

When the festival celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, it served the world’s longest fraisier pâtissier, which was 32 meters long.Īt the Tourist Office on Place Marbot, visitors can learn everything they need to know about Beaulieu’s tours and events. In May, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne hosts its annual strawberry festival, complete with a 128-stone strawberry tart and a variety of market animations. Every Monday throughout the summer, a popular evening market attracts up to 600 people who gather to sample local delicacies and listen to live music in a beautiful riverbank setting. Every Wednesday morning, as well as the second and fourth Saturday mornings of each month, regular markets are held.

On market day, most French towns come alive, and Beaulieu is no exception. Mouth-watering strawberries: a local specialty If you’re looking for a different spot to picnic, travel 2 kilometers upstream and turn right at the car park for a great view of the village. Numerous grassy banks are waiting to welcome hungry picnickers. The riverfront restaurant, “Les Flots Bleus,” is one of many wonderful spots to eat lunch in Beaulieu. Others can go from Beaulieu, where the water is calmer and there are lovely spots to rest your oars and watch the world go by. Canoeists with more experience can start further upstream, where the water is faster and there are a few rapids to play on. With its many magnificent species found in the river, the town boasts one of France’s most prolific fishing areas, attracting both visiting and local anglers. The ride lasts a little more than an hour and is narrated in French. These excursions are a fantastic chance to take in the scenery of Beaulieu while also learning about the intriguing history of the region’s inland shipping. Visitors can board a “gabare,” a classic flat-bottomed boat traditionally used to transport goods down the Dordogne, not far from the chapel. Cross the pedestrian footbridge to the opposite side of the river to appreciate the beauty of the place (while also getting in a great peaceful stroll). In the 14th century, the Gothic-style belfry and central tower were built.Ĭhapelle des Pénitents, Beaulieu’s other church, is located along the river and has become one of the town’s most memorable settings. As well as having its own charm it is well placed to explore the upper Dordogne Valley. The abbey’s only remaining features are the doorway, the chapter house, numerous reliquaries, and silver and gold-leafed Virgin and Child sculptures. Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne is a traditional small town in an attractive setting in a wooded valley on the banks of the Dordogne river and in the Correze department of Limousin. Instead, it shows the Resurrection with a 7-foot sculpture of Christ surrounded by the 12 Apostles. The tympanum doesn’t show the traditional Last Judgment. The most noteworthy feature of Abbaye Saint-Pierre, which dominates the market square, is its artistically sculpted south gateway. Thanks to its 12th-century Romanesque church and the ruins of its Benedictine monastery, Beaulieu has become a vital halt for pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostela. This was a circular walk through farming country, woodland and past old buildings, many repurposed as holiday accommodation. Many of them have interesting statues or decorative masonry.

Its streets are lined with beautiful stone and half-timbered homes. The Porte Saint-Catherine, a modest but attractive doorway in the town’s medieval defenses, provides entry to Beaulieu’s historic center and its various restaurants, bars, and historical monuments. Its microclimate and practically year-round sunshine have earned it the nickname ‘Limousin Riviera,’ as it offers a taste of the Périgord county in the Limousin. It has a lot of history in farming and a lot of things to do, so it’s a great place to start when you want to see the upper part of the Dordogne Valley. Vincent & Grenadines Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Islands U.S.The Dordogne Valley has a lot of beautiful villages, but Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne is at the top of the list because it has all of France’s small-town charm in one place.īeaulieu-sur-Dordogne is a picturesque riverfront hamlet set in a wooded valley on the Dordogne’s banks. Americas Antigua & Barbuda Argentina Aruba Bahamas Barbados Belize Brazil British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Chile Colombia Costa Rica Curaçao Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador French Guiana Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Puerto Rico Sint Maarten St.
