Montvalent is a small agricultural commune dependent primarily on farms rearing sheep and goats and the cultivation of walnuts. The village is on one of the pilgrim footpaths through the Limousin region to Rocamadour and onwards to St Jacques de Compostelle. Up until the middle of the 20th century Montvalent had its own school and railway station and held two famous sheep fairs each year. Nowadays, the station and the school are closed but new life emerges as walkers and pilgrims stroll through the lanes, renovation projects are in full swing, new people move into this historic village and its buildings take on new life.
The commune lies in the heart of the valley of the Dordogne, at the extreme north of the Midi-Pyrénées region. The valley cuts through the limestone plateaux of Haut Quercy, resulting in widely contrasting landscapes of arid 'causse', wooded with oak and maple, and the fertile valley floor where the Dordogne meanders and walnut trees abound.
In the heart of the village visitors will find the church of St Christopher, dating from the 12th century, with its recently restored 17th century altar piece, the old guard tower and the new market hall which was built using traditional methods by skilled local craftsmen.
The village, on the D840 road between Martel and Gramat, was established around a medieval fortress which dominated the crossing points of the river Dordogne. At the foot of the limestone cliffs the underground river which flows from the Gouffre de Padirac finds the light of day at the three resurgences of Saint Georges, Lombard and Finou.
Administration
Region : Midi-Pyrénées
Departement : Lot (46)
Arondissement : Gourdon
Canton : Martel
Community of Communes of Martel
Syndicat Mixte Pays de la Vallée de la Dordogne (SMPVD)
Demography and geography
Population : 305 inhabitants (2008)
Area : 27,61 km2
Population density : 11 inhabitants/km2
The village : Longitude : 1.618611 E, Latitude : 44.88139 N
Altitude : from 95m to 322m
