La Citadelle
The nearby town of Montpon-Menesterol
Montpon grew from the twin villages of Montpon and Menesterol. Montpon is now a market town of 6000 people, and Menesterol is a village amongst pretty scenery on its north west outskirts.
 |
Montpon sits 37 miles from Bordeaux on the main
road from Bordeaux to Périgueux and on to Clermont-Ferrand in the east.
It is at the junction of the roads from La Roche Chalais and Riberac in the north of the Dordogne, and the road south through St Méard de Gurçon to Ste Foy-La-Grande and Bergerac. This photo is from the road to St Méard. Since 2001, Montpon has been bypassed by a new autoroute from Bordeaux to Clermont-Ferrand, with an interchange now being build just south of the town. This speeds travel to and from Bordeaux, and keep much of the through traffic away. |
| Montpon's main claim to fame is as "the Organ
Capital of Europe", which means is that several of its pretty churches
have notable church organs.
What is more likely to attract most people is its position on the edge of the Double Forest, with its long distance walks, cycle ways, canoeing, and fishing, and its location on the banks of the River Isle. The Isle is one of the largest and prettiest tributaries of the Dordogne, and offers and beutiful location for camping and leisure activities. Montpon's Chandos Leisure Park includes boating facilities. |
 |
Sturgeon are farmed for their caviar locally, and the district is rich in the mushrooms for which the Périgord is renowned in its cooking. There are a number of places to eat in and around Montpon, and all are good.
 |
Montpon is not a centre of tourism, but it is a
useful and attractive country town. We shop and bank there.
On the edge of the square on the main road on which the banks stand at the eastern end of the town is an excellent and helpful Tourist Information Office). There is little information about Montpon other than this page on the Web, and I hope that the local people whose photographs I have borrowed for this will not mind me using them the publicise their town until I prepare my own. |
