Payzac offers travelers who want to combine culture and activity several specific themes: signposted hiking trails start in the town, and the Église de la Transfiguration and Pont de Laveyra showcase different architectural forms. The Papeterie de Vaux adds the history of paper-making to the mix. When planning your visit, you can therefore choose how to balance architectural details, industrial history and a hike with a set distance.

Building history at the church and bridge

The Église de la Transfiguration is a building dating from the 11th century that was altered in the 12th century. The church once stood beside Payzac’s feudal castle. A decree dated October 17, 1995, partially listed it as a Monument historique. Its history thus encompasses both medieval building phases and a later alteration: during repairs in the 19th century, the twisted spire was covered with slate, including during work in 1841.

Pont de Laveyra spans the Auvézère in Payzac. Its construction can be described through several features: two semicircular arches support a centrally positioned pointed arch; the piers have pedestrian refuges. While the church draws attention to its different building phases and a later repair, the bridge focuses attention on the arrangement of its arches and the refuges. The two structures thus offer different starting points for exploring Payzac’s architectural history.

Paper-making on the Auvézère

Since the 17th century, mills, forges and paper mills developed along the Auvézère in Payzac as part of the local economic history. The Papeterie de Vaux is situated on the Ruisseau des Belles Dames, a tributary of the Auvézère. The building was initially a 17th-century forge and was converted in 1861 into an industrial paper mill producing straw paper. Today, the complex includes an 800 m² museum area.

Visitors can take a self-guided tour or use a tablet. Check the visiting arrangements before you arrive. The site’s history can be followed chronologically: industrial paper production came after the earlier forge. Together with the development of other mills and factories along the Auvézère, this creates a distinct area of interest, different from the buildings by the church and river.

Hiking: trails and the Boucle des Papetiers

Signposted trails for hiking on foot start in Payzac. One named circular route is the Boucle des Papetiers: it is 16 km long and also starts in Payzac. When planning, you can therefore distinguish between the general option of following signposted hiking trails and a circular route with a set distance. The 16 km distance provides a specific reference point for planning your day; check the current route document before setting out.

The hiking trails and historical themes offer different focuses for your trip: walking on the one hand, and architectural and industrial history on the other. If you are looking for accommodation in Payzac, you can take these interests into account when planning your days and decide which themes you would particularly like to explore.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: La Cassagne, Antonne-Et-Trigonant, Saint-Barthélemy-de-Bussière, Naussannes, Saint-Front-De-Pradoux, Teillots, Marquay, Château-L'évêque.

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