Religious Sights in Dordogne

This 19th century church was constructed when the expanding city required somewhere larger to house the congregation.

The monks originally lived just outside Saint-Emilion, but in 1338 they obtained permission from the Pope to establish a monastery within the walls. The cloister was built in the 14th-century.

This church in very bad condition after the war, and so it was lovingly restored in the 1950s by the locals of the town who were very attached to its heritage.

This Roman Catholic cathedral in the heart of Périgueux's old town is named after the first bishop of Périgueux. 

The beautiful Abbeye de Beaulieu-en-Rouergue was established in 1144 in the valley of the Seye by the Bishop of Rodez. This Cistercian abbey had a successful existence for many years and was expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries. It went into decline as the monastic discipline was relaxed but was saved from ruin in 1960 when it was subject to extensive renovation and turned into a contemporary arts centre which holds a number of temporary exhibitions each year.

Founded by Gérard de Salles in 1115, and affiliated to the Cistercians, the Cadouin Abbey is an incredibly well-preserved example of religious architecture.

Built between 1075 and 1150, the Abbey Sainte-Marie ranks among the finest examples of Romanesque and Byzantine architectural styles in the south-west of France.

Founded by Saint Didier in the 7th century, this abbey really didn't flourish until the 11th century when the town was linked to the Anney of Cluny.

Trémolat's first church was built in the 9th century and now today all that remains of the original work are two arches, north and south of the nave at the intersection of the transept. 

Situated in one corner of the main square in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, facing the Mairie (town hall), this church has an imposing steeple that reaches high about the streets.

Although it is believed to have dated back to the eighth century, Father Goustat wrote in 1883 that this building could date back to VIII, XI or even the fourteenth century. It has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt in part or in whole over the years. 

A simple church that offers a refreshing cool interior on a hot summer day.

The Lanternes des Morts (Lanterns of the dead) are small towers mainly found in the central and western parts of France. Thought to indicate the position of a cemetary.

The church at Saint-Martin is distinguished for its original frescoes, which can be foudn inside, and its dedication stone.

This impressive church was built in 1740 under the patronage of the Marchal of Turenne, count of Castillon, who had left money to the city in his will.

Situated in the heart of the pretty town of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, the Abbaye Saint-Pierre church sits in the Place du Marche and stands high above the surrounding buildings.

This area was settled by monks in the late 19th century when Napoleon III decided to drain the marshlands in the area. It was established as an abbey in 1876 and the monks began making cheese to make the farm profitable. The community dispersed in the early 20th century but the site was reoccupied by a community of nuns of Espira Agly who were returning from Herrera in Spain. The nuns live under a vow of silence and have restarted the monks' cheese-making business. The abbey itself cannot be visited but they have a good shop selling cheese and confectionary from other missionaries.

The cathedral in Cahors dates to the 11th century though it has undergone modifications over the centuries.