Tourtoirac is a commune in the Dordogne, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, 30 km north-east of Périgueux.
Its territory of 25 km² is part of the tourist and cultural region of Périgord Vert, rich in forests, meadows and rivers. The locality is also crossed by the course of the Auvézère, a tributary of the Isle, and more than half of its area is forested, 40% of the land is also made up of meadows and crops.
The village developed in the valley, near the river, in the Middle Ages, around an abbey founded shortly after the Year 1000 and whose remains are now one of the riches of the village. In a bucolic natural environment, the cave of La Clautre, which formed in the limestone subsoil of the town, is another major point of interest for Tourtoirac, which now has some 650 inhabitants. Close to other major sites of this region which reconciles cultural, gourmet and "nature" leisure activities, a stopover is essential!
The site of the former Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens abbey is the jewel of the municipal heritage. Its foundation dates from 1023, established on the site of an old Roman villa, and the religious belonged to the Benedictine order. The whole is protected as historical monuments and primarily includes the abbey church which later became a parish, in Romanesque style, built in the 12th and 13th centuries. Today it consists of an original nave whose vaults have been reworked, a dome-vaulted transept, which is a tradition in the region, and two semi-circular braces with historiated capitals and decor. painted have been preserved. On the other hand, the semicircular choir was destroyed. As regards the conventual buildings, a wall of the cloister, the chapter house and its remarkable capitals (some represent monks dancing), a vaulted chapel in a broken barrel (12th century), a bread oven and elements of enclosure (dating from the 14th to 17th centuries) are still visible. Within these rich vestiges which relate to the Romanesque but also present typically Périgord notes, a lapidary museum was arranged, gathering stones and sculptures. Open every day. Information on +33 5 53 51 12 17.
In another register, on the locality, the manor of La Farge (18th and 19th centuries) should be mentioned.
Another major attraction, but this time linked to the natural heritage, the cave of La Clautre (also known as Tourtoirac), to the east of the village. Discovered late (in 1995 only), belonging to a set of underground networks dug into the limestone, it was laid out over several hundred meters and has been open to the public since 2010. You can admire concretions and decorations sculpted by water. over the millennia (columns, draped frescoes), which are highlighted by a play of lights. Note that the source at the origin of the cave resurfaces (via an exsurgence) in the village: the fountain of the Clautre. The visit of the cave takes about an hour. Please note: the temperature does not exceed 14 degrees. Open weekends in March and November, every day from April to October and during school holidays (except December 25 and January 1), and all year round by reservation for groups. Price: 7.10 and 9.90 euros. Information on +33 5 53 50 24 77.
Finally, on a cultural level, an astonishing museum of the kings of Araucania and Patagonia has been opened in the village. It is dedicated to Antoine de Tounens (1825-1878), buried in Tourtoirac and whose bust also recalls. This adventurer had left the Dordogne in 1860 to reach South America. It was there that he met the Mapuche tribe, a people of pre-Columbian origin whom the French considered mistreated by the Chilean authorities. Antoine de Tounens is soon proclaimed king of Araucania and Patagonia. Arrested, expelled by the Chilean government, he returned to France and died destitute. However, his heirs intend to maintain the memory of the king, and the museum highlights the cultural richness of the peoples of Patagonia and the dangers that the modern world poses to them. Open every day. Free entry. Information on +33 5 53 51 12 17.
For hiking enthusiasts, the town and its environment are synonymous with rich potential. In addition to the banks and paths laid out along the Auvézère, the northeast of the territory which is protected for its biodiversity (wooded causse, natural lawns) can be discovered via marked trails, and larger loops leading by example towards the Périgord Noir, in the south, are possible. Maps and information on +33 5 53 50 37 56.
In August, competition and exhibition of paintings and photographs, and around August 15 Musical week with concerts (classical, jazz, folk) in the evening and workshops for young audiences.
Tuesday evenings in July and August, gourmet market highlighting the rich terroir and gastronomy of Périgord.
