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…
Must-see attractions in The Dordogne, Limousin & the Lot
Limoges
Pedestrianised rue de la Boucherie was named for the butchers’ shops that lined the street in the Middle Ages. Today it has many attractive medieval half…
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 Lot
Just inside the gateway of the Château du Doyen sit the priory and the Romanesque Église St-Pierre with a remarkable Romanesque tympanum of Christ in…
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…
Limousin
Since 1839, this traditional distillery has produced the favourite Corrèze firewater, l’eau de noix (walnut liqueur), alongside concoctions such as…
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…
The Lot
This 30-metre waterfall is accessed via a pleasant 1km walk through the forest heading upstream. The trail leaves from the parking lot at the north end of…
The Lot
Martel’s central square, place des Consuls, is home to the former fortress of the viscounts, Hôtel de la Raymondie, and is filled by a great market on…
Limoges
One of the oldest porcelain factories, dating from 1797, offers guided tours by reservation, and has the 19.5m-high Four des Casseaux, the only surviving…
Limoges
The Limousin was a stronghold of the Resistance during WWII, and this museum explores the story of their struggle against German occupation through…
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…
Puy-lʼÉvêque
About 15km west of Puy l’Évêque, near St-Martin-Le-Redon, the imposing feudal Château de Bonaguil is a fine example of late-15th-century military…
The Lot
Little remains of St-Cirq's fortress, witness to sieges during the Hundred Years War, the Wars of Religion and long before. The crumbling walls still…
Cahors
The Tour du Pape Jean XXII (closed to the public) is the town’s tallest building at 34m high. It was originally part of a 14th-century mansion belonging…
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…
Musée Départemental d’Art Contemporain
Limousin
Housed in the town’s striking château, which overlooks the confluence of two small rivers, the museum includes a collection of works by acclaimed Austrian…
The Lot
This soaring spot on the Compostela pilgrims’ trail, the 11th-century former Benedictine Abbey church, features the exquisite Notre-Dame-de-Pieté chapel,…
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,…
Limousin
The pretty riverside Chapelle des Pénitents was built to accommodate pious parishioners – access to the abbey church was strictly reserved for monks and…
Limoges
Around Limoges, look out for porcelain and enamel tiles on many buildings, including the Pavillon du Verdurier, a beautiful octagonal building dating from…
Limousin
In the heart of town, the Romanesque Collégiale St-Martin dates from the 11th century. Original parts include the transept and a few decorated columns…
Limoges
Four des Casseaux is the only surviving 18th-century brick kiln used in Limoges' porcelain factories. It's part of the factory of Porcelaine Royal Limoges…
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…
Limoges
Completed in 1929, Limoges' train station is one of France’s most resplendent. It was designed by Roger Gonthier and is graced by a copper dome, carved…
Limoges
Alongside Cathédrale St-Étienne, Limoges’ beautiful botanical garden stretches down towards the river, with super views. Medicinal and toxic herbs have…
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…
The Lot
Perched atop Rocamadour, the château is a series of 14th-century protective ramparts with excellent views of the valley. Exact change is required for the…
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…
Limousin
Next to the tourist office, this 16th-century building holds a recreation of a 17th-century weaver’s workshop, with tools, original furniture and vintage…
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.
