Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes: Nature, Trails and Architectural History

Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes brings together nature and trails with a historic building. Two ponds and numerous hiking trails, mountain biking routes, the Carpodrome and the Église Saint-Hilaire offer different reasons to get to know the area. The specific details range from an hour-long circular walk to a church that was completely rebuilt at the end of the Middle Ages.

Lac de Viam and the landscape

The listed Lac de Viam area covers 621 hectares. It was designated by ministerial decree on 11 July 1986. It extends across the communes of Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes and Viam. The area is characterised by gently rolling, wooded landscapes with little variation in elevation.

Puy du Mas lies at an altitude of 727 metres and offers a 360-degree view of the Massif des Monédières and the surrounding landscape. Alongside the forests and hills, it provides a specific vantage point with sweeping views in every direction.

Hiking by the ponds and through the wetland

Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes has two ponds, highlighted in connection with its numerous hiking trails. The “Entre lac et étang” route follows the shores of Lac des Barriousses and continues through beech woods with holly typical of the plateau, coniferous forests and lush green meadows. Lakeside scenery and changing woodland and meadow landscapes characterise this route.

The Sentier d'interprétation des Merlettes offers a different walk: this very easy circular route takes one hour and is 1.5 kilometres long. It follows a constructed walkway into the wetland. The route is defined both by its specific time and distance and by the transition into the wetland. The address is Salle Polyvalente, 19170 Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes.

Mountain biking routes and fishing

The “Les Bariousses” mountain biking route passes through Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes. Mountain biking route no. 10, “Le Puy de la Nouaille,” can be started in the village of La Nouaille in the commune. The “Le Tour du Lac” route also passes through Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes. The three route references differ in whether a route passes through the commune or can be started in the village of La Nouaille.

The Carpodrome de Saint-Hilaire-Les-Courbes is a fishing lake and angling venue. It covers 1.2 hectares and is set in a beech, oak and chestnut forest. Its size and the composition of the surrounding woodland give a specific impression of this fishing destination, without conflating it with the hiking routes.

The Église Saint-Hilaire

The Église Saint-Hilaire was completely rebuilt at the end of the Middle Ages and is listed as a historic monument. It has three rib-vaulted bays, a flat chancel end and a western bell gable. A bay is a section of a church interior; here, three such sections have rib vaults. The western bell gable is characteristic of small rural mountain churches. Together, these architectural features give the church a clearly defined interior and exterior form.

Architecture enthusiasts will find several specific features to explore in the church: the divisions created by the bays, the flat end of the chancel and the bell gable. Its late medieval rebuilding adds historical context to these architectural features.

Discover more destinations: Arnac-Pompadour, Varetz, Vitrac-Sur-Montane, Sérandon, Saint-Hilaire-Peyroux, Saint-Priest-de-Gimel, Peyrelevade, Chasteaux.

For the wider travel overview: Corrèze.