Castillonnès: Bastide, History and Walking Routes

Castillonnès offers several specific points to consider when deciding whether the town is right for your stay: a bastide with named landmarks and its own founding history, the Church of Saint-Pierre, a history and heritage museum, and a walking route that starts at the bastide. The bastide can be explored independently and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to visit. When planning, you can choose to focus on architectural history, exhibitions or a walk through the small Douyne valley.

The history of the bastide and its distinctive architectural features

The bastide of Castillonnès was founded in 1259 by Alphonse de Poitiers. It was established under a paréage agreement with Cadouin Abbey and the Barons of Mons. These named parties and the year of its founding give your visit a specific historical context. The bastide stands on a rocky promontory and adjoins the former fortified castle.

Individual architectural features also tell the story of the town's layout. The Porte Guirlity and the Porte des Valets are secondary gates, built at the same time as the fortification walls to protect the bastide. Covered passageways between houses are called pontets. The visit also covers the origins of bastides and their defining features. This lets you look not only at individual buildings but also at how bastides came about and the characteristic forms they took.

Church and museum

The Church of Saint-Pierre was built in the 13th century and can be visited independently. Inside is a 17th-century altarpiece, classified as a historic monument since 1959. The construction date and altarpiece refer to different centuries; the protected object is a specific detail to look out for during your visit to the church.

The Castillonnès Museum of History and Heritage features a permanent exhibition of old photographs. Explanatory materials in French and English accompany the exhibition. If you are interested in the town's history and heritage, the museum offers a different perspective from a visit to the bastide and church: photographs and accompanying explanations take centre stage here.

A walking route linked to the pilgrimage trail

The Circuit de la bastide walking route starts at the bastide. It accompanies pilgrims arriving from Vézelay and travelling to Santiago de Compostela. On the return journey, the route passes through the small Douyne valley. This description therefore links the starting point at the bastide with a named landscape feature. If you would like to add a route to your stay rather than focus exclusively on buildings, this is another aspect to consider when planning. The approximate duration of 1 hour and 15 minutes applies to the visit to the bastide.

Workshops and local crafts

Savonnerie Soleil de Mai offers soap-making workshops for children, families and adults by appointment. Booking is therefore part of the planning; if you are interested, arrange a suitable time in advance. Savonnerie Soleil de Mai also offers natural soaps and cosmetics. One section of the exhibition is dedicated to the work of local craftspeople and producers. The workshop, products on offer and exhibition provide different points of interest: you may be interested in the soap-making, the soaps and cosmetics, or the work of local craftspeople and producers.

Discover more destinations: Courbiac, Fréchou, Villeneuve-De-Duras, Sérignac-Péboudou, Anthé, Le Mas-D'agenais, Pailloles, Laussou.

For the overview of the wider region: Lot Et Garonne.