Saint-Caprais: Church, Chestnuts and Art

Saint-Caprais combines a historic church building with chestnut culture, public art and opportunities for walks. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, these themes can help guide your choice of destination. The character of the village comes into sharper focus through three questions: What stories do the church and its frescoes tell, when do chestnuts take centre stage, and which activities lead out into the surrounding countryside?

Church and religious art

The church of Saint-Caprais dates from the early 11th century and is listed as a historic monument. Its age and its protected status are two clear points of interest for travellers interested in the village’s architectural heritage.

Inside are 15th-century frescoes depicting the sacraments of the faith, the Descent from the Cross and the Last Judgment. The wall paintings add their own visual world to the experience of the building: architectural history and religious painting offer two distinct ways to explore Saint-Caprais’s cultural heritage.

Art in the streets

Since 2017, the “L'Art et la Bannière” exhibition has displayed painted banners on the walls of five villages in the south of Bouriane, including Saint-Caprais. In the 2024 edition, 40 banners created by 40 artists were displayed in the streets of these villages. This example illustrates the scale of a specific edition without implying that later editions were the same.

Chestnut culture and festival date

Saint-Caprais is considered one of the region’s “chestnut capitals”, following the planting of new chestnut varieties by local farmers. Chestnuts are also the main focus of the Fête de la châtaigne. The festival takes place every year on the second Saturday in October and includes an open-air market, an exhibition, sales, demonstrations and tastings of artisan products. It is therefore more than just an opportunity to sample the products: it brings together market and exhibition formats with demonstrations.

At the Fête de la châtaigne, chestnuts are presented in many forms: as flour, preserves, jams, liqueurs, syrup and cakes, as well as traditionally roasted chestnuts known as “birols” and “croubels”. If you are planning your stay around the festival, the second Saturday in October gives you a specific date to plan for each year. Check the event date before you travel.

Countryside and activities

The community café Le Caprazy opened in summer 2025. It was open to residents and visitors passing through as a place to take a culinary or cultural break. The 2025–2026 cultural brochure also describes outdoor games offered from the café to explore the surrounding landscapes. Check before your visit whether this offer is currently available.

Another starting point for a walk is the circular trail for the game “Le Trésor de Pech-Curet”. It runs around Saint-Caprais and is intended for walking. Check the trail’s availability before you travel as well. The games from the café and the circular trail offer different ways to explore: the games focus on discovering the surrounding landscapes, while the trail is for walking around the village.

A little-known road to Saint-Caprais passes through a forest to a pasture clearing, described as the main resting place for transhumant sheep. The forest, pasture clearing and presence of the sheep add a landscape perspective to the cultural themes. The possible focuses of a stay therefore vary considerably: from the church’s historic heritage to the annual chestnut festival and opportunities for walks and outdoor activities.

Discover more destinations: Le Boulvé, Saint-Pierre-Lafeuille, Puy-L'evéque, Linac, Montgesty, Lamagdelaine, Lauresses, Berganty.

For the broader travel overview: Lot.