Maquis de Durestal Historic Reconstitutions / Shows in Cendrieux

This walking tour through the woods allows, with the help of information panels and some reconstructions, to get an idea of what life was like in a Perigord maquis in the years 1943-44.

In this maquis, André Malraux stayed (among others) for two days at the end of May 1944. He was impressed by the number of resistance fighters present, to the point of evoking "a sort of town in the woods". Here, the "Ancel" group was also born, the future "Strasbourg" battalion of the Alsace-Lorraine brigade that André Malraux had the honor of commanding.

This "Path of Memory" was inaugurated in 2013, after 3 years of meticulous reconstruction work carried out by the Departmental Center of Memory of the Dordogne and its president Jean-Paul Bedoin assisted by the Association "The Memory of our Fathers", of the general council, of the municipality of Cendrieux, of the former community of communes of Pays Vernois . It owes a lot to the work of Rémy Bousquet and Fernand Sabouret , who knew the site of the liberation and invested themselves wholeheartedly in the project.

It includes a memory trail , punctuated by information panels and, at the very place of its origin, a heart of the maquis reconstructed according to historical testimonies: strip cabins : dormitory, kitchen, ammunition bunker and even prison. Authentic, the graves dug for the traitors shot on site give the whole thing a striking reality.

Grand Périgueux Tourist Office:
204 rue Laure Gatet - Niversac
24 430 Boulazac Isle Manoire
Tel: 05 53 53 10 63

Hours & Prices:

• guided tours of the Maquis on Thursdays at 3 p.m. from July 11 to August 22. Guided tours at €4 from 12 years old.

• dramatized visits Saturday July 20 and Friday August 9 from €3 to €8. Visit differently by taking part in a dramatized visit to the Durestal maquis in Cendrieux. For the occasion, the Durestal maquis is transformed into a green theater with actors from the Sur Saut company. In total immersion at the heart of the daily life of two young resistance fighters, follow Fifi and André. Information: 05 53 53 10 63. Reservation: www.tourisme-grandperigueux.fr

• Rental of French-English audio guide for adults as well as for children under 12 (€2). Reception at the Sainte-Alvère tourist information office. Possibility of rental until 4:15 p.m. T 05 53 61 76 89

• group visits: all year round for adults and schools. Information on 05 53 53 41 05.