Château de Castelnau, the collegiate church of Castelnau and a hiking trail offering almost uninterrupted views of the castle each give a stay in Prudhomat a different focus. Other highlights include the Benedictine priory of Saint-Gilles in Bonneviole, the producers’ market and the landscape of the Vallée de la Dordogne quercynoise Natura 2000 site. You can choose between art history, architecture, a hiking theme and a visit to the market.
Château and collegiate church: art and architecture
Château de Castelnau houses a significant collection of furniture and works of art. For travellers who want to put culture at the heart of their trip, it is a distinctive highlight. The collegiate church of Castelnau adds architectural history and ecclesiastical furnishings to the picture: construction began in 1507, and its exterior architecture belongs to the Southern French Gothic style.
The collegiate church’s furnishings include a 17th-century altarpiece and tabernacle, as well as carved wooden Renaissance choir stalls. The south chapel houses a treasure whose centrepiece is a reliquary made of silver and gilded copper, dating from the late 14th century. It is described as the arm of Saint Louis. Different centuries are represented in the church’s architectural and furnishing history—a useful starting point if you enjoy placing heritage in its historical context.
An earlier landmark is the Benedictine priory of Saint-Gilles in Bonneviole: its eastern sections date from the 12th century. Together with the collegiate church’s later phases of construction and furnishing, it extends the historical timeline. This means the cultural side of your trip need not be limited to a single era; the château, church and priory each offer their own perspective.
Landscape and hiking trail
Prudhomat is located in the Vallée de la Dordogne quercynoise Natura 2000 site. Its habitat types include running waters and semi-natural dry calcareous grasslands, along with their scrub stages. This adds a distinctive landscape perspective to the historical themes of your stay: watercourses and dry grasslands shaped by limestone are characteristic habitat types of the area.
A hiking trail across the former lands of the Barons of Castelnau is defined almost throughout by the striking silhouette of Château de Castelnau. Particularly remarkable views can be enjoyed from the Mamoul valley and the hamlet of Feines. The castle views are therefore a specific highlight of the trail. Check trail conditions before setting out.
Plan your market visit and journey
The producers’ market takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Place de la Halle de Bonneviole. If a visit to the market is part of your travel plans, schedule it for these days and times. Check the market schedule again before your trip.
For travelling to Château de Castelnau, the liO bus route 877 is a useful option: it runs between Souillac and Biars and stops at “Castelnau”. Check the current timetable before travelling. Market hours, the bus connection and trail conditions give you different points to consider when planning your stay, without requiring you to follow a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Berganty, Brengues, Saint-Paul-De-Loubressac, Loubressac, Lauresses, Belmontet, Cavagnac, Concorès
For the regional travel overview: Lot.
