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
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
The massive ramparts and metre-thick crenellated walls of this quintessential medieval fortress (occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War)…
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
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
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…
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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
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…
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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…
Musée National de Préhistoire
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
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…
Le Village Troglodytique de la Madeleine
The Dordogne
Many of the Vézère’s caves were used for storage, defence or protection as recently as the Middle Ages. This cave village 8km northeast of Les Eyzies was…
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,…
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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…
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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
On a sheer cliff face 80m above the Vézère, this 900m-long series of terraces and caves has been a practically unassailable natural fortress for almost 50…
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…
Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac
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While it's not quite the work of Edward Scissorhands, these topiary gardens are nonetheless a labour of love, with everything clipped by hand. A…
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…
The Dordogne
About 250m north of the Musée National de Préhistoire, this Cro-Magnon abri (shelter) was inhabited over a period of 15,000 years starting some 37,000…
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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
This one-time fortress buffeted by the Hundred Years War was originally constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries. Later additions occurred during the…
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…
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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…
The Dordogne
Brantôme’s most illustrious landmark is the former Benedictine Abbey, built and rebuilt from the 11th to 18th centuries and now occupied by the town hall…
The Dordogne
Honeycombing the stone underneath the village is a series of large caves decorated with ornate stalactites and stalagmites. Get tickets, which include…
The Dordogne
A warren of meandering lanes leads up to La Roque’s dramatic fort, where a series of defensive positions constructed by medieval engineers were carved out…
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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…
Église St-Étienne de la Cité
The Dordogne
The Église St-Étienne de la Cité was built in the 11th century on the site of the Roman temple to Mars. Périgueux’ cathedral until 1669, it only has two…
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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
The verdant Jardin des Arènes in the rejuvenated ruins of the city's Roman amphitheatre attract locals and visitors alike. Kids play in the fountain,…
The Dordogne
This Tursac chateau was built straight into the rock face that used to shelter prehistoric humans. Now it's kitted out with period furnishing and displays…
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
Across the square from the tourist office, artefacts here include clothing, toys and tools, mainly from the 19th century. Admission is included with the…
