In the Objat and Yssandonnais region
The Yssandonnais is a land of wonder, where the landscapes are beautiful and varied: limestone, red sandstone, PDO apple orchards, PDO walnut groves of the Périgord. There's something for everyone!
Start in Objat, on a Sunday morning, to enjoy its very pleasant pedestrian market. Look up at the beautiful town houses lined up in a row. And in the afternoon, if you fancy a refreshing dip in the eco-pool, there's something for everyone!
What is the Yssandonnais?
It's a geographical region whose territory is represented as a landscape entity: the land of limestone hills and lie-de-vin soil. It stretches from Perpezac-le-Blanc and Yssandon in the south to Juillac in the north. The rarity of this area lies in its geological features and the richness of its agricultural culture: cattle rearing, apples, walnuts, cereals, etc.
The Vialhe family, heroes of Claude Michelet's Des grives aux loups and Les palombes ne passeront plus , run a farm in Saint-Libéral (a fictional village). But we can assure you that this family saga about the evolution of farming is set in the Yssandon area...
Yssandon, a hilltop village with the remains of a fortress tower, a church where a few paintings have been unearthed and orientation tables.
Objat and Ayen, the main towns
Objat, a "remarkable site of taste", boasts a number of middle-class houses that once belonged to market gardeners. Objat's railway station opened up its farming to the rest of the country: in the 1880s, its tracks shipped several tonnes of fruit and vegetables to Paris. This revolution greatly developed the village, earning it the nickname of the "Pea Capital". It's impossible to miss the church of Saint-Barthélémy, with its bulb-roofed bell tower, which is one of the most charming features of the area. It's the perfect place to visit on Sunday mornings to sample the local produce, including apples, walnuts, veal and truffles.
Ayen, a green resort and village in bloom, will charm you with its dazzling views from its orientation tables, its fountains, wash-houses, noble houses... Don't miss: its market of local producers on Thursday evenings in summer for a festive and friendly atmosphere! At Soulet d'Ayen, visit the private arboretum "La Tuillière" free of charge, with its 1,600 species of trees and shrubs and educational labelling.
From Juillac to Saint-Robert
Next stop is Juillac, home of the famous Patrick Sébastien, "inventor of tinned sardines", and Jeanne Villepreux-Power, inventor of the aquarium. Enjoy an unforgettable panorama from the orientation table.
Then there's the unmissable Saint-Robert, one of the most beautiful villages in France, perched on a limestone hill. The soap opera Des grives aux loups, based on the work of Claude Michelet, was filmed here. Its truncated Romanesque church is remarkable for its historiated capitals and its 13th-century Christ.
Do you like Collonges-la-Rouge? Then take a look at Vars-sur-Roseix: a small red sandstone village with the church of Saint-Benoît and its beautiful keystones. There's also the house where Hugues Duroy de Chaumareys was born, the famous navigator who is said to have inspired Théodore Géricault's painting Le radeau de la méduse (The Raft of the Medusa ).
Practical information
How long does it take to complete the Yssandonnais circuit?
You should allow a day for the whole tour.
The Yssandonnais must-sees
- Objat: the eco-pool and the market.
- Ayen: the orientation tables and the local farmers' market in summer.
- Saint-Robert: the Musical Summer from 14 July to 15 August and the Romanesque church.
- Juillac: the orientation table.
- Vars-sur-Roseix: the village built of red stone.
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