Beaulieu became the seat of the conflicts for power between the Lord Abbot, the middle-class and the Viscount of Turenne. Beaulieu became an important commercial place from which emerged a true bourgeois community that aroused the desires of the Lords of Castelnau and Turenne.įrom 1213, saw the end of the Cluny stranglehold, with the abbey losing power little by little. From the monastic enclosure, districts developed outside the walls: the Faubourg de la Grave, towards the Dordogne, where the former hospital was located the main district at the site of the old village of Vellinus the Barri du Trou in which the deceased were buried and the Mirabel district near the ancient orchards of the abbey. From the end of the 12th century, a village was built around the conventual buildings protected by a wall, punctuated by towers and bordered by a ditch. The powerful abbey, under the protection of popular saints, was located around fertile lands, an indispensable condition for the village inhabitants to develop. In the fourteenth century, a separate western steeple was erected: this also acted as the town's belfry. Annexed to the Cluny Abbey around 1095, it was reformed and experienced a favourable period and the construction of the great abbey church was begun and it continued for nearly half a century. As its wealth grew, the independence of the abbey was threatened by neighbouring feudal lords and it was defended against their depredations by the bishops of Limoges. Beaulieu became an essential stage on the roads uniting Limoges to Aurillac and Figeac, leading to Conques, Moissac, Toulouse and Compostela. Endowed with a treasure trove of relics (Saint-Prime and Félicien), and although it suffered from secular lusts, it had a spectacular rise that allowed the development of pilgrimages. Thanks to the pious donations of the Counts of Quercy, the Viscounts of Turenne, their multiple vassals, the area of the abbey consists of a third of the Bas-Limousin. The first monks came from the abbey of Solignac, near Limoges. Like those at nearby Uzerche and Limoges, the abbey of Saint Pierre at Beaulieu was a Benedictine foundation and flourished largely because of its proximity to the Way of St. From the great Solignac Abbey, he invited a team of monks to set up a new monastery and participated with his wide kin in the building of the abbey's heritage. The cartulary of the abbey reported that at the sight of the place's splendour, he could not help but baptise it "bellus locus". After a vain attempt at Végennes, he turned to Vellinus. In the midst of the War of succession at the head of Aquitaine, around 855, Rodolphe de Turenne, Archbishop of Bourges, rallied to the legitimate cause embodied by Charles the Bald, was committed to establishing a monastic foundation on his family lands. If you're looking to picnic somewhere different, head 2km upstream and turn right at the car park for a good view of the village.Chapelle des pénitents (left) in the village of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne across the river from Altillac. There are also tons of grassy banks ready to welcome hungry picnickers.
Beaulieu sur dordogne full#
Others can set off from Beaulieu where the water's calmer and there are pretty places to throw down your oars and watch the world go by.īeaulieu's full of charming places to tuck into lunch like the riverside restaurant 'Les Flots Bleus'. Keen canoeists can start further upstream where the water's faster with a few rapids to play on. The town boasts one of the most prolific fishing spots in France, attracting visiting and local anglers with its many wonderful species found in the river.
The ride lasts just over an hour and is commentated in French. These trips are a great way to enjoy Beaulieu's landscapes as well as learn about the fascinating history of the region's inland shipping. Not fare from the chapel, visitors can hop on a 'gabare', a traditional flat-bottomed boat once used to transport goods along the Dordogne. To appreciate the gorgeousness of the site (and squeeze in a nice quiet stroll at the same time), cross the pedestrian footbridge to the other side of the river. The definitive guide to fishing in the Dordogne Valleyīeaulieu's other church, Chapelle des Pénitents, takes centre stage by the river and has become one of the town's most iconic landscapes.Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne Strawberry Festival.Rocamadour Classical Sacred Music Festival.Beers and Spirits made in the Dordogne Valley.
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