Discover Orliaguet

Orliaguet combines varied terrain with sweeping views, stretching from the Monts d’Auvergne to the Dordogne Valley. At the same time, the surrounding area is natural and wooded, with numerous hiking trails winding through hills and valleys. The landscape thus has two sides—distant views and paths through wooded terrain. Alongside it are tangible examples of religious art and prehistory. When choosing a destination based on your interests in landscape and culture, you can consider both a particular circular hike and named churches and stone monuments as themes in Orliaguet.

Landscape and Hiking Trails

The Boucle d’Orliaguet provides a specific framework for hiking. It is a challenging 14.4-kilometer circular hike starting from Orliaguet, which leads, among other places, to a viewpoint overlooking the Dordogne Valley. Its route type, length and difficulty are all specified, as is one of its destinations. The general description also mentions numerous trails through wooded hills and valleys; the Boucle is one individual route described in greater detail. This distinction can help you decide whether you are more interested in the area’s trails in general or in a specifically described circular hike. The route guide is available at the tourist offices in Carlux and Salignac. Since availability may change, it is advisable to ask about it before your visit.

Church of Saint-Étienne

The Church of Saint-Étienne d’Orliaguet features two notable elements of religious furnishings. The colorful altarpiece dates from the 17th century; the fully preserved statue of the Virgin and Child is a polychrome wooden sculpture from the 18th century. “Polychrome” refers to its multicolored paintwork and adds a feature of its execution to the material description of wood. On March 1, 1973, the statue was listed as a protected object. This date refers to the listing, not the creation of the sculpture: the altarpiece and the statue date from two consecutive centuries. This makes it possible to distinguish the two works and their different dates.

Prehistoric Stone Monuments

The dolmen at Plaine de Malcepiot is a prehistoric megalithic structure made up of three large upright stones. They are aligned from east to west; two are limestone, while the larger third one is sandstone. Their number, alignment and materials make the description specific and distinguish the three stones from one another. The dolmen is therefore described in terms of the structure’s arrangement and the contrast between its rock types. The Orliaguet polissoir is located in an oak and chestnut forest on the slope of a pech hill and is one of the numerous ferruginous sandstone blocks on the slopes of the area. Here, the forest, slope and group of rock formations shape the description. By comparison, the two monuments draw attention to different features: the dolmen, with its three aligned stones made of two types of material, and the polissoir, with its wooded location and association with ferruginous sandstone.

Discover more destinations: Borrèze, Les Graulges, Tursac, Serres-et-Montguyard, Saint-Front-De-Pradoux, Sourzac, Beauregard-de-Terrasson, Issac.

For the broader travel overview: Dordogne.