Teyssieu: Church, Museum and Circular Walk

Culture and history

A stay in Teyssieu can offer different points of interest, from architectural history and archaeological finds to a circular walk. The parish church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine and the Musée de la Préhistoire du Ségala Quercynois represent different cultural and historical themes. The Tour de Teyssieu is another specific place to visit; on the return leg, the “De Teyssieu à Estal” circular walk follows a ridge path with views over the Cère Valley. You can therefore treat cultural sites and landscape experiences as separate parts of your plans.

Parish Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine

The parish church preserves the apse and a straight bay of the 12th-century church building. An apse forms the architectural end of the church space; a bay is a section of its spatial layout. These are two distinct architectural features, both belonging to church construction of that period. The parish church has been listed as a historic monument since 23 November 1992.

There are also signed and dated stained-glass windows by Louis Gesta of Toulouse, L. V. Gesta, G. P. Dagrant of Bordeaux and Henri Gesta of Toulouse. Their dates range from 1886 to 1923. The church’s history therefore spans both 12th-century structural elements and windows from a much later period extending over several decades. The artists’ names and locations provide the windows with their own points of reference within this theme.

Tour de Teyssieu

The Tour de Teyssieu is open to the public following several phases of construction work, which were completed by 2022. As access arrangements may need to be confirmed locally, it is best to check them before your visit. This lets you take current access into account when planning, without assuming specific opening hours.

Musée de la Préhistoire du Ségala Quercynois

The Musée de la Préhistoire du Ségala Quercynois displays archaeological finds from the Neolithic and Palaeolithic periods. They were discovered in the area of Teyssieu by Jean Tournier, a local resident interested in prehistory. The two periods offer a view of finds from different stages of prehistory; their connection to Teyssieu lies in the area where they were found.

The museum presents the archaeological sites on panels and maps. The finds are therefore accompanied by information about the places where they were discovered. Admission is free and the museum is open to everyone. Group visits are available year-round on request. If you are planning a group visit, arrange the request and confirm the seasonal arrangements for your chosen date in advance.

Hiking in the Cère Valley

“De Teyssieu à Estal” is a circular walk of the Promenades et Randonnées (PR) type. On the return leg, it follows a ridge path and offers wide views over the Cère Valley. The landscape views are specifically described for this section of the route. If you would like to include a hike in your stay, this offers a clear contrast with the church and museum’s cultural and historical themes: the focus here is on the circular route and views of the valley.

The route details provide two practical points of reference: its circular nature and the ridge path on the return leg. The Cère Valley is the landscape setting for this description. Together with Teyssieu’s cultural highlights, this gives you a choice between architectural history, prehistoric finds and a hike with wide-ranging views, without combining these interests into a single sightseeing route.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Gintrac, Bouziès, Floressas, Cuzance, Saint Bressou, Le Bourg, Rouffilhac, Sousceyrac

For the overarching travel guide: Lot.