Visit Argentat-sur-Dordogne, the stronghold of gabarriers!

Discover Corrèze

Argentat is a town on the banks of the Dordogne, it is welcoming and pretty, located in Xaintrie. Generous region, it promises you beautiful landscapes and plenty of hikes, heritage and authentic sites... Argentat can be visited in all seasons, but it is most lively on sunny days. It is a preserved corner of Corrèze that will appeal to lovers of nature and simple things. Try to come on a fair or market day!

Photos of the report: Corrèze guide

Argentat-sur-Dordogne, the river at the heart of the economy

Argentat was famous for its commercial port. Imagine that in the past, brave gabarriers set off from its banks, with their rudimentary flat-bottomed boats (but solid enough to go down the tumultuous river!). The gabarriers were an important economic resource and the pride of their region. They built their boats and loaded it with trunks, planks and wooden stakes, to bring this resource to Bordeaux. The wood was necessary for heating, construction, but also viticulture, to make the barrels containing the wine and the stakes of the vines.

To visit Argentat, follow the heritage circuit, it's not complicated because the town is small and compact. The centers of interest are concentrated around the quays, the church and the Tourist Office (you can get the town map there). On the other side of the bridge, the city continues, the quays offer very beautiful perspectives on the medieval corbelled houses. Feel free to rush into the alleys (respectfully). You can continue towards the Argentat gravel pits by following a footbridge.

Points of interest in the city:

La Maison du Patrimoine, an interesting little local museum
The Convent of the Récollets
The Manors and Fortified Houses of the alleys around the church

There is a Tèrra Aventura circuit in the town of Argentat, to find the Poïz Zabeth.

Walk on the quays of Argentat

Stroll along the quays, eat an ice cream or have a drink in fine weather. Admire the fishermen's houses which are beautifully flowered and whose roofs are covered with slate and slate. Bring your picnic the rest of the year, to enjoy this bucolic place. Sitting on the edges of the quay next to the old gabarre (the courpet ), one can imagine it vibrant and teeming with fisherman, boatmen preparing for their perilous journey, saying goodbye to their families and rushing on the "high waters" of the roaring Dordogne.

Would you like to take a Gabarre ride in Argentat? It is possible but not from the quays, for that you have to book upstream and go next to the Chastang dam. Read our article to learn more.

Canoeing from Argentat is a wonderful way to discover the Dordogne, enjoy the landscapes and admire the city from an original point of view. Several routes are possible, including a very easy (just 1 hour) and inexpensive to do an initiation with children.

Do you like to splash? Meet at Splash, Argentat's swimming pool, with a space for children to have fun sliding down the slides.

Argentat fairs and markets

Argentat offers a traditional fair every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Come and attend one of the biggest fairs in Corrèze, a rustic and authentic moment! There are also weekly markets:

Saturday (small market)
Sunday morning from May to September
The 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month (in addition to the fairs therefore)

You will find local producers, fruits and vegetables, processed products, cheese, eggs, honey and sometimes crafts. In season, the markets are larger but just as typical.

Prepare a picnic basket and go for a bit of sport, with the Via Ferrata d'Argentat! It is easy, accessible free of charge with your own equipment or on hire from the Tourist Office.

Argentat gravel pits

It is on the left bank of the Dordogne upstream from the town that the Department has acquired 45 hectares of a former gravel pit in Argentat. It is now a place of refuge for biodiversity. There are ponds (25ha of water bodies) and Sensitive Natural Areas. A mobile application allows you to make the visit independently. There are also animations made by external providers of the LPO (league for the protection of birds), the fishing and hunting federation, the Department, and nature protection associations.

We wish you a pleasant visit to Argentat! Remember to continue your discovery, towards the wonders of Xaintrie.

Did you like our article? Find more on our Blog. Follow us on the Corrèze Guide Facebook page and on Instagram @guidedelacorreze

Back to "Culture and Heritage"