Brantôme (pop. 2,043), in the beautiful Dromme valley, has an abbey which was founded in 769, in the reign of Charlemagne, rebuilt in the 11th C. and altered in the 19th. In the nearby Château de Richemont (16th C.) Pierre de Bourdeille, Seigneur de Brantôme, wrote his "Vies des Dames Galantes". The oldest part of the abbey is the free-standing bell-tower of the church (11th C.), which stands on a rocky crag. The abbey now houses the Musée Fernand-Desmoulin, with works by the artist of that name (born in Périgord in 1835) and archeological finds from the surrounding area.
Grotte Prehistorique de Villars is located near Brantome in the Perigueux Vert and was not discovered until 1953. It is a fascinating site for both geologists and archeologists, filled with both limestone formations and prehistoric cave drawings that date back 17,000 years. The ceilings and walls of the cave are covered in stalactites, stalagmites, pillars, helictites and calcite, which also provides a shiny glaze for the numerous cave paintings and engravings.
Address: Grotte de Villars, F-24530 Villars, France
Hours:
April 1 to June 30: 10am-12pm, 2pm-7pm
July 1 to August 31: 10am-7:30pm
September 1 to September 30: 10am-12pm, 2pm-7pm
October 1 to October 31: 2pm-6:30pm
Tips: Closed in winter.
Disability Access: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
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