The most beautiful churches cathedrals basilicas and chapels Dordogne

The Floralies that take place every spring are a beautiful entrance door to discover this village classified as one of the most beautiful in France. The best is to arrive at the th century Romanesque bridge, with its round rollers on the ground and its beaks moving on the Côle, whose banks are populated, in calmer places, with herons and poules. The church Saint-Jean-Baptiste, built around 1083, with its high walls of 12 metres in sandstone, is the old priory of the priory. Its plan is unique in Périgord, organized in half-circle around the apse, the nave being composed of a square span once topped with a dome. The corniche includes 75 sculpted modillons, representing masks, animals, birds… Capitals are sculpted of animals and characters: Daniel in the grave of the lions, the Annunciation, Noah under vines… In apse, carved panels and canvas paintings were installed in the xviiith century. The church-backed hall offers a superb perspective (open church from to). The former priory is private and only visits for the heritage days.

The chapel is located at the end of a rocky spur overlooking the Dordogne, materializes the memory of a legendary prodigy attributed to Saint Front, apostle of Perigord, who slayed a terrible dragon, the Coulobre, which ravaged the region. It would date from the 12th century, on a building of the 7th century and would have been built on a former pagan place of worship. The chapel has two entrances, the one on the side is surmounted by a small human head. The baptismal font was originally located outside under a shelter, the baptism having to precede the first entrance to the church. Two remarkable capitals frame the entrance to the choir, one of them presents the temptation to Paradise: a snake embraces a tree laden with fruit and presents an apple to Eve, Saint Front seems to be observing the scene. The other capital, on the north side, is located at the top of a remnant of a column and shows three monstrous beasts. The central one has the face of a human represented with a double tail and limbs in the shape of animal legs. This column would be likely to represent three leopards, symbols of English domination. According to tradition, a large snake skin remained for a very long time on the wall of the nave in memory of the dragon defeated by Saint Front. This evocation is also found in the name of the Trou du Coulobre, a cave located under the chapel, which symbolizes the dragon's lair. Saint Front, patron saint of the diocese of Périgueux, is said to be a native of nearby Lanquais.