Nailhac: Walnut Orchards, Farm Visits and a Romanesque Church
Accommodation in Nailhac
Nailhac’s village centre sits on a small plateau, surrounded by rounded, wooded hills. Visitors can choose from several interests: Romanesque architecture, walnut growing and visits to farms. First decide whether the church, a closer look at walnut farming, or the trail through orchards and built heritage matters most to you; then you can fit suitable visit dates into your travel plans.
Village Centre, Hills and Trail
The village centre sits on a small plateau, surrounded by rounded, wooded hills. The Boucle de Nailhac trail passes through walnut orchards and a landscape with numerous noteworthy buildings. The village’s setting and the trail offer different perspectives: the plateau describes the location of the settlement’s centre, while the route brings orchards and built heritage together in the landscape. If you would like to include a circular trail in your stay, you will find both walnut growing and built heritage as part of the landscape here.
Romanesque Church and Bell Gable
The Eglise de l'invention de saint-Etienne in Nailhac is a Romanesque church dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. Its bell gable has four round-arched openings. The fourth opening on the south side contains the church’s only bell. This bell was listed as a protected movable cultural asset on 13 July 1994. The construction period and protection date refer to different things: the 12th and 13th centuries date the church, while the 1994 listing applies to the bell as an individual movable object.
Walnut Farming and Farm Visits
Terre de Noyer has been a family-run farm since 1932, located in the hamlet of Le Verdier in Nailhac, in the Dordogne. The farm combines Limousin cattle farming with walnut growing. In July and August, tours of the farm, workshops and oil mill are offered on Mondays and Fridays at 10 a.m.; groups can be welcomed year-round by reservation. Farm tours therefore have a seasonal window with set weekdays and a specific time, while groups can also be welcomed outside these months by reservation. Plan your trip around your preferred date and confirm your visit before travelling.
Another walnut farm is Les Vergers de la Guillou. It produces walnuts and walnut kernels bearing the “AOP Noix du Périgord” designation. Guided farm tours are available by appointment and cover the walnut orchard, its upkeep, the harvest, sorting and drying. The visit therefore covers several stages of walnut growing and production. Visitor information from 2023 describes the guided tour as almost entirely level and free of obstacles. A numbered written guide is available on request for visitors with hearing impairments; a tactile experience of the fruit and orchard is also possible. Confirm these access arrangements before your trip.
Plan Your Stay Around Visit Dates
The FĂŞte de la Noix in Nailhac may also influence your choice of travel dates: it takes place on the third Sunday in August. The schedules for the various activities differ considerably: Terre de Noyer offers tours in July and August on two weekdays, Les Vergers de la Guillou welcomes visitors for guided tours by appointment, and the festival takes place on a Sunday in August. Request visits with fixed dates before travelling and check the festival date for your travel year.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Front-La-Rivière, Saint-Laurent-des-Hommes, Saint-Pierre-D'eyraud, Saint-André-Et-Appelles, Saint-Germain-Du-Salembre, Saint-Crépin-Et-Carlucet, Cubjac, Grignols.
Back to the main travel guide: Dordogne.
