Seven kilometres of Dordogne riverbank, hilly countryside and a layered history give Coux-Et-Bigaroque its many facets. The landscape of Coux et Bigaroque-Mouzens is bordered by the Dordogne for seven kilometres and offers great variety. There are also trails through the village, river activities and traces of history dating from antiquity to the Middle Ages. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider whether you would prefer to spend most of your time outdoors or explore the village’s architecture and history.
Hilly countryside, village trails and cycling
In Bigaroque, old houses descend the steep slope towards the river. The trails offer views of the Dordogne Valley and the former castellan’s domain. One specific hiking option is the Boucle de l’Aurival: it starts at the information board in the village centre, follows the “Le Bugue–Périgueux” direction for about 250 metres, then turns towards Le Bru. Signage and trail conditions can change; check conditions before your hike.
Cycling can also be part of your plans. Aquitaine Bike is based in Coux et Bigaroque-Mouzens and offers self-guided cycling tours in 2026, with routes and recommendations for places to visit. The provider also delivers rental bikes free of charge to accommodation within a 20-kilometre radius of Coux et Bigaroque. Delivery terms may change; check them in advance if you plan to use this service.
Beach and canoeing on the Dordogne
The Plage de Coux-et-Bigaroque is a public gravel beach. Lifeguard supervision at the Le Coux gravel beach on the Dordogne is listed for the period from 6 July to 15 August. Seasonal dates may change, so check them before your trip. This lets you take both the type of beach and the time-limited information about supervision into account when planning.
Canoë Aventure Dordogne operates a leisure centre in Le Coux and Bigaroque with several canoe routes. The centre operates seasonally; confirm before booking whether the service will be running during your trip. The beach and canoe centre are different ways to include the river in your choice of activities.
Buildings and archaeological traces
Bigaroque’s private tithe barn dates from the 13th century. It served as a toll station and rest stop for barges travelling on the Dordogne. The church of Saint-Martin du Coux retains a Romanesque choir from the 11th or 12th century. Its rectangular bell gable has four round-arched sound openings. The altarpiece comes from the former Fongauffier Abbey and is listed in the inventory of historic monuments. These buildings bring together different historical traces, though they do not date from the same period.
The remains of a Gallo-Roman villa were discovered beside Le Coux church in 1891. Château de Monsec also brings together different periods: it is a 14th- and 19th-century château, set in a park with century-old trees above the Dordogne Valley. It stands on the remains of a Gallo-Roman oppidum and rises almost 80 metres above the river.
Archaeological finds extend beyond these buildings. Palaeolithic and Mousterian traces, including worked flint tools, were identified at the Saint-Georges quarry. Excavations in the Eybral burial cave attest to its archaeological importance; skulls showing evidence of successfully performed trepanations were found there. These sites add a much older history to the picture of the village than that of its churches and châteaux.
When choosing a hotel, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: hiking, cycling and river activities offer a different experience from the history of the architecture and archaeology. This allows you to tailor your search to the subjects that interest you most in Coux-Et-Bigaroque.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Germain-de-Belvès, Saint-Front-d'Alemps, Saint-Pierre-D'eyraud, La Chapelle-Grésignac, Annesse-Et-Beaulieu, Berbiguières, Fonroque, Naussannes.
Return to the main travel guide: Dordogne.
