Parcoul: Church, Circular Walk and the Dronne

Explore Parcoul on a trip combining culture, trails and activities on the Dronne. The Église Saint-Martin and the Château de Parcoul offer different historical points of interest; the Boucle de Parcoul adds a circular walk featuring several named buildings. There are also canoeing and kayaking options, as well as pottery and art made from recycled materials. If you are looking for a hotel, you can choose Parcoul based on whether you would like to focus your stay more on architectural history, hiking, water activities or creative pursuits.

Church and château: architecture and history

The Église Saint-Martin belonged to a Benedictine priory under the authority of Charroux Abbey. Its Romanesque nave has three bays, and its apse is semicircular. “Three-bay” describes the division of the nave into three bays; the apse is the semicircular end of the church. The Église thus combines two specific architectural features with its historical connection to the priory.

The Château de Parcoul stands on a terrace above a bend in the Dronne. The site was once a medieval fortress, captured by the English in 1337. This offers a different historical focus from the Église: rather than Romanesque architecture and the history of the priory, the emphasis is on its position above the river bend and the site’s former military function.

Walking the Boucle de Parcoul

The Boucle de Parcoul is an easy 13.5-kilometre circular walk, starting from Parcoul-Chenaud. The route passes through the La Double forest. It begins at the church and Château de Parcoul, then continues to the Château de Puymangou. Its circular route, length, easy rating and named stops give you several points to consider when planning this walk as part of your trip.

Canoeing and kayaking on the Dronne

Parcoul Canoë offers canoeing and kayaking routes on the Dronne through the Dronne Valley, lined with forests, historic mills and exceptional wildlife and plant life. For short canoe trips, there are two duration options: 1 hour 30 minutes or 2 hours. Parcoul Canoë also offers half-day, full-day and multi-day trips. The two shorter options differ by 30 minutes; the other formats range from half-day to multi-day trips.

The Cale à bateaux de Parcoul is on the left bank of the Dronne, 30 metres upstream from the D 674 road bridge.

Pottery and art made from recycled materials

Poterie Doublet offers introductory pottery-wheel sessions and courses for all levels. It is accessible to groups and people with reduced mobility. If you would like to work with clay yourself, this offers a different focus from the art on display at Atelier Ecologicart.

Atelier Ecologicart in Parcoul presents visitors with artworks made from recycled materials. Unlike Poterie Doublet, the focus here is not on pottery-wheel throwing, but on engaging with works of art.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Amand-de-Belvès, Saint-Martial-De-Nabirat, Servanches, Saint-Vincent-Le-Paluel, Ligueux, Saint-Paul-Lizonne, Villetoureix, Savignac-Les-Églises

Back to the main travel overview: Dordogne.