Advent postcards, Bourdeilles, Dordogne

Advent postcard, Bourdeilles, Dordogne

Advent day twenty

Today’s cycling advent-ures postcard is from Bourdeilles in the Dordogne, an afternoon stopover on our October cycling tour to Perigueux.

 

Situated on the Dronne River, a short cycle ride from Brântome, we were there to tackle a Terra Aventura challenge that took us to all the best viewpoints of the magnificent château. The medieval fortified château dates from the 13^th and 14^th centuries, but neatly tucked away inside the courtyard is an equally impressive Renaissance château dating from the 16^th century. Whether we were looking towards it from the gardens behind the church, marvelling at the fortified château entrance or looking down from the narrow lanes of the village, the views were stunning. However, the most impressive view had to be from river level, craning our necks and looking up at the Renaissance walls towering above the rocks and caves they were built on. That was some engineering feat. My Michelin Green Guide tells me that the planning for the Renaissance château was the work of Jacquette de Montbrun, wife of André de Bourdeilles, who had an “active and informed interest in geometry and architecture” – I do love the tale of a remarkable women from the past who left her mark on the world.

 

Bourdeilles is a real gem of a village that I would happily detour to again, especially as we didn’t have time to visit the château on this trip.