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Rue Car
Rue
Pas
Quai
Berlin
Rue Puy
Allée Henri IV
not
Dronne River
Dronne River
de Meyjounissas
Rue Victor
Hugo
D78E2
D78
D939E2
50m
E
F
D
A
B
C
joli
teu
r
Boulevard
C
h
a
r
l
e
m
a
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e
©Jean-DanielSudres
©BertrandRieger
©BertrandRieger
A Walk through the Venice of Périgord
Like an Island, the heart of Brantôme is surrounded by the waters of the river
Dronne with just five bridges to connect it to “solid ground”. There’s no resisting
the charm of the gorgeous riverside houses, reflected in the water. Take a seat on
the patio of the Bar du Marché
A
, and just take in the scenery: right across from
the town center Brantôme’s Abbey
B
(below)
, unfolds its monumental façade. At
the foot of the sanctuary, the unusual Coudé Bridge
C
, has a bend in its span over
the river Dronne. The bridge was designed in the XVIth century for the monks to
cross from the Abbey to their private gardens. Today these peaceful gardens and
their centuries old trees, provide an ideal setting for a romantic stroll.
Allegedly founded by Charlemagne to
safeguard the relics of the child martyr
Saint Sicaire, this Benedictine Abbey
lived its finest hours in the XVIth century
with its commendatory abbots Pierre de
Mareuil followed by Pierre de Bourdeille.
Today the buildings house the Town Hall
and a museum dedicated to the symbolist
painter Fernand Desmoulin (1853-1914).
One of the
Dordogne’s most
Prestigious Abbeys
Over the centuries, the
abbey saw extensive
reconstruction work. From
1850, Paul Abadie, student
of Viollet-le-Duc took over.
He removed three of the
cloister galleries.The west
gallery is the only element
to have survived the
revivalist architect’s fury.
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