Urval is a small village in the Dordogne department. It is situated to the south-west of Siorac-en-Dordogne and just a few kilometers east of Cadouin. Urval is in the Perigord Pourpre area of the Dordogne.
Explore Urval
France This Way review: Urval is a tiny village but it is very pretty and has a noteworthy communal bread oven and a fortified church to discover whilst exploring the village.
When you arrive in Urval the first thing you will probably see is the mill with a large pond in front of it and some attractive houses round the edge.
Across the road from the mill is the church and the centre of the village. The church of Our Lady of the Nativity is a fortified church and both the nave and the choir house defensive chambers. These chambers were used to protect villagers in times of fighting. The church was originally built in roman style and was fortified in the 11th century.
Inside the church are various arches supported by stone pillars and topped with decorated chapters. Two of the pillars are black marble and are thought to have been taken from a different building, perhaps a Gallo-Roman villa.
The original roman door of the church was replaced with a more ornate Gothic door which was strengthened at the same time to support the portcullis that was lowered at times of attack.
The communal bread oven was built in the 14th century and above the oven is a room that was used to house the 'fournier' who was the fire-tender and also the baker. The shelves above the oven were used to place the loaves as they were taken out of the oven.
To the right is the pigeonnier where the fournier raised his pigeons. This bread oven was renovated in the 1800s and again in the 1960s and still works today. It was used during First World War and on the second Sunday of every August the bread oven is fired up as part of the village festival.
There are very few communal bread ovens from the Middle Ages left these days and so it is lovely to see such an excellent example.
The village is small but a walk round the village passes some beautiful stone houses with the steep perigordine roofs and wooden shutters common to the area.
On the outskirts of the village is the Chateau de la Bourlie which was built in the 15th century. This is a private chateau though it can be booked for weddings and events.
Attractions nearby
Urval is close to the beautiful village of Cadouin which is home to an imposing abbey with a lovely cloister.
Nearby Belves is another charming town and well worth a visit. It even has a troglodyte settlement under its centre.
Limeuil is one of the classified 'most beautiful villages of France' and has a lovely position on the confluence of the rivers Dordogne and Vezere. At the top of the village there is a garden with a fabulous view over the river confluence.
Explore elsewhere in the Perigord Pourpre. You can find more travel ideas in the Dordogne guide and the Aquitaine guide.
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Visit near Urval with France This Way reviews
Siorac-en-Perigord
Siorac-en-Perigord is a peaceful village close to the main sights of the Dordogne.
Siorac-en-Perigord guide
Cadouin abbey cloisters
The cloister attached to the abbey at Cadouin were built in the 15th century and among the most charming in France
Cadouin abbey cloisters guide
Cadouin
Cadouin is a small village best known for its medieval abbey, an important pilgrimage destination
Cadouin guide
Belves
Belves is one of the liveliest and most attractive small towns in the Dordogne and has several historic monumnts of interest
Belves guide
Montferrand-du-Perigord
The pretty little village of Montferrand-du-Perigord is in a particularly scenic area and has a traditional market hall
Montferrand-du-Perigord guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Dordogne
Address: Urval, Buisson-de-Cadouin, Bergerac, Aquitaine, 24480, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 44.8128, longitude 0.9489
Plan your visit to Urval, Dordogne
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Jardins de la Bourlie: remarkable garden
- Jardin de Planbuisson: remarkable garden (5 km)
- Eglise Notre Dame de l'Assomption (Belves): religious monument (6 km)
- Le-Buisson-de-Cadouin eglise abbatiale (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (6 km)
- Belves: most beautiful village (6 km)
- Eglise de saint-Pierre (Audrix): religious monument (8 km)
- Jardin de Conty: remarkable garden (8 km)
- Limeuil: most beautiful village (9 km)
- Saint-Avit Eglise (monuments on French pilgrim routes): heritage site (11 km)
- Eglise de Saint-Hilaire et Eglise de Saint-Nicholas (Tremolat): religious monument (12 km)
- Eglise Sainte-Croix (Beaumont-du-Perigord): religious monument (12 km)
- Abbaye de Saint Martial (Paunat): religious monument (12 km)
The French version of this page is at Urval (Francais)