16 kilometres from Château le Verdoyer, the charming town of Nontron awaits you with its artisan treasures and unique heritage. Perched on the heights of the Bandiat valley, right in the heart of the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park, this small city in the Green Périgord combines history, ancestral expertise, and a gentle way of life.
A Town Where Craftsmanship Becomes Art
Nontron is not a town like any other. Labelled a “Ville et Métiers d’Art” (Town of Art and Craft), it is world-renowned for its artisanal knives, among the most prestigious in France. But it is also a true architectural jewel box featuring ramparts, elegant Renaissance-style façades, and picturesque alleys where you can discover half-timbered houses along Rue Picaud and Rue des Écoles.
From its heights, the view plunges into the lush green Bandiat valley, offering a panorama that alone justifies the visit. On Saturday mornings, the market brings the town alive with a friendly atmosphere where local produce and authentic encounters mingle.
The Nontron Knife: Five Centuries of Tradition
The Story of a Legendary Blade
The Nontron knife is much more than just an object: it is the oldest folding knife still manufactured in France today. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages, with proven traces dating from 1653 when the first master cutler settled here. Legend even has it that the forges of Nontron shaped the sword of King Charles VII.
The town gathered all the assets necessary to become an exceptional cutlery centre: mineral resources for steel, the hydraulic power of its waterways, and the surrounding forests providing boxwood for the handles.
Preserved Expertise
Even today, every Nontron knife is manufactured using methods that have changed little since the 15th century. Creating a single piece requires mastery of 35 distinct operations, all carried out by hand by passionate artisans. The boxwood handle, the emblem of this knife, is adorned with the famous pyrography motif whose original meaning has been lost to time, adding to the mystery of this exceptional object.
Coutellerie Nontronnaise, located at 33 Rue Carnot, proudly holds the “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (Living Heritage Company) label. In its boutique-museum area, you will discover, alongside specialists, all the stages of manufacturing this unique knife, from forging the blade to pyrography of the handle.
Another location worth visiting is Coutellerie Le Périgord, situated in Place Alfred Agard, which also offers magnificent artisanal creations.
The Knife Festival
Every year, on the first weekend of August, Nontron celebrates its emblem during the Knife Festival (Fête du Couteau). Enthusiasts and artisans from all over Europe gather to celebrate this internationally renowned object, in a festive and friendly atmosphere.
The Experimental Hub for Arts and Crafts
Beyond cutlery, Nontron cultivates artisan excellence in all its forms. The Experimental Hub for Arts and Crafts (PEMA), housed in the majestic Château de Nontron overlooking the Bandiat valley, is the beating heart of this tradition.
Exhibitions for Every Taste
Spread across 300 m², the Château hosts 4 to 6 annual exhibitions dedicated to arts and crafts: ceramics, stained glass, woodturning, tapestry weaving, contemporary mosaic, dinanderie, and many other disciplines. These exhibitions highlight contemporary creations born from ancestral expertise, presented within an exceptional architectural setting.
The château also houses the Blades and Metals Area (Espace Lames et Métaux), a fascinating collection of around a hundred art knives and regional knives, a true tribute to the local cutlery tradition.
Try Your Hand at Arts and Crafts
Want to try your hand at crafting? PEMA offers weekly workshops to introduce you to ceramics, tapestry, or stained glass, accessible from the age of 15 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. A unique opportunity to discover these traditional techniques under the guidance of passionate professionals.
The Arts and Crafts boutique allows you to acquire original works created by regional artisans, ideal for bringing back an authentic souvenir of your stay.
Practical Information:
- Phone: +33 5 53 60 74 17 (château and exhibitions)
- Boutique Phone: +33 5 53 60 50 77
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.metiersdartperigord.fr
Unexpected Discoveries
The Gardens of the Arts
Don’t miss the Gardens of the Arts (Jardins des Arts) which cascade down the steep slope from the town centre to the river. These contemporary gardens blend nature and artistic creations, featuring sculpted benches embracing the trees and various artworks that punctuate the walk, offering a moment of contemplation in the heart of the Green Périgord.
When Street Art Colours the Streets of Nontron
As you turn a corner in Nontron’s alleys, look up: you will discover monumental frescoes that transform the city walls into veritable open-air galleries. Behind these colourful creations is Wilfried Desmond, alias Marcel Champion, a Nontron native artist who has been beautifying his hometown for several years with spectacular street art works.
Marcel Champion is much more than a graffiti artist: he is a hunter of chimeras who blends painting, comic books, and urban art. In partnership with the municipal team, he creates frescoes made entirely with aerosol spray paint, bringing a touch of modernity and fantasy to Nontron’s architectural heritage.
His creations are varied and surprising: you can find “Dragon Ball,” “Thérébentine fait le mur,” a Leonardo da Vinci fresco, or even Snow White brightening up the city walls. The artist even donated a fresco to the municipality on a school wall, a generous gesture that demonstrates his attachment to Nontron.
These street art works create an unusual urban artistic trail that will delight contemporary art lovers and offer children a fun fresco hunt through the town streets. An original way to rediscover Nontron from a resolutely modern perspective, while paying homage to popular culture and the collective imagination.
Around Nontron
From Nontron, set out to explore the wonders of the Green Périgord: the Château de Puyguilhem at 14 km, the Villars caves with their prehistoric paintings, classified villages like Saint-Jean-de-Côle, one of the most beautiful in France, or the rock formations of Roc Branlant and Roc Poperdu.
For sports enthusiasts, a tree-top adventure park (accrobranche) awaits you right in Nontron, while Brantôme offers canoeing and many other discoveries just a few kilometres away.
