Bellefond: Priory, Dolmens and Routes

Bellefond lies on a hill overlooking the right bank of the Engranne. Its cultural heritage includes the priory with the Église Saint-Eutrope and the dolmens in the hamlet of Au Sabatey. Cycling and walking routes add a range of activities. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between the details of each route: they differ in length, activity, elevation gain and time required.

Priory and Dolmens: Two Historical Themes

The Priory of Bellefond was built by Augustinian canons regular and placed under the authority of La Sauve-Majeure Abbey in 1186. The church’s building plan was never completed: a nave was planned, but only the transept, apse and side apses were built. This distinction is important for understanding the site. The nave is the central longitudinal space; at Bellefond, this part remained a plan, while the transept and apse area were built. This makes it possible to distinguish clearly between the design and the parts that were actually constructed.

The Église Saint-Eutrope and the adjoining ruins of the former priory are protected as historic monuments. The church was listed on November 3, 1925, and the ruins on April 12, 2001. These are two separate monument listings. The dates refer to their protected status and should not be mistaken for construction dates.

Au Sabatey is a separate historical highlight. The hamlet in Bellefond is home to two Neolithic passage graves. The dolmens were classified as historic monuments in 1889. The term “passage grave” itself points to a different purpose from that of the priory: these structures are prehistoric burial sites, not churches. You can therefore understand the prehistoric dolmens and the priory’s ecclesiastical history as distinct historical themes.

Distinguishing Cycling and Walking Routes

Near Bellefond, the Roger Lapébie cycle path runs along the right bank of the Engranne. After reaching the valley, a route follows this cycle path towards Sauveterre-de-Guyenne. The 35 km “De Branne à Bellefond” loop starts in Branne. Another clearly measured cycling route is the “Boucle vélo n°19 Frontenac–Ouest”: it is 12.5 km long, rated easy and listed as taking one hour. Its route turns onto a road towards Bellefond and then passes the Le Sabatey dolmen complex without entering Bellefond. So, heading towards the village does not mean that the route passes through Bellefond.

The “Boucle des Vaillants” is a 13 km, moderate walking loop with 139 metres of elevation gain and a listed duration of four hours. It heads towards Bellefond’s village centre and church. At the church, walkers can enter the cemetery to enjoy the view.

The distance of the short cycling loop is close to that of the walking route, but their listed durations differ considerably: one hour for the cycling loop and four hours for the walk. The activities also differ, as do the easy and moderate difficulty ratings and the elevation gain on the walking route. When planning your time around a specific route, compare not only the distance but also the activity and listed duration. Route details may change, so check them again before cycling or walking.

Discover more destinations: Teuillac, Castillon-de-Castets, Le Taillan-Médoc, Villenave-Dʼornon, Saint-Martin-de-Lerm, Le Barp, Villandraut, Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont.

For the broader travel overview: Gironde.