This lovely untouched village located at the end of the ochre massif is nestled in the green. The Doa, river of the ochre miners, passes by.
Linked to the ochre industry, Gignac also extracted iron in the so-called "de la Ferrière" district. The iron content of the ore mined in this mine could reach 55%. It seems that the mine was exploited from the Neolithic until the end of the Gallo-Roman era.
The village has a lot of charm with its Romanesque 12th c. church and its semicircular apse, its beautiful houses, washhouse, its remains ... and the castle (private residence listed as a Historical Monument).
In 1575, following the conversion to Calvinism of an ex-nun, some villagers took hold of the castle. Besieged by the Ligue at the request of Barthelemy de Thomas, the castle was partly set on fire. The reconstruction took place at the end of the 18th century.
