Montpeyroux, ‘Mont Petroso’, a small village perched high on a hill, reflects the quiet of Dordogne, country life lived in harmony with the seasons. The commune of Montpeyroux is beautifully situated in the picturesque Lidoire valley which was, until the 18th century, of serious economic importance as is shown by the numerous windmills and religious establishments which were built there.
The area whose name means ‘ Pierre’s Mountain’ has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Traces of a Gaulish oppidan surrounded by ditches dug out of the chalky land can still be seen. Extensive ruins from the Roman occupation still exist.

The commune is situated in the canton of Villefranche de Lonchat and has a surface area of 2337 hectares and a population of 438 (official population on January 1, 2012).

Montpeyroux Coat of Arms

The name of the parish appears for the first time in 1140 in a text, ‘the donation to St Florent’, as  'Sanctus Petrus de Monte Petroso'. The patron saint of the parish is St Pierre-ès-Liens.
In her work on Gurson-Montaigne, Mme Gardeau sites for the commune of Montpeyroux and the Château de Matecoulon, Montaigne’s brother and his successors, the Belcier and Cazenave families. It seems logical, therefore, for the commune of Montpeyroux to evoke the Montaigne and Cazenave families on the coat of arms, hence :
Quartered : 1 or tower on azure; 2 three argent fess on gules; 3 argent lion on gules; 4
argent rose on azure which is Cazenave. On the fesse-point an azure heart-shield scattered with leaves of clover and an or lion’s foot in fess brochant which is Montaigne.
Motto : 1140- Sanctus Petrus de Monte Petroso -1997

J.R. Bousquet




Text translated by Pays du Grand Bergeracois (professional translator).