishery a specific temporal and personal context.

Routes and a trip to Tuilières

Route endpoints and the path they follow help distinguish the different routes. The véloroute, or greenway, from Bergerac to Lalinde follows the former towpath and opened to pedestrians and cyclists in summer 2019. The V91 greenway runs along the Canal de Lalinde from the Tuilières locks to Mauzac. Bergerac, Lalinde, and the former towpath are the reference points for the first route; the V91 focuses on Tuilières, Mauzac, and the route along the canal. As route conditions can change, check them before setting out.

An additional 1.5-hour trip with the Gabarres de Bergerac departs from the port of Creysse by reservation. It passes through the village of Mouleydier, with its former fish weirs, and continues to the port of Tuilières. The sights mentioned there include the flight of seven locks, the fish lift, and the hydroelectric power station. The trip is seasonal and requires a reservation; check the current departure dates before planning.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Martin-Des-Combes, Église-Neuve-d'Issac, Saint-Laurent-des-Hommes, Montagrier, La Boissière-D'ans, Champs-Romain, La Roche-Chalais, Larzac

For the broader travel overview: Dordogne.