The Dordogne
France’s most famous prehistoric cave paintings are at the Grotte de Lascaux, 2km southeast of Montignac. Naturally sealed and protected for millennia, it…
Must-see attractions in The Dordogne
The Dordogne
This extraordinary cave contains the only original polychrome (as opposed to single-colour) paintings still open to the public. About 14,000 years ago,…
The Dordogne
The massive ramparts and metre-thick crenellated walls of this quintessential medieval fortress (occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War)…
The Dordogne
Hidden in woodland 18km north of Les Eyzies, this tri-level cave is one of the most complex and rewarding to see in the Dordogne. Board an electric train…
The Dordogne
Part of the park that contains the Tour de Vésone, this sleek museum designed by French architect Jean Nouvel encompasses a 1st-century Roman domus …
The Dordogne
Horticulture fans won’t want to miss these famous manicured gardens, stretching along a rocky bluff overlooking the Dordogne Valley. Signposted paths lead…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
For an introductory French market experience, visit Sarlat’s heavily touristed Saturday market, which takes over the streets around Cathédrale St-Sacerdos…
The Dordogne
This narrow, very long cave 1.5km east of Font de Gaume was the first rediscovered in the valley, in 1901, and is renowned for its animal engravings. Look…
The Dordogne
Towering gloriously atop a limestone bluff, this 12th-century fortress’ panoramic position above the Dordogne made it a key defensive position during the…
The Dordogne
Périgueux’ most distinctive landmark is most notable for its five creamy Byzantine tower-topped domes (inspired by either St Mark’s Basilica in Venice or…
The Dordogne
From the town’s three gateways, Monpazier’s flat, grid-straight streets lead to the arcaded market square (also known as place Centrale), surrounded by an…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
A life-size statue of three bronze geese stands in the centre of beautiful place du Marché aux Oies (Goose Market Sq), where live geese are still sold…
The Dordogne
Inside a marvellous modern building alongside the cliffs, this museum provides a fine prehistory primer, with the most comprehensive collection of…
The Dordogne
This 15th-century château, 3km southwest of Beynac, is famous for its fabulous former owner: glamorous dancer, singer and music-hall star Josephine Baker …
The Dordogne
While most of the Vézère’s caves contain engravings and paintings, this overhanging cliff-face contains a handful of unusual large carvings in relief,…
The Dordogne
North of the cathedral is this fabulous tangle of cobblestone streets lined with medieval houses. The best examples are along rue du Plantier, rue de la…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
The Dordogne is famous for its foie gras. You’ll see duck and goose farms dotted throughout the countryside, many of which offer guided tours and…
Sainte-Alvère
See wild boars being raised in semi-freedom on this farm just outside Mortemart. These porky cousins of the modern pig were once common across France, but…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
The humble noix (walnut) has been a prized product of the Dordogne for centuries, and is still used in many local recipes – cakes, puddings, pancakes and…
The Dordogne
Behind the former abbey – Brantôme’s most illustrious landmark and now the town hall – lie moody caves, originally a place of pagan worship and then part…
The Dordogne
Eight kilometres south of Monpazier, this much-filmed château is a glorious mishmash of styles, having been fiddled with by eight centuries of successive…
The Dordogne
In an effort to bring the prehistoric age to life, Le Thot, 8km southwest of Montignac, places reproduced Lascaux cave scenes alongside displays about Cro…
Le Bugue
About 8km west of Les Eyzies, near the hamlet of St-Cirq, this privately owned cave features several animal engravings dating from around 15,000 BC to 17…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Église Ste-Marie was ingeniously converted by acclaimed architect Jean Nouvel, whose parents still live in Sarlat, into the town’s touristy Marché Couvert…
The Dordogne
The ruins of the city’s amphitheatre, designed to hold more than 20,000 baying spectators, was one of the largest such structures in Gaul. Today the tops…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Once part of Sarlat’s Cluniac abbey, the original abbey church was built in the 1100s, redeveloped in the early 1500s, and remodelled again in the 1700s,…
The Dordogne
Around 3km northwest of Les Eyzies along the D47, this cave contains an array of glittering stalactites and stalagmites. A joint ticket (adult/child €11/6…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Behind the cathedral, the Jardin des Enfeus was Sarlat’s first cemetery. The rocket-shaped Lanterne des Morts may have been built to honour a visit by St…
Sorges
Sorges, 23km northeast of Périgueux, has an informative museum describing truffle growth and gathering, as well as a shop with local products. There's…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
This impressive turreted château, 8km northwest of Sarlat, was first built in 1270, destroyed in 1358 during the Hundred Years War, and rebuilt around…
The Dordogne
This castle was originally built in the Middle Ages, but was rebuilt in the 17th century. The main reason for a visit is its beautiful formal gardens,…
The Dordogne
This small interpretative centre is a good stop for history buffs interested in reading up on bastides, or, for a bit more family fun, playing one of the…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Tour this mansion, dating from the 13th century, in the heart of Sarlat to get a taste of how the bourgeoisie lived. There's a cabinet of curiosities in…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
The Lanterne des Morts is a dramatic monument – it's shaped like a giant rocket – that was built to honour a visit by St Bernard, one of the founders of…
Musée d’Art et d’Archéologie du Périgord
The Dordogne
The city’s museum displays fine Roman mosaics, prehistoric scrimshaw, medieval stonework from the Cathédrale St-Front, and interesting art (mainly from…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
This attractive medieval courtyard can be reached via an alleyway off rue Tourny or from the Jardin des Enfeus. The passage from Cour des Chanoines leads…
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Appropriate to its name this picturesque medieval courtyard contains a bubbling fountain. You can find it down an alleyway off rue Tourny or reach it from…
The Dordogne
This château, with portions dating from as early as the 12th century, though much of it is in the later Italian Renaissance style, is fully kitted out…
The Dordogne
This 24.5m-high cella (inner shrine) is the last remaining section of a massive 2nd-century Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to the local goddess Vesunna.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
This striking 16th-century Italian Renaissance–style house opposite Cathédrale St-Sacerdos is the birthplace of writer Étienne de la Boétie (1530–63).
