Capdenac le Bourg

A hike in the region Midi-Pyrénées

A historic hike in the village of Capdenac, since the prehistory until the reformation. One can see along this urban circuit several sites to be visited and wide panoramas on the valley of Lot from a rocky spur.

Information

General points

• Geographic situation. District : Capdenac (department Lot, canton Figeac)
                                     Road map with
• Starting point : Donjon of Capdenac.
• The length of the stroll is estimated at 1,2 Km and the walk duration is about 1 h 30 mn.
• The stroll is marked out all along
• Stroll form : loop
• Stroll relief : flat (alt. mini = 260 m ; alt. maxi = 280 m)
• Exposure : varied (both covered and uncovered areas)

Noteworthy places

Capdenac. The origins of this old town would go back to the IVth century B.C. It is built on a rocky spur situated 120 m above the Lot river. The patrimony of this city extends over all the ages, from the Prehistory to Middle Ages.

Epoque Chasséenne. Chassaen is a late prehistoric culture dating from Paleolithic Superior (sometimes called Mesolithic). The word Chassean orignates from the site of Chassey-le-Camp (France, Saône-et-Loire), village of the first description. This period is approximately situated between 5000 and 3500 B.C. Chassean people were shepherds specialized in pottery and in the work of the flint. Certain objects are presented to the first floor of the donjon.

Uxellodunum. Uxellodunum is the name of a mound strengthened by Gauls. Capdenac would be Uxellodunum as it was described in Gallic Wars. In 51 B.C., it would have been the last city to resist to Romans and to Julius Caesar personally. You can see vestiges of this time to the museum of Uxellodunum.

Saint Géraud. Capdenac was occupied by the Visigoths. Saint Géraud was the personality who dominated this time, he was the Count of the castle of Capdenac before going to found the abbey of Aurillac. A chapel is dedicated to him in the parochial church.

Moyen-Age. The current architecture of houses supplies several testimonies of Middle Ages, with narrow alleys and houses with corbelled construction, mullioned windows and ogivales doors. An important Templare base was built there to accommodate the pilgrims going from Rocamadour to Santiago de Compostella. Capdenac was also the place of a battle during the Albigensian Crusade. Simon de Montfort occupied the place in 1209 and 1214. During the One hundred years war, the English failed at the foot of the wall of Capdenac.

Capdenac huguenote. Capdenac was taken in 1512 by the Protestants from Marchastel. A little later, all the Huguenots of the Lot valley took refuge with it.

Maps

Carto Exploreur 12 Nord, IGN 2238E.