Nonards: Wall Paintings, Caving and Local Products

Nonards offers several starting points for planning a trip: medieval wall paintings, a chapel with its own restoration history, caving, walnut products and a hiking trail. If you are looking for a hotel in Nonards, first consider which of these interests you would like to shape your stay. This will help you choose a focus for your visit, whether cultural heritage, an outdoor activity or local produce.

Wall Paintings of the Église Saint-Martin

The choir of the Église Saint-Martin preserves a cohesive ensemble of medieval wall paintings dating from the second half of the 15th century. The mural is titled “Charité de saint Martin, saint Georges et le dragon, Martyre de saint Sébastien.” The title refers to the charity of Saint Martin, Saint George and the dragon, and the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. It gives you a tangible sense of both the paintings’ sacred character and their subject matter.

The wall paintings were discovered in 1987 during restoration work, beneath 19th-century plaster. A. Carré restored them in 1988. The Église Saint-Martin was listed for protection by decree on 22 January 1992, and the listing also covers the paintings. These dates distinguish the medieval period in which they were created from their rediscovery, restoration and legal protection. If you are interested in the history of the ensemble, this sequence offers a concrete way to understand its rediscovery and preservation.

Chapelle St Roch in the Hamlet of La Garnie

The small Chapelle St Roch is located in the hamlet of La Garnie in Nonards. In the 1980s, it was restored by the association “Les amis de la Chapelle St Roch de la Garnie.” This adds another restoration story to the history of the wall paintings, one linked to a specifically named association. The chapel and Saint-Martin offer two different starting points if you are interested in cultural heritage and its preservation.

Grotte de la Garnie: Caving and Access Planning

The Grotte de la Garnie is a venue for sporting and educational caving in a natural setting. It is intended for associations, individuals and families, as well as sporting competitions. Walking routes and roads are listed as public access options. If you are planning a caving activity, check the current access and participation requirements in advance. This is especially useful if you want to plan your trip around a specific activity.

Walnut Products and the Le Pigeonnier Hiking Trail

Since 2009, La Ferme du Soleil has harvested walnuts on 2.5 hectares in Nonards. The farm processes some of them into first cold-pressed walnut oil. This information links a specific product with a detail of how it is made: only part of the harvest is processed into oil. For travellers interested in where food comes from, walnut growing is a subject in its own right.

La Ferme du Soleil 19 invites you to discover various specialities made with walnuts or hazelnuts. These include hazelnut oil and Pralinoix. Before your visit, check whether the products are available to visitors so you can plan accordingly for your travel dates.

Le Pigeonnier is a hiking trail in Nonards. If hiking is one of your travel interests, you can make the trail a focus of your visit. Check the trail conditions locally before adding it to your day’s itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Monestier-Merlines, Alleyrat, Combressol, Chauffour-Sur-Vell, Bugeat, Saint-Chamant, Turenne, Pradines

For the broader travel overview: Corrèze.