Saint-Romain-Et-Saint-Clément: Nature, Trails and Local History

For a stay in Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément, nature, trails and local history offer different areas of interest. When looking for a hotel, you can plan your trip around whether your main interests are valleys and bird habitats, hiking and cycling, or churches and historic activities.

Natural Areas and Birdlife

ZNIEFF 720020020 covers a deeply incised valley with diverse deciduous woodland and rare plants, including, in particular, wild hyacinths. The inventory for this area is dated June 12, 2024. Another ZNIEFF profile, also dated June 12, 2024, for the “Réseau hydrographique de la Côle en amont de Saint-Jean-de-Côle” lists Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément as a commune within the area. It includes diverse habitats in valleys and small valley hollows, home to a rich variety of birdlife for which these areas provide breeding, wintering and stopover sites during migration.

The natural environment therefore ranges from rare plants and deciduous woodland to bird habitats spanning different phases of the bird year: breeding, wintering and stopovers during migration. When planning around your interests, botanical and ornithological features can thus offer different points of focus.

Walking Routes with Different Points of Focus

The 6.5-kilometre “Au temps de la loco” loop runs between Saint-Jean-de-Côle and Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément. Its theme is life along the former railway line, and it is offered to walkers. Another walking option is the Boucle de la Romani-clémentienne, accredited by the Fédération Française de Randonnée. It is designated for hiking, mountain biking and nature, with a focus on fauna and flora.

The two routes have different points of focus: the “Au temps de la loco” route is defined by its specific length, the route between the two villages and its railway theme. For the Boucle de la Romani-clémentienne, the accreditation and the activities it is designated for are the main features. When choosing between these walking routes, you can therefore consider both their historical connection and the types of activities they are designated for.

Greenway and Railway History

The Voie Verte Thiviers-Saint-Pardoux passes through Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément. It is 17 kilometres long and follows the former 19th-century Thiviers–Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière railway line. For cycling enthusiasts, both its route through the commune and its connection with the former railway line are defining features.

The two railway connections are different: “Au temps de la loco” focuses on life along a former railway line as its theme, while the Voie Verte follows the former Thiviers–Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière line. One route takes a way of life from the past as its theme; the other runs along a named railway line.

Churches and Local History

The altar tabernacle in the church of Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément is considered very similar to the one in Excideuil; its origin is also described as Franciscan. The Notre-Dame-des-Hauts-de-l’Isle parish includes the churches of Saint-Romain and Saint-Clément. This distinguishes a specific connection to church art from the relationship between the two churches within one parish.

Human presence in Saint-Romain-et-Saint-Clément has been documented since around 1200 BC. At the beginning of the 20th century, the commune had numerous vineyards, mills and spinning mills. The facility at Verdale produced blocks of ice. These topics highlight different aspects of local history: early human presence, winegrowing, work in mills and spinning mills, and ice production at Verdale.

Discover more destinations: La Chapelle-Saint-Jean, Étouars, Saint-Martin-Le-Pin, Montferrand-du-Périgord, Saint-Jean-D'estissac, Le Change, Saint-Astier, Lavalade

For the broader travel overview: Dordogne.