Issac, Dordogne - travel guide

Visit Issac

Issac is a delightful little village to the north of Bergerac and east of Mussidan. It is not very big but if you are visiting the neighbouring Chateau de Montreal or on your way to the Trans European motorway it is worth a detour. It is in the area of the Dordogne known as the Perigord Blanc.

Exploring Issac

Approaching the village from the south (where there is lots of parking by the Salle Municipal) you see the stone entrance gate and above and beyond the beautiful church of Issac, the Eglise Saint-Avit.

As you approach the stone entrance porch you can see the attached round tower which has a look of something from Morroco. This is the Tour Saint Jacques and houses a spiral staircase. It is built on top of an underground shelter with a natural water supply which was used as a place of refuge.

The tower is attached to the neighbouring houses which were built at the same time. It was once the seat of the judge of the Lord of the Chateau de Montreal.

The eglise Saint Avit was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style though it has been modified since then. The rounded apse remains of the original 12th century structure. Behind the church is also the town Marie.

On the edge of the village is the beautiful Maison Chastenet which along with the Tour Saint-Jacques is a classified historic monument. The Maison Chastenet was built in the early 18th century and sits on the edge of the riviere La Crempse. It has a lovely pigeonnier.

Back down the road towards the Salle Municipale there is the restored lavoir which was once the communal clothes washing point for the village.

The countryside surrounding Issac is very pretty and you will see a lot of vineyards in the area. The wines of Bergerac are widely appreciated and you can learn more about them by visiting the Maison du Vin (House of Wine) in Bergerac or by visiting some of the local vinyards.

Whilst you travel around you will discover a number of quiet but pretty villages with charming houses and churches to admire.

Places to visit nearby

Just two kilometers from Issac is the attractive Chateau of Montreal which is open for visits. The village is closely linked to the chateau - indeed in medieval times there was an underground tunnel linking the two so that residents of the chateau could escape in an emergency.

Interestingly in 1535 the brother of one of the lords of the Chateau de Montreal set sail for the New World and on arrival renamed a native settlement Montreal - this is the current city of Montreal in Canada!

There is another chateau at Neuvic. The Chateau de Neuvic is open for guided visits in July and August and its pleasant gardens are open from April to September.

Mussidan is the nearest town and has a number of bars and restaurants and you can hire a canoe from here and canoe down this pretty and tranquil stretch of the dordogne.