Lostanges: Heritage and Forest Trails

Lostanges offers both scenic and cultural-historical points of interest to consider when planning a trip. A circular trail follows forest paths, while the church, chapel and historical objects tell the story of religious art and local history. These two themes offer different ways to shape your stay.

A circular trail through Lostanges

The “Un balcon sur le Pays de Brive” circular trail begins in Lostanges, passes through the village and follows forest paths. Lostanges is therefore both the starting point and part of the route. The scenic focus is on the forest paths; Saint-Pierre, Saint-Roch and their historical objects offer a cultural-historical perspective. If you would like to plan your trip around a circular trail, this route is a destination in its own right within the village.

Church and chapel: religious art in Lostanges

The Church of Saint-Pierre in Lostanges houses a remarkable 17th-century altarpiece, which is classified as a historic monument. An altarpiece is a decorative structure behind an altar; here, the date refers to the work itself. Its location, period and monument status identify it as an example of religious art.

The Chapel of Saint-Roch in Blavignac houses a 17th-century sculptural group depicting Saint Roch, an angel and a dog. The group is carried in the procession for the feast of Saint Roch, connecting the artwork with a local religious practice. The chapel was formerly a chapel of the Knights of Malta and was dedicated to Saint Roch at the beginning of the 17th century. Both the sculptural group and the dedication date to the 17th century, although the dedication is dated more precisely to its beginning.

Reliquaries and their intended destinations

The two reliquaries date from the 18th century and were made as part of the same commission. They were intended for different locations: one for the parish church of Saint-Pierre in the centre of Lostanges, the other for the Chapel of Saint-Roch in the hamlet of Blavignac. The shared commission links the reliquaries, while their intended locations point to two different places of worship.

A protected horse-drawn hearse

A protected horse-drawn hearse, dated to around 1900, is housed in a barn in the centre of Lostanges. A maker’s plate on the hearse names the brothers Paul and Antonin Peyridieux. They worked together as coachbuilders in Marcillac-la-Croze under the company name Peyridieux Frères. The hearse adds another kind of historical object to the religious artworks; its approximate date and the plate offer different clues for placing it in context.

The objects can be distinguished by period: the altarpiece and sculptural group date from the 17th century, the reliquaries from the 18th century, and the horse-drawn hearse from around 1900. The objects mentioned thus span religious art and church furnishings through to a protected hearse.

Discover more destinations: Eyrein, Saint-Martin-Sepert, Marcaillac La Crosille, L'herbeil, Saint-Pantaléon-De-Larche, Donzenac, Sarran, Allassac.

For the regional travel overview: Corrèze.