Saint-Martin-Le-Pin: Bandiat, Church and Trails

Saint-Martin-Le-Pin lies in the Parc Naturel Régional Périgord Limousin; the Bandiat runs through the village. The Église Saint-Martin and named cycling and walking routes also help you find your way around. This gives you different ways to experience the area during your stay: the natural landscape of the regional park, the church’s architectural and artefactual history, and routes with specific local connections. If you are looking for hotels in Saint-Martin-Le-Pin, you might first consider which of these aspects of the village matters most for your trip.

The natural setting and the Bandiat

The Parc Naturel Régional Périgord Limousin places Saint-Martin-Le-Pin within a larger natural area; the Bandiat, by contrast, is a specific local feature, as it runs through the village. Two different scales come together here: the regional park as a landscape setting and the river’s course through the village. As you plan your stay, you can consider the regional park and the Bandiat as distinct aspects before turning to the historic buildings or routes. This brings together a broad geographical setting and a clearly identified local feature.

Église Saint-Martin: architecture and cultural heritage

The Église Saint-Martin offers a specific focus on architectural history. Its façades and roofs have been listed as historic monuments since 4 December 1942. The south portal has three archivolts decorated with a frieze of figures and animals. Archivolts are curved frames around a portal; the frieze of figures and animals runs along these arches. The protection of the façades and roofs and the description of the south portal concern different aspects of the building.

The sacristy contains the 18th-century pair of objects known as “Calice et patène” (chalice and paten). It was listed as protected movable cultural property in 1975. The dates refer to different things: 1942 to the façades and roofs, and 1975 to the pair of objects. This allows the protected parts of the building and the movable cultural property to be distinguished by both date and type.

Cycling route, circular trail and greenway

The Flow Vélo passes through Saint-Martin-Le-Pin on the Nontron–Marthon section; the part that runs through the village is signposted. The Boucle de Saint Martin, by contrast, starts at the Panneau d'Appel in the hollow below the church, on a rest area by the stream. The Flow Vélo locates the village along a named route section, while the Boucle is defined by a specific starting point within the municipality. Comparing the two gives you different ways to find your bearings: a cycling route with named places and a circular trail with a described starting point. This can help you decide whether to plan your trip around a cycling route or a local circular trail.

In 2024, the greenway in Saint-Martin-Le-Pin was operational and available for peaceful walks. If you plan to use it today, check current access before your visit. Its timeframe differs from the geographical descriptions of the Flow Vélo and the Boucle: here, the relevant detail is its usability in 2024, while for the others it is the route section or starting point.

Discover more destinations: Annesse-Et-Beaulieu, Brantôme, Bassillac, Faux, Fougueyrolles, Montaut, Sainte-Trie, Beaupouyet.

For the broader travel overview: Dordogne.