Dunes: Bastide history, cultural heritage and trails

If you choose Dunes as a destination for a stay, you can plan around two interests: the history of the town and the trails of the Sentiers du Brulhois. The bastide, church and archaeological sites form the cultural focus; the trail network brings the landscape and routes of varying lengths into the picture. If you are looking for a hotel in Dunes, you can first consider whether architectural history and historic finds or outdoor activity will play a bigger part in your stay.

Historic Dunes

Dunes is a 13th-century bastide built around the former central market halls. The former weavers’ quarter is a historic area visitors can explore. Together, the bastide and weavers’ quarter show different aspects of the town’s history: its origins and a former district of weavers. The Église Sainte-Madeleine has been listed as a historic monument since a decree dated December 17, 1926.

A wall remains from the Tour des Templiers; it is the remnant of a Templar monastery. The same site is also known as the Tour de Turas. The town hall in Dunes displays archaeological collections from excavations at the Tour des Templiers. The story of the hanged is also presented there. In Dunes, you can therefore encounter architectural remains, archaeological collections and another topic from the town’s history.

A Gallic coin hoard of 500 ancient silver coins was buried at the Croix de Dunes between 118 and 106 BC. This find dates back long before the 13th-century bastide. Dunes’ cultural heritage can be visited free of charge, individually and without a guide throughout the year. If you plan to visit specific sites during your stay, check the practical visiting arrangements in advance.

Landscape and trails

The Grand Chêne is a specific natural landmark in Dunes: visitors can see the tree, whose trunk measures 9.50 m in circumference at ground level. After three decades, umbrella pines had become established in the landscape of Dunes. This development shifts the focus from a single tree to another feature of the landscape that has emerged over a longer period. The trails of the Sentiers du Brulhois pass through vineyards, orchards, various areas of farmland and woodland.

The Sentiers du Brulhois trail network includes just under 60 km of routes for walking, horseback riding and mountain biking. Trailheads are located in Sistels, Dunes, Saint-Loup and Donzac; Dunes is therefore one of the network’s four starting points. Four circuits have named distances: the Circuit de Cachepiot is 10 km, the Circuit des Vergers is 11 km and the Circuit de la Tour is 14 km. At 30 km, the Circuit du Brulhois is the longest of the four. You can compare the listed routes by distance and choose the focus that suits your stay. The trails also offer different ways to get around: on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike.

Discover more destinations: Lamothe-Capdeville, Caylus, Penne, Auvillar, Septfonds, Lauzerte, Montpezat-de-Quercy, Saint-Projet.

For the broader travel overview: Tarn-Et-Garonne.