Its feudal castle already existed in the beginning of the Middle Ages and until the 10th century; it became by marriage (11th century) one possession of the Count of Perigord, and then became an important fortified town. The last counts: Archambaud V and VI who had been unfaithful to the King were thus deprived of all properties by the Paris Parliament. Montignac then became one property of Louis d’Orléans, brother of French King Charles VI. Charles VI was taken prisoner during the battle of Azincourt and decided to sell the town to Jean de Blois in order to pay his ransom. By marriage, the castle and town then became a property of the D’Albret family until 1603, when French King Henry IV gave them to François d’Hautefort Lord of Thenon. The castle has been many times dismantled during wars, and it was destroyed in 1825. Only one tower and its infrastructure bear witness of its former glory.

The town used to be surrounded by a wall with three doors, of which one led to a wood bridge across the river Vézère (today facing the Pègerie street). This bridge was burnt in 1580 by protestants, then it has been rebuilt, and was carried away by the 1620 flood. A new bridge was built between 1766 and 1777 to replace the ferry that had been used for 150 years.
This charming town includes two different areas located on both sides of the Vézère river: on the right bank, the feudal town and its medieval narrow streets with their 14th, 15th and 16th century architecture: houses on piles, half-timbered houses, wash houses and springs, the typical yellow stones of which beautifully reflect the sun. On the left bank, the suburb with the convent and priory reminds us that Montignac used to be a harbour, a place of commerce and crafts during the Ancien Régime period. 

Hospitality remains the number one tradition of its inhabitants (3,101 today). In Montignac many celebrities were born, such has Eugène LE ROY, writer and author of «Jacquou Le Croquant», Joseph Joubert the moralist, or Pierre Lachambaudie, writer of tales…

Montignac, is also a place for gastronomy: the Lascaux cake is wonderful, and when you’re here it is as if you could smell the delicate aroma of King Henri IV’ “Poule au Pot”. When you come to Montignac, our tables d’hôtes and restaurants lead you to discover the numerous delicious recipes of our Perigord. But this is not the end of it!

Montignac and its area offer varied hiking paths, leisure activities and sites to be visited, of which, do not miss Lascaux II, the Regourdou, the Thot-Espace CroMagnon, the castles of Losse, and Sauveboeuf, theSaint-Amand de Coly Abbey, the shelters of La Roque Saint Christophe, the Paleontology museum and the Dinosaurs’ Park!

Most of its present buildings date from this period, together with its troglodytic forts in the cliff-face (which can be visited) and vestiges of the former summer palaces of the Bishops of Sarlat. The Renaissance period saw the construction of some beautiful homes, such as the Manoir de Tarde, the manor-house of the Tarde family, which dominates the heart of the village to this day.
 
River traffic became increasingly important, with a very busy flow of cargo-carrying.
“gabares” (the Dordogne’s traditional flat-bottomed boats), as well as abundant commercial fishing, which continued right up to the beginning of the 20th century.
The village’s situation turns it virtually into a large natural solarium, and this has made possible the creation of extraordinary “exotic gardens”, alongside the church, halfway up the cliff, with luxuriant sub-tropical and Mediterranean plants.
You will find the warmest of welcomes from La Roque-Gageac and its inhabitants, known as the “Laroquois”, as well as wonderful gastronomic experiences in a region famed for its fine food.

Founded more than 2,000 years ago, Périgueux, préfecture or capital city of the Dordogne, is a gracious blend of ancient and modern.

The history of the city of Périgueux began when four Celtic tribes merged to become the Petrucores. They settled on the hills overlooking the river (l’Isle) until they were overpowered by the Romans.
The Gallo‑Roman remains show how magnificent the town would have been in the 1st and 2nd centuries, the Romans having built in the valley Vesunna, an imposing city (between 15 and 20000 inhabitants), which, in the 3rd century, was enclosed by a defensive surrounding wall.
In the 4th century, Vesunna which was but a small town was named after its people “Civitas Petrocoriorum”. The town was no longer prosperous during the Dark Ages. In the 9th century, it withstood the attacks of the Normans several times thanks to its thick defensive surrounding wall.
From the 10th century on, the birth of another town gave new impetus to the valley. As a matter of fact, a chapel and a monastery were built outside the walls were the tomb of the apostle of the Périgord, whose name was Saint-Front, had been erected and which attracted a lot of pilgrims.

Merchants, artisans who wanted to get rich traded with the clerics and travellers and settled down nearby. This population gave birth to the “Bourg du Puy Saint-Front”. In the 13th century, the new town expanded and was surrounded by a wall in a U-shape, a 1.6 km long with 28 towers and 12 gates.
In 1240, in the reign of Saint-Louis, the City and the “Bourg” met and formed one city called Périgueux. For centuries, Périgueux, protected by its defensive wall, remained unchanged. But from the 18th century on, the city began developing. Beyond the wall a modern city appeared and in 1790 it became the “préfecture” of the “département de la Dordogne”.
In the 19th century, the number of inhabitants increased a lot and the city spread along the river Isle as it used to be in the 2nd century. But it is only when the rail went through Périgueux in 1856 that the city really expanded (5700 inhabitants in 1801, 13000 inhabitants in 1850, 31300 in 1890).

The main shopping precinct is a warren of cobbled alleys lined with boutiques, summer buskers and magnificent Renaissance houses, perhaps the most spectacularly ornate being the Maison du Pâtissier on the corner of the Place Saint-Louis. This pedestrian area, with its shady squares and café terraces, is a marvellous venue for open air events like the regular summer night markets, the international mime festival, Mimos, or the free evening jazz concerts, Macadam Jazz, in July and August, as well as more traditional events such as the marché au gras (fattened duck and goose products) during the winter months.

The 18th-century – now administrative – part of the city around the Place Tourny is largely built in white stone, and the saltiest events here are the frequent pétanque (local bowls) tournaments which occupy the elderly – and a large part of precious parking space on the Tourny carpark.
Modern architecture includes the splendid new Archives, opposite the Tour Mataguerre, the Bourse du Travail and the greenhouse-like Lycée Jay-de-Beaufort, successfully adjoining the beautiful Renaissance ruins of the Château Barrière. Near here are the Roman Jardins des Arènes, the entrances to the arena a gloomy reminder of gladiators’ torments. Now it is a landscaped park, a shady haven from the streets, with a children’s paddling pool and playground.

The highlight of a trip to Bergerac is the old town – the area immediately north of the river, signposted ‘vieille ville’. This part of the town has some lovely streets and squares to explore, and a variety of boutique type shops.

There are also several restaurants in ‘old-town’ Bergerac among the attractive medieval half-timbered streets, and some open-air cafes where you can pass a very pleasant hour just watching people going about their business.

Visit the Maison de Vins de Bergerac in the heart of the old town. It is a beautiful old cloister dating back to the 12th century. If you are a wine enthusiast there is an exhibition showing the history of Bergerac wines and its 13 appellations. During the summer there are occasional concerts which take place in the cloister. It is a lovely setting for them and worth going if you get the chance. In December there is usually a small but good quality Christmas Market here with products from local artisans, very useful if you are doing some Christmas shopping.

The National Tobacco Museum is based here in Bergerac, and is apparently very interesting. (Tobacco is still an important crop in the region, that you will probably see growing in the fields.)

Up from the old town, there is a newer, more modern part to Bergerac, with more conventional streets and a larger range of ‘modern’ shops.

The market, held on a Saturday, is at the higher end of the town.

After exploring Bergerac you can take an organised boat trip (bagarre) up the river (start from the car-park at the bottom end of the old-town) to see the town and the nearby countryside from a different perspective. (But be warned – several people we know have done this and said it was a waste of time because the boat didn’t go far enough – I recommend you wait, and take a boat trip from one of the bases further upstream).

Museums

Maison des Vins – as mentioned above this is housed in an ancient cloister (which you can enter without entering the exhibition), there is an exhibition of the history of Bergerac wines.
Musee d’Interet National du Tabac (Tobacco museum) – history social and cultural of tobacco.
Musee Costi – sculptures

Tourist Office
97, rue Neuve d’Argenson
24100 Bergerac
33-553.57.03.11
33-553.61.11.04
www.bergerac-tourisme.com

History

Two hundred and fifty years BC it was inhabited by a celtic tribe the Bellovaques, who gave the city its name. The 11th century AD made it a fortified city because of its strategic position. In its most ancient part you find the castrum (fortified village) with its old keep (the “Tour de l’Auditeur”, 11th century), the Hôtel Bontemps (12th century, with its renaissance front), the ramparts, which used to encircle the city with a fortified gate and a tower later to be raised into a belfry (15th century). It towers above the Place d’Armes, nowadays used as a market-place every Saturday morning, with its five hundred years old 23 pillars and the pillori-irons to which the prisoners used to be chained.

In the hollow of the medieval ditch you can see the entrance to the troglodytic caves, once inhabited (from the 13th to the 18th centuries; guided visits all the year round, upon prior reservation). Strolling along the streets and alleys with their poetical names the “rue du Bout du Monde” (end of the world), the “Rue de l’Oiseau qui Chante (the singing bird), you will meet some more architectural treasures, the castle, the former Couvent des Frères Prêcheurs (monastery of the preaching priest)

About

In the centre of the town you can visit some troglodyte dwellings that date from around the 13th century. In the town you can also see the medieval belfry and walls, a 14th century castle, and the city hall. Belves is famous as being the ‘town of seven bell towers’. You will enjoy a pleasant afternoon wandering the streets and alleys of Belves – note that it is listed as ‘one of the most beautiful villages in France’.

The main sights

The old town, called Le Castrum, originates from the 11/12th century and was originally surrounded by ramparts. These were 15 metres high under the hospital! Some of the ramparts are still visible – wander down the rue du Petit Sol and the rue de l’oiseau qui chante (street of the bird that sings!).

The Belfry was built in the 11th century and was originally a defensive tower overhanging a deep moat in which people lived in caves. At the bottom of the moat the troglodytes grew their vegetables. The visit to the “Habitations troglodytiques” is very interesting.

The entrance to the troglodyte dwelling is by the fortified gate in the corner of the square. In the 11th century this had a drawbridge and was the only entrance to the Castrum.

Also from the 11th century is the ‘Tourd de l’Auditeur’. The entrance is high up as guards used to enter by ladder and then pull this up to prevent intruders.

The other main building of the middle ages is ‘La Tour du Guet’, the watch tower which is out of town on the corner of the rue du Bout du Monde (End of the World Street ) and the Pelevade street (named after a menhir which once stood here). The watch tower overlooks the valley and so could warn when the enemy approached.

Moving into the 13th century there is the monastery of the ‘Freres Precheurs’, now the townhall of Belves, and the church of Moncuq whose choir and chapels are 13th century though much of the rest is 15th century.

The chateau on the edge of town was started in the 14th century and altered during the Renaissance and afterwards.

In the 15th and 16th century the covered market was built. Note the pilori chain on one of the pillars. This was put round the neck of wrong-doers and they were held there for two or three days.

The Maison des Consuls which houses the tourist office is also 15th century and was for meetings of the consellors. The ground floor was a guard-room.

One of the highlights of Belves is its position on a rock outcrop, overhanging the valley of the river Nauze, and the views across open countryside from the town. Don’t ignore the surrounding countryside wnen you visit Belves – there is a great deal to explore in the surrounding small villages.

OFFICE DE TOURISME DU PAYS DE BELVES
1, Rue des Filhols
24170 BELVES
TEL/FAX : 33-553-29-10-20
belves@perigord.com

http://www.perigord.com/belves

The town’s history is tied into that of the abbey. Around 620 AD, a hermit named Cyprien settled in a cave that overlooked the Dordogne valley. Others gathered around him and a monastic community grew up. Barbarian invasions in the mid-9th century made the monks build defensive ramparts, of which the belltower-keep survives.

In 1076 the monastery, now an Augustine body, was doing so well that Bertrand de Got, archbishop of Bordeaux and later Pope Clement V, took it under his wing.

In the Hundred Years’ War, St Cyprien suffered from its exposed border position between Eleanor’s Aquitaine and the Kingdom of France.

In 1568, during the Wars of Religion, Calvinist troops burned the priory to the ground, but the monastery was rebuilt in 1685. Declared a “national asset”, in April 1791 it was sold to the town for 8,125 francs and renamed “Temple of Reason dedicated to the Supreme Being”.

In 1871 the state tobacco monopoly knocked down the cloister, closed off the inner doors, and turned the place into a warehouse.

Every summer the St Cyprien tourist office receives over 10,000 visitors. Located in the village centre, it is open all year round.Place Charles de Gaulle 24220 Saint Cyprien

Opening hours

1 November to 28 Febuary
Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 12:30, 3 to 6pm Except wednesday afternoon

1 March to 31 October
Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 12:30, 3 to 6pm Sunday 10 to 12am

15 Mai to 30 September
Monday to Friday 9:30 to 12:30, 3 to 6pm Sunday 10 to 12am

Set on a dramatically steep promontory high above the River Dordogne, the unusual trapezium shaped walled village of Domme is one of the most famous bastides in the region. It’s one of the few to have retained most of its 13th-century ramparts, including three fortified gates: porte de la Combe. A one-time base for the Knights Templars (whose religious graffiti can still be seen in the towers by porte des tours, where they were imprisoned in 1307), it was fought over and besieged frequently during the Hundred Years’ War and Wars of Religion. The village is so picturesque it has become very touristy and commercialised, but you can’t beat its stunning panoramas of the River Dordogne and its valley.

INFORMATION

There are two main entrances – southern porte del Bos (the D46/D50 approach from Cenac) or eastern porte des Tours (D46E from Sarlat). At the top of the village’s main street, Grand’Rue, is the central market place, place de la Halle, and the tourist office (Tel: 05 53 31 71 00, Fax: 05 53 31 71 09). It opens 10am to noon and 2pm to 6pm daily (10am to 7pm daily in July and August). It’s closed during January. Car parking inside the walls is metered. There’s a free parking lot just outside porte des Tours.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

The best views are a few steps from place de Halle, from from the cliff-side Esplanade du Belvedere and the adjacent Promenade de la Barre, which streetches west along the forested slope to the Jardin Public. The preciptious bluff below was, amazingly, scaled by Huguenot besiegers during the Wars of Religion, one of the few times the bastide was captured.
Across from the tourist office, the 19th century reconstruction of the 16th century halles ( covered market ) houses the entrance to the grottes ( caves; 0553317100 ) 450 m of stalactite-filled galleries underneath the village that gave the inhabitants a handy refuge during times of attack.
On the far side of the square from the tourist office, the Musee d’ Arts et de Traditions Populaires (0553317100 ) has 9 rooms of clothing, toys, tools and other memorabilia from the past.
Several canoe operators are based in Cenac including Randonee Dordogne.

The town was completely transformed during the 19th century and in 1857, one of its own inhabitants, Léon Dessailles, an archivist and historian published its history. The little town was totally rebuilt, huddled around its churches of St. Marcel and St. Sulpice, and its convent situated just a little way down from the current bridge. Le Bugue is the home of the largest private aquarium in Europe, Canoe trips along the Vézére in summer, and some truely excellent restaurants.
Just on the ourskirts of the town they have constructed a living replica of a typical 19th century French village. Le Village du Bournat is unique, here you will find every day life and objects from a bygone age. Local craftsmen are on hand to demonstrate the dying arts and ancient skills of the Blacksmith, Tanner and Basket Weaver to name a few. A working farm with its ancient tools and implements, a School House with authentic furniture and toys, many of which are there to be played with, the church with its wedding in progress, the Walnut Oil Mill and the Still are all here, a whole microcosm of the French countyside as it was 100 years ago.

There are a number of Pre-Historic sites in and around Le Bugue which are open to the public. One kilometre to the north-west, we find Bara-Bahau cave. discovered in 1951 by the speleologist Norbert Casteret. In this 100 m long cavity formed from the soft crumbly rock – Father Glory compared to cream cheese – prehistoric artists engraved mysterious signs and outlines of aurochs, bears, bison, ibexes and horses with fingers, flint or sticks. The highly rustic style of these works make then difficult to date; they are probably from the ancient Magdalenian era ( 15,000 years B.C. ).
Three kilometres to the south you will find the Gouffre de Proumeyssac. It has been described as a “crystal lighthouse on the edge of a vanished ocean”. It is a vast limestone cavern almost 50 metres high, a large number of translucent stalactites which are still alive, thanks to a passing stream. “One of the finest showcases of underground France”, according to Norbert Casteret, Proumeyssac is a must for any visitor to the Périgord. With the remarkable efforts made by the owners to develop the site, you will not forget the experience of descending the chasm, from the summit, in a fragile basket.

Four kilometres to the east, the little village of Saint-Cirq has a prehistoric cave which features a representation of a full, human face. The Sorcier Cave or Sorcerer’s Cave as it is known, has a few dozen very fine engravings, including a dapple grey horse and a male figure with a complete human face. His particularly expressive features make him one of the most perfect wall engravings of humans ever found.

Market day in Le Bugue is on Tuesday when the whole town comes alive with the vibrant colours and smells of the local produce that is on display. This has become one of the best markets in the region. Here you can buy anything from a lawn mower to freshly cooked Paella and what better past time than to sit in one of the many cafès with a glass of wine or a “Chocolat Chaud” and watch the world go by.

In the early 12th century 6 Monks from the Monastery of Paunat were travelling between Monasteries when one of the Monks became very ill, they set up camp in Tayac near a water source. The monk was dieing, but miraculously healed after drinking the water from the “Tayac Source”. To the Monks of Paunat this was a “Sign” and round about 1123 they started building the magnificent and fortified church of Tayac, they called it “St Martin“.
At the same time, the Monks of Paunat started working the land in this lush Vezere valley, they built the farmhouse / monastery, which is now “Ferme de Tayac” that has been completely renovated, and is now a lovely B&B opposite the church.
For hundreds of years the Monks lived here and worked the lands, bit by bit houses were built against the rock.
The water from the “Tayac Source” was taken to other surrounding Monasteries, for it’s healing powers, Tayac was thriving.
Two centuries later, things took a turn, wars were breaking out, armies were constantly attacking areas and strongholds. Religion and all that went with it lost it’s power, and very slowly the life in and around Tayac became what it is today. St. Martin still stands proud, and is without doubt the nicest Fortified Church in the Perigord, the “Tayac Source” is still there, although no longer in use.

During construction for a railroad in 1868, a rock shelter in a limestone cliff was uncovered. Near the back of the shelter, an occupation floor was recognized, and when excavated, it revealed the remains of four adult skeletons, one infant, and some fragmentary bones. The Link between Prehistoric Man and Modern Man had been found, here in Tayac.

1. Lascaux II- Lascaux is considered to be the number one prehistoric site in all of Europe. The paintings on the site date from 17,000 to 15,000 years ago. Shortly after that the cave entrances were closed by mudslides or other natural means, and thus the paintings were perfectly preserved until the modern era. The cave was rediscovered in 1940 by two local boys who were chasing their dog, and several years later it was opened to the public. However, in 1963 it was closed again, as it was discovered that too many people in the cave were causing the paintings to deteriorate. Since then only a few scientists, scholars or art historians per day were allowed in for several hours maximum. For the past few years even those limited visits have been stopped, as new signs of further deterioration have been observed. The French government, however, took up a 10 year project to make an exact duplicate of the cave. This effort, which opened in 1983, uses exactly the same pigments that were used by the Cro-Magnon artists thousands of years ago, and is dimensionally accurate to less than one inch of error. It is called Lascaux II, and is located only about 400 yards from the original cave.

The quality of the artwork is the main reason that Lascaux is considered the finest example of prehistoric cave paintings. Done with only oil lamps for light and using high scaffolding, the prehistoric artists who created this site were highly accomplished artists. Most of the guided visits to Lascaux II are conducted in French, but there are tours in English on most days. One needs to call the Lascaux ticket office in Montignac or the Montignac Office of Tourism to find out if and when there is an English tour on any given day. If you have a group they will probably set up an English tour for you and other English speakers, but this needs to be arranged in advance through the ticket office. Even though Lascaux II is a replica and not the original, it is very well done, very informative, and not to be missed.

2. St. Leon sur Vezere- This is another of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France”. Built in a picturesque loop of the Vezere river, this charming village possesses two castles and one of the finest Romanesque churches of the Perigord. The church was part of a Benedictine priory which was founded in the 12th century. It was built on the ruins of a Gallo-Roman villa. The remains of one of the villa’s walls can be seen on the river side. There is a picnic area next to the church on the banks of the river, and a café is nearby as well. This is an excellent spot to have a pleasant lunch or a refreshing drink.

3. La Roque St. Christophe (St. Christopher’s Rock) is a huge Troglodyte cave complex. For about a half mile in length this majestic cliff rises vertically above the Vezere valley to a height of over 250ft. It is like a huge hive with about 100 caves hollowed out of the rock on five tiers. Excavations have proved that the cliff dwellings were inhabited from the Upper Paleolithic Age onwards. In the 10th century the cliff terraces served as the foundation for a fortress which was used against the Vikings, and again later during the Hundred Years War. It was subsequently destroyed during the Wars of Religion at the end of the 16th century. The self-guided tour explains the evolution of human life at La Roque St. Christophe, which took place over many centuries . In fact even Neanderthal fossils have been found at this site and at other locations nearby.

4. Chateau de Losse- This renaissance chateau sits on the right bank of the Vezere river, and it has a large terrace that overlooks the river and offers picturesque views. The chateau is well known for its excellent furniture and tapestries, which can be seen on the guided tours. The tours are in French, but foreign language guides are available, and these are easy to follow so one does not miss anything. The tours are quite good, and one can also visit the well kept gardens and stroll around the outside of the chateau in the former moat area.

As stated earlier, these four venues in the Vezere Valley between Les Eyzies de Tayac and Montignac can easily be visited in one day, since they are relatively close and do not take too long to visit any of them. If one is staying nearby, in Les Eyzies de Tayac, for example, only about 25 kilometers away, a visit to these sites is well worth the effort.

Perched with hillside on left bank of the Dordogne, Castelnaud dominates the small borough coiled with its feet. Its former owners, vassal of kings of England, opposed a long time to their neighbors, the lords de Beynac, faithful to kings de France. If the protagonists of these remote quarrels have all disappeared, the two fortresses always continue their immutable face to face, like a mineral challenge with the lapse of memory and the ravages of time.

History

English Castelnaud After the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1259 by Saint Louis and Henry III, which put an end to the dispute between the Capetians and the Plantagenets, the Perigord was restored to the English. Castelnaud thus fell under English rule. In 1273 the castle reverted back to the legitimate feudal line, that of the Castelnauds, who gave tribute to the Count of Perigord, vassal of the king of France.The power of a FortressFor Castelnaud, the end of the 13th century heralded in a period of prosperity and relative calm. The castle established itself as one of the principle powers of the Perigord. The barons of Beynac during this epoch were semi-permanently in conflict with the lords of Castelnaud. Continuously the two rival houses contested control of the region, trailing after them a section of the Perigord nobility divided by the two camps. The two castles watched and spied on each other. Never, however, did an open battle occur. In 1317 the Pope himself intervened to prevent the worst from happening; Jean XXII authorized a marriage between the two families to try and put an end to the endemic conflict. This context of private feud, so common in the Middle Ages, was soon relegated to a position of secondary importance: in 1337 the Hundred Years’ War broke out.

The Hundred Years’ War

The first few decades of the war were favorable to the English. In 1346 at Crecy, the cream of French nobility was decimated by English archers. In 1356, King John the Good was taken prisoner at Poitiers. The Treaty of Bretigny-Calais freed the king but ceded Aquitaine to the English, which was from then on ruled by the formidable Black Prince.In 1368, Magne de Castelnaud, sole heiress of Castelnaud, married Nompar de Caumont. This was a major event for Castelnaud, as the Caumonts would subsequently continue to be proprietors of the castle until the Revolution. During the War, the Caumonts were often in the English camp. Henry IV, King of England, named Nompar de Caumont his seneschal for Agen.

State of SiegeIn 1442, tired of the English hold on Castelnaud, the King of France ordered the town put under siege. The siege lasted three weeks. The English commander ended it by giving the keys to the castle and 400 crowns for his life. Thus the English were finally driven from Castelnaud. They left French soil after the battle of Castillon (1452) which marked the end of the Hundred Year’s War.

Pleasure Residence After a century black with wars, epidemics and hardships, a great period of prosperity unfolded for Castelnaud.
The castle’s reconstruction was begun by Brandelis de Caumont and followed by his son François and his grandson Charles. The old 13th century fortress took on a look that conformed more to the style of the times. François de Caumont, besides enlarging Castelnaud, built a pleasant Renaissance-style manor not far from Castelnaud: Milandes Castle.
Castelnaud, which no longer had a strategic purpose, became a pleasure residence. It was fortified because of its prestigious function as the center of power of the domain.
The imposing artillery tower, built around 1520, had no function other than that of a symbol of power.

The Huguenot Captain

A new chapter in the history of Castelnaud opened with the Huguenot Captain Geoffroy de Vivans. Soldier, companion of the future Henry IV, his life was punctuated by audacious actions which earned him a great reputation in the country. Geoffroy the warrior was feared throughout the Perigord, a reputation which assured that Castelnaud was never disturbed during the Wars of Religion.

Ruins and renaissanceBetween the exploits of Captain Vivans and the 20th century, the castle did not live through any other remarkable events. The Caumont lords preferred Milandes first, then their castle of the Force near Bergerac. The condition of Castelnaud continued to deteriorate until it was completely abandoned. After the Revolution the deterioration accelerated. Soon the castle served as no more than a stone quarry.1969 / 1998 : The Renaissance of CastelnaudIn 1966, Castelnaud Castle was classed as an Historic Monument. Since then, it has undergone two periods of extensive restoration: between 1974-1980 and from 1996-1998. Certain parts of the castle which had collapsed were reconstructed, other parts were only consolidated due to the lack of information regarding their original state.

The village is still partly surrounded by its original fortified walls, and is another of the ‘picture postcard pretty’ villages of the Dordogne, with cobbled streets winding between honey-coloured houses and pretty gardens.

Despite its picturesque location it is not usually completely overrun with tourists in the way that some places are, and the Parc Limeuil at the top of the town, while not spectacular as a park, has some fine views and is usually quiet.

A very pleasant place to escape the crowds.

A short stroll around the village gives a taste of the diversity on offer; at the foot of the two magnificent bridges, built in 1891, a sandy beach leads down into the clear water. A little further along, the 15th century port entrance which leads up to an extremely steep street is carved with the water levels reached during the great floods.
Getting to the top of the village is hard, but rewarding, work – take the time to study the medieval architecture on the way up. At the Place des Fossés, the château gardens provide a wonderful view over the river confluence, the rooftops and terraced gardens. The black Virgin Mary in St Catherine’s Church was the patron saint of the river traders.

The visitor can go from the blacksmith, to the glass-blower. Limeuil enjoys many sporting activities including canoeing, horse riding and mountain-biking. The holiday-maker will find plenty of welcoming hotels, restaurants and campsites.

Evidence of the period when Aquitaine was English can be found on the Bugue road leading out of the village: St Martin’s Chapel was built in 1194 to expiate the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, St Thomas à Becket

A Brief History

The site of Limeuil has been lived on since prehistoric times (various artefacts dating from approximately 10,000 BC have been found). Limeuil, listed as « One of the Most Beautiful Villages of France », is essentially a medieval village as the three fortified gateways and ruins of the castle and ramparts testify.

What to See

On the edge of the village is a museum garden where different plants and methods of cultivation take the visitor a journey through time from the Stone Age to the Renaissance period.
The natural beauty spot formed by the bend in the river offers a superb view.

Although it has one of the largest medieval urban areas (13th to 16th centuries) in the world, Sarlat cannot claim a very distant past. The initial Sarlat abbey was most probably founded between 820 and 840 AD by Duke Pepin of Aquitaine. Saint Bernard stopped off in Sarlat in 1147 during his journey through the South of France to spread the gospel to the many Cathars. The plague was predominant at the time. He gave the sick consecrated bread to eat and healed them. This event, this miracle even was commemorated by the building of the strange graveyard lantern which, still today, remains one of the towns symbols.

Lost in the heart of the distant Périgord, Sarlat could have sunk into oblivion if it was not for the Malraux Act of 4th August 1962. Perhaps the minister of culture (Andre Malraux) recalled having taken to the macquis (The name given to some French Resistance groups during World War Two) in the heart of the Sarlat woodlands, when he signed the act of renovation and restoration. The works carried out from 1964 onward have revealed a veritable treasure trove of Medieval and Renaissance art to the public. Tourists and film directors then took charge of bringing this corner of the Earth “which is the closest things to heaven” according to Henry Miller, to the attention of the whole world. The 1978 film version of “Les Miserable” was filmed extensively in Sarlat, but also in nearby Domme, with the stunning Beynac Castle standing in for the famous Toulon Jail. Sarlat’s wonderful architecture and medieval style buildings and stone roofs have made a backdrop for a score of other top motion pictures since, which has added to it’s fame an it’s fortune.

A warren of alleyways, virtually unchanged since the middle ages, lined with warm ochre stone houses, each with its own distinctive facade and ornately sculptured window embrasures, set off by the stone roofs and turrets, make Sarlat a must for any tourist visiting the Dordogne. Sarlat’s Saturday market is excellent, teaming with life, an unforgetable experience from the street artists that throng there, to the wonderful fresh local produce. Sarlat comes to life in summer with its Drama Festival and Film Festival as well as non-stop street shows in the old quarter. Sarlat is an artists paradise with many small galeries including the famous “Herdin”, student of Salvador Dali. Out of season there is also a well packed programme of cultural events, concerts, drama, films (often in the original language), a visit at Christmas is like stepping into a Fairy Tale, with piped christmas carols and Santas scaling buildings everywhere, there truly is something for everyone.

Sarlat Tourist Office

3 Rue Tourny – BP 114
F-24203 Sarlat Cedex

Tél. 33 (0) 5.53.31.45.45
Fax. 33 (0) 5.53.59.19.44
Web http://www.-sarlat-tourisme.com
Email info@sarlat-tourisme.com

⇒To contact the services (direct phone line and e-mail)
General information – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 45 – info
Holiday rentals booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 40 – locations
Individual packages booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 43 – sejoursindividuels
Group packages (seminars..) booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 42 – sejoursgroupes
Guided tours of the Medieval city ,conferences – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 42 – visitesguidees
Walking paths – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 45 – rando