Saint-Georges: Hills, Hiking Routes and History

Saint-Georges combines its location on the Lot with hilly countryside, three named circular routes and a village centre that developed around the Romanesque parish church. This combination gives you concrete points to consider when weighing up Saint-Georges as a destination for a stay: you can decide how much importance to give to the landscape, hiking trails and historic buildings based on your travel interests.

Hills and trails around the village

The Lot forms the western boundary of Saint-Georges; the commune extends across a plain and over slopes above the valley. The Bellaygue stream runs through the village and flows into the Lot. Orchards of Ente plum trees predominate on the hillsides. Numerous elongated, rounded or pointed hills, known as pechs, surround Saint-Georges. For road access, the D243 runs from Saint-Georges towards Penne-d’Agenais; there is also a network of minor roads.

Hiking routes by distance and elevation gain

Three circular routes start in Saint-Georges and differ considerably in distance and elevation gain. The route “Saint-Georges, balade dans les coteaux de la vallée du Lot” is 7 km long, with 130 metres of elevation gain. Painted trail markers indicate the route. The “Saint-Georges / Bourlens, le circuit des Pechs” route covers 13.7 km with 300 metres of elevation gain; it is also marked with painted trail markers. Along this route, there are far-reaching views towards the Lot Valley.

At 28.8 km with 535 metres of elevation gain, the “Circuit Autour de Perricard” is the longest of the three routes mentioned and also has the greatest elevation gain. By comparison, the 7 km loop is both the shortest and the one with the least elevation gain; the Circuit des Pechs falls between the two on both measures. This lets you compare the routes using their stated distances and elevation profiles.

Village centre and architectural history

Saint-Georges developed around its parish church. The buildings are arranged in a semicircle along the main street, which follows the slope. In the renovated village centre, buildings with exposed stonework and the Romanesque church form part of the streetscape.

The Romanesque parish church dates from the 12th century; its apse is what remains. The apse is decorated with corbels and also has an axial window with a torus moulding. An axial window sits on the central axis; a torus moulding is a rounded, projecting profile. The later building history is also precisely documented: following a restoration plan drawn up in 1855, the church was given a new façade, a bell tower and side chapels. The work was completed in 1857, but the bell tower remained unfinished.

Further traces of history

The dovecote at La Pronquière in Saint-Georges is among the oldest recorded examples in the area and is dated to the 17th century. Numerous prehistoric and Gallo-Roman remains have also been found in Saint-Georges. At the archaeological site of La Pronquière, remains were discovered in a hyena cave. This history of archaeological finds adds an archaeological perspective to the village’s architectural history.

Mills are also part of the region’s recorded history: around the 14th century, two mills were built on a stream before it joined the Lot. Together with the course of the stream and river, they provide another historical connection to the waterscape of Saint-Georges.

Discover more destinations: La Sauvetat-Sur-Lède, Laroque-Timbaut, Bourlens, Bruch, Peyrière, Bourran, Layrac, Sos.

For the broader travel overview: Lot Et Garonne.