Pellegrue: Pilgrim Traditions, Bastide and Walking Trails

A trip to Pellegrue brings together Saint-André Parish Church, its history as a bastide and strong connections to pilgrimage. Trails through forests and across slopes planted with vines are other distinctive features. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Pellegrue, you can choose your destination based on whether sacred history, pilgrim traditions or hiking will shape your stay.

Saint-André and the History of the Church Site

Saint-André Parish Church was first mentioned in 1082. Its portal has been listed in the French register of historic monuments since 1995. The present-day church appears to date from the 12th century. The first mention and the presumed construction date refer to two different points in time: the mention in 1082 is not automatically the date when the present church was built.

Archaeological investigations at the church site revealed intensive use from antiquity to the present day, as well as a Merovingian necropolis containing at least 17 monolithic sarcophagi. Monolithic means that each of these sarcophagi was made from a single stone. Alongside the history of the church building, the necropolis offers another perspective on the site's long history of use.

Pilgrim Route and Municipal Pilgrim Hostel

The Voie de Vézelay runs through the eastern part of the Gironde department, from Sainte-Foy-la-Grande to Pellegrue. As another point of connection to pilgrimage, Pellegrue received the “Commune-halte chemins de Compostelle” label, awarded by the Agence française des chemins de Compostelle, for three years in July 2025.

Since 2003, the municipal pilgrim hostel has been located in the center of the bastide, above the tourist office. It is open from Easter until All Saints’ Day; reservations are handled through the town hall. Before your trip, check the seasonal opening period and how to make a reservation with the town hall, as information about facilities and bookings may change.

Walking Routes and Seasonal Wildlife Watching

The Boucle du Bois Bourru route passes through forests and over slopes that are now planted with vines. Woodland and vineyards together form part of the landscape along this route. The Circuit du Pin Franc is another circular walking trail in the commune of Pellegrue and is 7 kilometers long. Its length gives you a specific distance to use when planning; check trail conditions before setting out.

The time of year can also play a role in planning your trip: during migration, cranes fly over Pellegrue and stop overnight in the surrounding area. If you would like to watch the birds, you can take this seasonal pattern into account; sightings are not guaranteed.

Bastide and Weekly Market

Pellegrue’s historic bastide has a traditional orthogonal layout. A square is surrounded by buildings, including the town hall. Orthogonal describes the right-angled layout of the town and offers another way to explore Pellegrue’s history alongside its church and pilgrim traditions.

The old weekly market is still held on Wednesdays. If you plan to visit the market, check the current market hours in advance. Pig and livestock markets were also held there annually. These are two distinct market traditions: the Wednesday market, which is still held today, and the annual pig and livestock markets.

Discover more destinations: Blésignac, Mombrier, Pujols-Sur-Ciron, Saint-Vivien-De-Monségur, Maubuisson, Gaillan-En-Medoc, Cavignac, Roquebrune.

For the broader travel overview: Gironde.