Sauveterre-de-Guyenne

Visit Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, Aquitaine

The town of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne is in the Gironde department, north of La Reole and west of Monsegur.

It is a bastide town, that still follows very precisely the original 'grid' layout of the original as laid out at the time the town was founded in 1281 - to the extent that you can stand in the centre and look straight out in each direction to see the original four stone gates that were once the entry points into the town.

Exploring Sauveterre-de-Guyenne

Entering into the heart of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne you will find a large central square, surrounded on all sides by medieval buildings with 14th century arcades below them (traditionally these provided protection from the weather to the market traders).

The town has one of the best preserved of the bastide towns centres, and is also perhaps one of the least visited being a little removed from major tourist centres. Under the arcades you will now find a wide selection of shops, cafes and other commerce.

Also dating from the time of the founding of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne is the Church of Notre Dame at the top of the square (although the church was much restored during the 19th century after damage during the Revolution and following a fire). Towards the back of the church (on the outside) you can see a sundial that was built into the walls during the reconstruction.

Of the four gateways that once provided access to the town, Porte Saubotte to the west is the most complete. This gate can be visited to see the rooms above the entrance and the views from the terrace on the top. The other gateways are slightly less complete but still make an impressive backdrop to the town.

While in Sauveterre-de-Guyenne note also the colombage house on the street just down from the bottom-left of the main square.

Attractions nearby

Another town that does not receive the visitor numbers that you would expect can be seen at La Reole, just a few kilometres from Sauveterre-de-Guyenne and with several interesting buildings.

Sauveterre-de-Guyenne also represents the eastern part of the Dropt Valley, a quiet part of south-west France that extends east from here to the southern Dordogne region and a pleasant way to discover the area.

See Aquitaine and Gironde (the region and department for Sauveterre-de-Guyenne) for more travel ideas...

Photos of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne

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Suggested places to visit near Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Saint-Emilion 23km; Eynesse 24km; Libourne 28km; Sainte-Foy-la-Grande 29km; Allemans-du-Dropt 31km; Miramont-de-Guyenne 37km; Eymet 38km; Bordeaux 42km; Bordeaux Waterfront 42km; Lauzun 44km; Casteljaloux 44km;

Sauveterre-de-Guyenne tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Cadillac Chateau - national monument (20km) : Sauve-Majeure Abbey - national monument (20km) : Abbaye de la Sauve Majeure (La Sauve) - religious monument (20km) : Jardins du château de Malle - remarkable garden (22km) : Montcaret Archaeological site - national monument (22km) : Collégiale et chapelle de la Trinité (Saint-Emilion) - religious monument (23km) : Jardins du Sardy - remarkable garden (24km) : Jardins du château de Mongenan - remarkable garden (27km) :

See more places and a map at places near Sauveterre-de-Guyenne