A 12-kilometer circular route starts in Sainte-Foy-de-Belvès. Extensive forests and the Beuze also shape the landscape, while the church and washhouse showcase specific architectural features. The characteristics of the area offer a range of ways to explore it.

Landscape between Forest and Water

Almost two-thirds of Sainte-Foy-de-Belvès is forested. Oak forests, chestnut groves, and mixed oak and pine forests give the wooded areas a distinct character. The high proportion of forest and the variety of tree types make it a defining feature of the landscape. The Beuze runs through the area and is a tributary of the Dordogne. The river offers residents and visitors numerous places to relax and enjoy leisure activities. Forest and water thus represent different aspects of the area: extensive wooded terrain on the one hand, and a river explicitly associated with recreation on the other. If you are looking for accommodation, you can take these natural features into account when choosing where to stay, alongside your interest in the circular route.

The Boucle des Manoirs on Foot, on Horseback or by Mountain Bike

The Boucle des Manoirs is a 12.0-kilometer circular route starting in Sainte-Foy-de-Belvès. It can be enjoyed on foot, on horseback, by mountain bike, and as part of cultural activities. Its circular shape and length answer different planning questions: one describes the route’s shape, the other its distance. The ways of enjoying it also offer different options, from traveling on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike to cultural activities. The Boucle can therefore serve as a specific reference point when planning, if you want a named circular route to be part of your stay. Its stated length gives you a fixed distance; how you schedule the outing depends on your own plans.

Church and Washhouse: Two Different Architectural Forms

The Église Sainte-Foy-de-Belvès has a single-nave, bayless nave and a choir with a flat apse. It was re-vaulted with wood paneling; the choir, rebuilt later, is set to the right of the nave. A single-nave church has a main space without side aisles. A bay is a section of a building’s spatial layout; the flat apse forms the choir’s straight end. These terms help distinguish the parts of the church described here: the nave and choir have different forms, and the choir is offset to one side.

The washhouse is a small rectangular stone structure. Its symmetrical gabled roof is covered with curved roof tiles. A gabled roof is formed by two sloping roof planes; symmetry describes their arrangement, while the curved tiles describe the roof covering. The church and washhouse thus offer different architectural points of interest: the church is notable for its spatial layout and structural alterations, while the washhouse stands out for its small rectangular structure and roof shape.

Getting There via the Main Roads

You can get there via the valley road and the Bordeaux–Bergerac–Sarlat route on the RD 710; the Périgueux–Villefranche-du-Périgord route passes through Belvès and then follows the RD 54. As road numbers may change, check the current route before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Cherveix-Cubas, Trélissac, La Gonterie-Boulouneix, Sainte-Alvère, Nailhac, La Boissière-D'ans, Montagnac-La-Crempse, Simeyrols.

See the main travel overview: Dordogne.