Located on the borders of the Dordogne and Charente departments, the Argentine limestone plateau is one of the major natural sites of the Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park. Different elements enrich the route with historical and cultural interest:
- the Romanesque church, which keeps the memory of its transformations since the 11th century;
- the unique landscape linked to the geology and the Cretaceous period when, on the site of the country of Mareuil, there was a vast lagoon protected by a coral reef;
- the quarries which form a network of 50 ha of galleries, where the inhabitants worked from a very young age;
- the ruins of the castle recalling the legend of beautiful Argentina.
The route signs reveal the secrets of the place to you! A free guide booklet is available in tourist offices or at the Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park.
Route stages
Step 1 - From the car park located on the plateau, follow the path marked with a lark. Cross the plateau along the model aircraft runway, this site is protected by its limestone lawn flora. At the fork, leave the path marked in yellow to follow the lark on the right. Pass over the SNCF bridge, turn off to go back under it, you can see mushroom farms on the old railway line. At the road go back to your right, then take the first path on the left.
Step 2 - In the village you pass between the church and the cemetery. The stones of the Romanesque church and the old houses merge with the omnipresent stone in the landscape. The Argentine Chapel is the old church of the commune of Argentina. You will also see the passageway for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela controlled by the monks of Cluny. Then you continue straight ahead to discover the rock which keeps the memory of a legend "the star of Argentina".