Sainte-Nathalène: Valley Trails, Mills and Heritage

Sainte-Nathalène combines protected landscapes in the Énéa Valley with traces of its milling and architectural history. The Manoir de la Tour and the church complement the trails and former production sites with architectural points of interest. If you are looking for a hotel, you can plan your stay around whether you want to focus primarily on the landscape and hiking routes or on historic buildings and local history.

The Énéa Valley and trails through the landscape

Since 1974, the entire Énéa Valley within the municipality of Sainte-Nathalène has been designated a protected landscape area. Holm oaks grow on the limestone slopes; part of these slopes is protected as a Natura 2000 site. The valley and slopes therefore bring together different landscape features.

The Chemin des Meuniers runs through the Énéa Valley, from mill to mill and over limestone slopes. The Sainte-Nathalène hiking trail, in turn, passes through valleys and terraces and offers wide views towards the hills of Sarlat. Both route descriptions feature valleys, but emphasise different things: the Chemin des Meuniers focuses on mills and limestone slopes, while the second trail highlights terraces and views.

This lets you choose between these themes when planning your trip, without treating the trails as one and the same. The family version of the Chemin des Meuniers is designed as a self-guided treasure hunt. Along the trails through the landscape, you will find stone huts typical of the Périgord, known as bories or cabanes. They once served as shelters for shepherds. Their design and former purpose tell the story of a historical use of the landscape that differs from the route descriptions today.

Moulin de la Tour: grain and oil

The privately owned Moulin de la Tour stands on the Énéa stream and dates back to the 16th century. As a grain mill, it produced wheat, maize and rye flour; this operation ended in 1994. From 1988, the oil mill first produced walnut oil and then hazelnut oil. Grain and oil production thus form two distinct chapters in the history of the mill.

The manor house and church: local architectural history

The Manoir de la Tour is a 15th-century manor house roofed with slate slabs. It is partially protected as a historic monument: a decree dated 27 May 1952 placed its façades and roofs under protection. The construction period and historic monument protection are two different details—the first dates the manor house, while the second specifies the parts that are protected.

The Sainte-Nathalène church is also part of the village’s architectural history. It dates from the 15th to 16th centuries and has a bell-gable. Together with the manor house, it offers another focus for planning your trip: alongside trails, slopes and former production, you can explore historic buildings. Sainte-Nathalène therefore remains a destination that is not limited to a single landscape or mill theme.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Jean-D'eyraud, Nantheuil, Mouleydier, Alles-Sur-Dordogne, Saint-Martin-Des-Combes, Valeuil, Bergerac, Urval

For the broader travel overview: Dordogne.