| Situated on the edge of the village of Sadillac, 5 km to the south of Château de Monbazillac, and the less famous, but more beautiful Château de Bridoire. Château de Sadillac is only 15 km from Bergerac and the Dordogne river, superbly situated to explore the countryside, wine, food and history of South West France. |
| Château de Sadillac's history goes back to the 12th century when it was an ancient fortified Priory. In the middle-ages Sadillac was a fortified village surrounded by ramparts. Between 1405 and 1569 Thomas head of the protestants razed the village to the ground after ferocious battle, leaving only the apse of the church and the ancient fortified Priory - the Château - in which he lodged his garrison. Today, the ground-floor and tower, which date back to the 12th century, still exist, along the Church at the side. The upper levels of the Château date back to the 16th Century and the whole has been fully and sympathetically restored. |
A brief history of the commune:
The date of the village’s foundation is unknown but it would appear that it existed during Roman times.
All that’s left is the name Sadillac with its ‘ac’ suffix from the Latin ‘acum’.
In 1876 the commune had a population of 236 composed mainly of farmers but also several coopers and weavers.
In the church to the left of the apse is the tomb of Master Jean Vassanges, sub-deacon
of Sarlat Cathedral, prior and Seigneur of Sadillac who died at the priory, aged 17, on 25 July 1744 and was buried in the church on the same day.
The parish graveyard would appear to be extremely old. Behind the village, below the path known as the ‘Ronde’, quite a number of graves have been uncovered; this would have been the Protestant graveyard.
The priory, which it is believed was affiliated to Cadouin Monastery, dates from the 15th century but was altered and largely rebuilt in the 16th and 18th centuries. In 1792 it was sold off as national property and its new owner turned it from a three to two-storied building, lowering the south-facing tower by about 6m and exchanging the spire for a dovecote.
The earliest mention of town walls dates from the beginning of the 15th century and probably refers to walls built during the Hundred Years War in the second half of the 14th century.
It is claimed that Charles IV passed through Sadillac and Henry IV stayed there.
Until the 18th century Sadillac had the statute of township. |
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What to see:
St Anne’s Church (listed as an Historical Monument in 1957). Renovated in 1995-1997. The village square was renovated in 1999.
The Church
The church belonged to the priory and although its date is unknown, the oldest, right-hand side dates from at least the 13th century.
The church, which is dedicated to St Anne, is 21m long and 6m wide and has only one nave. The original architecture was Romanesque-Byzantine. The right-hand wall is especially remarkable due to its groups of clustered columns, some square, some round, topped by carved capitals which, despite their poor condition, are still of particular interest.
Sculpted imaginary beasts, fish and other symbols commonly used in the 13th century can still be discerned under the capitals. The belfry, door and rest of the church are of less interest dating only from the Renaissance.
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| Sadillac church harbours some of the most beautiful capitals in the Bergerac region. |
Springs:
There are two main springs. One near the château with, on the back wall a scratched Greek cross dating from the 13th or 14th century (or the imitation of just such a cross). |
Hiking Trails:
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9km walk lasting 3hours.
Click here for map.
Suitable for horse-riders, walkers and mountain-bikers.
Starting point: the small square behind the château.
Set off towards ‘Bouniagues’. Turn left after 20m down a path (old tarmac) which climbs upwards. At the top is the Moulin de Sadillac (windmill). Veer to the right along the path which follows a fence and continue down into the woods and then along the side of a vineyard. At the end of the vines, turn left, walk for 100m then turn right along a grass path between the vines. Follow the dirt track which runs in front of a house called « Les Gagneries » and take the gravelled path down to the tarmac road. Continue straight until reaching the hamlet, « Le Pigeard » (where the trail doubles up with the Bouniagues N°21 circular walk).
Turn right down the dirt track, the GR636, between the farms. At the junction turn right, still following the GR636. The path takes you along the edge of cultivated fields and then into the woods. At the crossroads turn left for 150m and then right (where the path leaves the N°21 circular walk). Reaching the road head towards « La Verdure », the GR636, pass in front of a house following the grass path for 500m. At the crossroads turn left and follow the grass path which climbs upwards. Reaching the farm, « Les Nadoux », follow the dirt track until the tarmac road (to the left the path joins up with the N°21 Eyrenville circular walk) and, after 400m, at a fork in the road turn right and follow the path to the Château de Libersac (closed to the public). At the château take the grass path to your right which heads downwards along the vines and follow it through an oak forest and along cultivated fields. Turn right upon reaching the tarmac road. At the crossroads turn left towards « Sadillac ». 500m later (to the left you can see the golf course of the Château de Sadillac) you are back in Sadillac. |
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