Grottes to love about Brantôme

This post originally appeared on the Places & Faces blog for The Local Buzz.

Set along the Dronne river and oozing with charm, some call
Brantôme 'The Venice of Périgord'.

Tourism promoters call Brantôme "The Venice of Périgord," a moniker attributed to French president Raymond Poincaré, who visited the village in 1913. And while I wouldn't go quite that far, this lovely village, 25km north of Périgueux, is one of the most beautiful villages in the region. Having visited this area a few years back in the wintertime, we've set off to Brantôme again on a recent beautiful spring day.

The Dronne river encircles most of the village of Brantôme.

L-shaped Pont Coudé is one of a half-dozen bridges in Brantôme.

We park along the Dronne river, walk through Jardin des Moines and cross Pont Coudé, an unusual L- shaped bridge. Since our earlier visit here was too brief to explore, we have decided to tour the Grottes de l'abbaye today. Tickets are sold at the tourism office located on the corner of Pont Notre-Dame, just across the river from Brantôme's Abbey. Visitors can choose to buy passes for the grottes, the abbey or both. Guided walks along the river, river cruises and canoe rentals are other options in the high season.

Even in the wintertime, Brantôme warrants its Plus Beaux Détour designation.

Signposts (in French and English) along our our self-guided route, explain the millennium of history of the grottes. Hermits first occupied the natural caves in the limestone cliffs in what is now Brantôme. The first Benedictine monks arrived in the 8th century. They excavated the limestone rock and constructed massive chambers adorned with bas relief tributes, along with a fountain dedicated to Saint Sicaire that they believed contained miraculous healing water.

The monks who constructed the Grottes de l'abbaye in Brantôme included
dovecoats as seen above "The Last Judgement bas relief." The monks
sold as fertilizer droppings from the birds who lived in the cave.

A close-up shows detail of "The Last Judgement" bas relief from the 16th century
in the Grottes de l'abbaye in Brantôme. 

The waters of Saint-Sicaire fountain in Brantôme are said
to contain miraculous powers.

Our walk concludes at the monastic building that houses a small museum dedicated to painter and printmaker Fernand Desmoulin (1853-1914).

The view from the grottes in Brantôme look upon a garden and the river beyond.

A water wheel turns at a mill along the Dronne in Brantôme.

We have decided to forego until next time a visit to the abbey itself, which includes a Romanesque bell tower from the 11th century.

A fountain spews forth water in Brantôme.

Several noteworty sites are close to Brantôme, including two castles: Bourdeilles and Jumilhac; Grottes de Villars; and several charming villages including Saint-Jean-de-Côle and La Chappelle-Faucher. But before leaving the village, take advantage of Brantôme's generous assortments of restaurants, or pick up some local delicacies for a riverside picnic.

The village of Saint-Jean-de-Côle, located 20km northeast of Brantôme, is
worth a visit.

I pause to look up an ancient alleyway in Saint-Jean-de-Côle.

This bridge, charming even in the wintertime, is in Saint-Jean-de-Côle,
one of France's Plus Beaux Villages.

Grottes de l'abbaye and Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Brantôme are open to visitors all year round except January.

A (plus) pretty detour to Brantôme

Benedictine Abbaye de Brantôme

A river runs through it — the river being the Dronne and “it” being the lovely village of Brantôme in the northern Dordogne. The oldest parts of the town were built on an island next to the Benedictine Abbey of Brantôme, founded by Charlemagne in 769. The abbey is said to have contained relics of Saint Sicarius. It was ravaged by Vikings and then again during the Hundred Years’ War. It was rebuilt several times and today boasts what may be the oldest (11th century) bell tower in France.

Pont Coudé in Brantôme

Pont Coudé on the river Dronne in Brantôme

Fountain at Abbaye de Brantôme

Visitors can tour the abbey and explore the ancient troglodyte caves nextdoor; nighttime tours are offered in the summer. Details can be found on the Périgord Drone Belle website.

Brantôme, France

Le Moulin de L’Abbaye is an upscale hotel/restaurant in Brantôme.

A delightful day in Brantôme can include a canoe ride, a picnic in Jardin des moines et Reposoirs, and visits to nearby châteaux Bourdeilles, Jumilhac and Puyguilhem, Grotte de Villars and Saint Jean de Côle.

Along the Dronne in Brantôme

Brantôme is located in the Périgord Vert. The area was given its name by Jules Verne, and the village is located on the Santiago de Compostella pilgrimage route, also known as Chemin de Vezalay.

Brantôme’s war memorial

In my research for this post on Brantôme, I came across another distinction to add to my catalog of French sites: Les Plus Beaux Détours. Other more familiar designations such as le plus beau village or plus beau jardin pretty much assure that I will see something pretty when I visit. The plus beaux détours website contains a wealth of information on these small towns that have received the designation due to their history, gastronomy, lodging options and overall appeal to tourists. It’s a guide to which I am sure to refer again and again, especially once they have the English language option working.