Walking and Cycling Routes Near Monpazier, Dordogne

The Boucle de la Verrone is the natural signature route for guests staying at Maison Sérénité because it begins in Marsalès. It crosses the gently rolling countryside north of Monpazier and introduces visitors to the small lanes, fields, local place names and open rural views that characterise this part of the Dordogne.

Marsalès stands on a plateau between the drainage areas of the Dordogne and Garonne river systems. The official route information also identifies the Marsalès racecourse, the historic bastide of Monpazier and local place names derived from Occitan.

This is the shortest featured route and one of the easiest to combine with a visit to Monpazier. The circuit leaves the medieval bastide for the surrounding countryside before returning to one of the best-preserved planned towns in the Périgord.

Official points of interest include Monpazier’s historic bastide layout and surviving fortified gateways. Three of the original six fortified gates remain, with visible features associated with the former portcullises and substantial timber doors.

The Boucle de la Bastide is the strongest choice for visitors who want to explore Monpazier in greater depth while also spending several hours in the surrounding landscape.

The official route highlights Sainte-Dominique church, the narrow pedestrian passages known as carreyrous and the historic market hall on the main square. It then continues into the countryside, passing localities whose names preserve elements of the area’s Occitan language and rural history.

The Boucle des Potences begins in the Gaugeac area and crosses the countryside surrounding Monpazier. Although longer than the Boucle de la Bastide, it carries an official easy rating.

Its listed points of interest include Monpazier’s fortified gateways, the bastide landscape and rural localities beyond the historic centre. It is a good option for guests who have already explored the main square and want a broader impression of the area.

The Buffarot circuit introduces guests to Capdrot, a quieter village close to Monpazier. The route combines rural scenery with heritage connected to both Capdrot and the nearby bastide.

The official description highlights Capdrot’s collegiate church, its paintings and historic well, together with Monpazier’s fortified gateways. The church was elevated to collegiate status in 1318 and became an important place of pilgrimage associated with the Black Virgin.

Peyrecourt is officially graded easy, but its 18-kilometre distance and six-hour walking estimate make it the greatest commitment in this guide.

The circuit explores Capdrot and the landscape around the source of the Dropt. Official points of interest include the collegiate church, the historic well and countryside whose place names preserve traces of the local Occitan language.

The Peyregude circuit explores the countryside around Lavalade and passes through Saint-Romain-de-Monpazier, making it particularly interesting for guests who enjoy heritage as well as scenery.

Its principal attractions are the church at Saint-Romain-de-Monpazier, with origins in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the Peyregude cromlech or megalithic stone and the twelfth-century church of Saint Martin in Lavalade.

The Courrège circuit is described by the official tourism listing as a bucolic countryside route. Its quiet rural setting and heritage make it a strong alternative to the busier Monpazier-centred circuits.

The two headline features are the partly Romanesque church at Saint-Cassien, altered during the seventeenth century, and the Courrège dolmen, a prehistoric funerary monument built from large stone blocks during the Neolithic period.

The Peyrouliers route explores Lolme and its surrounding hamlets through a mixture of forest, pasture and rural heritage.

The village’s Romanesque church is the principal historic feature. Its semicircular apse has a traditional stone-slab roof, while carved details, inscriptions and a wall-mounted sundial reflect the area’s local building traditions.

The Boucle du Château begins from the parking area below Château de Biron and explores the castle village and surrounding countryside.

Château de Biron is protected as a historic monument and was the seat of one of the four baronies of the Périgord. Its history is closely connected with the Gontaut-Biron family, who held the fief for centuries. The route also includes Biron’s Romanesque church and other village heritage.