Discover Sainte-Terre

Sainte-Terre brings together architectural history, the lamprey tradition and the riverside landscape of the Dordogne. To help plan your stay, the Église Saint-Alexis, the Jardin de la Lamproie and two walking routes offer different points of interest. April as a festival month and the seasonal opening of the tourist information office are also relevant when planning your dates.

Architecture and local history

The Église Saint-Alexis was listed as a historic monument by decree of 21 December 1925. Its architectural features include a Romanesque foundation, a flat-ended choir, a vaulted dome bay and a nave covered by a false vault. Sainte-Terre’s architectural heritage also includes manor houses built since the 19th century along the former towpath and in the town centre. The town is also on one of the routes leading to Santiago de Compostela.

Jardin de la Lamproie

The Jardin de la Lamproie is a 5,000 m² botanical garden with more than 400 species of waterside plants. They are arranged along a gravel path whose winding course evokes the Dordogne. A promenade circles native plant species. In the exhibition room, children can see lampreys in an aquarium and watch a documentary. The garden thus brings together plant life and information about lampreys.

The Jardin de la Lamproie also houses a tourist information office for the Grand-Saint-Émilionnais tourist board. It is open seasonally. Check its opening hours for your travel dates.

Walking routes and riverside landscape

The route from the Église Saint-Alexis starts at the church and follows the Dordogne from Sainte-Terre. The Lavagnac walking loop has a different starting point: it begins at the Jardin de la Lamproie and follows the Dordogne between the vineyards of Sainte-Terre. This gives you two clear landmarks to plan around: the church or the garden. Both routes follow the river, but start in different places.

Sainte-Terre is part of the La Dordogne Natura 2000 site. It includes aquatic habitats, riverside vegetation and alluvial forests, as well as habitats for migratory fish, dragonflies, the European otter, the European pond turtle, the European mink and the marsh angelica. The river is therefore not only a landmark along the walking routes, but also part of a landscape with diverse habitats and species.

Lamprey and wine visits

In Sainte-Terre, lamprey is celebrated in April and eaten all year round. The festival month and the year-round food culture offer different ways to plan a themed stay. Le Cabestan in Sainte-Terre welcomes guests throughout the year. Local dishes include lamprey à la bordelaise, lamprey in white wine and lamprey rillettes.

At Vignobles Mouty, cellar and vineyard visits can be arranged by appointment. If you would like to include a visit in your plans, arrange a time in advance.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Saint-Pierre-d'Aurillac, Saint-André-Du-Bois, Les Salles-De-Castillon, Espiet, Margaux, Belvès-De-Castillon, Castets En Dorthe, Tayac.

For the broader travel overview: Gironde.