Raymond Poincaré, President of the Republic, visited Brantôme in 1913 and named the village for the first time "The Venice of Périgord."
Over the centuries, it was both English and French.
In the heart of the verdant Dronne Valley, Brantôme, surrounded by the Dronne River, is home to a rich heritage and is recognized as one of the most beautiful sites in the Dordogne.
The Dronne, a small river, is not navigable at its base, as it is 40 centimeters deep in places, but some boats can pass through it.
Built by Benedictines in the 16th century, the Brantôme Canal stretches for 600 meters.
A Little History...
The Dolmen of Peyrelevade - "Levee Stone" - testifies to the fact that the site of Brantôme has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic period.
At that time, people inhabited the rocky heights carved out by the river surrounding the village, the Dronne. Saint-Pierre Abbey is said to have been founded under Pepin the Short, although the name of Charlemagne is often associated with this foundation, as he placed the relics of Saint Sicarius there. History tells us that this child was massacred on the orders of King Herod after the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
As early as the 11th century, thanks to a miraculous spring, pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela would stop here to cure infertility and childhood illnesses, or to meditate before the relic of Saint Sicarius.
A Heritage to Discover
The village is built around its Abbey, a monument of French architectural and religious heritage. This famous Benedictine abbey, founded by Charlemagne in 769 and consecrated by Pope Leo III 35 years later, in 804, was destroyed by the Vikings and has now been restored.
The abbey's distinctive feature lies in its bell tower, one of the oldest in France. Dating from the 11th century, it is a freestanding building built 12 meters high on the rock. This beautiful Romanesque architecture is crowned by a quadrangular stone pyramid.
The troglodyte dwellings were once occupied by monks who arrived in the 8th century. The cave of Saint-Pierre Abbey houses a sculpture of the Last Judgment scene.
In Brantôme, a pretty stone bridge adds a certain charm to the area.
The Monks' Garden, dating from the 16th century, is adorned with three Renaissance altars with Italian motifs.
Around Brantôme, gardens flourish—the Jardins Tranquilles and the ALAIJE botanical garden—parks, and typical houses of the region, with their yellow walls and tile coverings.
Brantome, a city of art
In Brantôme, a permanent exhibition of Fernand Desmoulin's mediumistic drawings is held in the museum bearing his name. His drawings and paintings are the result of spiritual experiences.
Prehistoric paintings can be seen in the Villars Cave, the largest underground network in the Périgord region. They are over 19,000 years old, and some depictions have a distinctive blue color due to a film of calcite covering them.
For example, there is a scene with a bison and a sorcerer, a rare prehistoric relic worth discovering. Outside the cave, a trail has been created exploring the fauna, flora, and climates from prehistory to the present day.
Near Brantôme, on the right bank of the Dronne, lies the Dolmen de Pierre Levée. A listed historical monument, it was built to house a collective burial site: limestone pillars and an irregular natural stone roof. The Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park, which covers an area of nearly 2,000 square kilometers, showcases an impressive diversity of landscapes.
There are many castles in this region, but Bourdeilles, located further south along the river, is particularly noteworthy. It is actually a complex of two castles, one medieval and the other dating from the Renaissance.
Brantome Town Hall
Av. Dr. Devillard,
24310 Brantôme en Périgord
Tel.: +33 5 53 05 70 21
