Narrow, twisting alleyways open onto places lined with bustling brasseries, giving Sarlat (sar-lah; pop. 11,000) the quiet mystery and busy color of a medieval village in full swing. The town was relatively unknown until 1962, when Minister of Culture André Malraux selected it for a massive restoration project. Three years later, a handsomely refurbished Sarlat emerged with its medieval buildings in immaculate condition—making it the perfect setting for films like Cyrano de Bergerac, Manon des Sources, and Ever After. Sarlat’s face-lift has also drawn tourists to the village, but the cobblestone streets and huge wood doors speak louder than large groups of Anglophone tourists. Sarlat’s sights are concentrated enough to explore in one day at a relaxing pace, leaving time for excursions to the nearby lower Dordogne and Lascaux .
Sarlat’s centre-ville is framed by two main streets; to the north and west is boulevard Nessman and to the south and east is boulevard Voltaire. Rue de la République runs north-south, bisecting the town.
Sarlat’s hotels are quite expensive; the best option is to book a room at one of the chambres d’hôtes (€25-50) close to the centre-ville. The tourist office has a complete list that also includes gîtes, farms, and campgrounds.
Most regional delicacies— foie gras, confit de canard (preserved duck), truffles, walnut oil, and Bergerac wine—can be purchased from their sources in the surrounding countryside or in the rows of shops in town. Sarlat’s pâtisseries and confisseries sell decorated breads, chocolate tarts, and gâteaux aux noix (walnut cakes). A lively market packs the vieille ville on Saturday (8:30am-6pm), while a smaller market fills place de la Liberté each Wednesday (8:30am-1pm). Église Sainte-Marie, next to pl. Marché Aux Oies, houses a covered market. (Open from mid-Apr. to mid-Nov. M-Th and Sa-Su 8:30am-2pm, F 8:30am-8pm; from mid-Nov. to mid-Apr. Tu-W and F-Sa 8:30am-1pm.) There’s a HyperChampion supermarket 15min. from the centre-ville, along av. de Selves (open M-Sa 9am-8pm, Su 9am-12:30pm), and a Petit Casino at 32 rue de la République. (☎05 53 59 05 25. Open July-Aug. daily 7:30am-12:30pm and 2:30-7:30pm; Sept.-June M-Sa 7:30am-12:30pm and 2:30-7:30pm, Su 7:30am-12:30pm.)
The tourist office’s walking tour provides a comprehensive introduction to the city’s landmarks. Without a doubt, Sarlat is a city best explored by wandering the alleys and cobblestone streets of the centre-ville.
Cathédrale Saint-Sacerdos. This Neo-Gothic structure is to your right as you exit the tourist office. Originally part of a Benedictine abbey, it was largely rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. Small and sparsely decorated compared to the Gothic behemoths for which France is famous, the cathedral has a more inviting atmosphere. The cathedral’s different architectural styles and asymmetry testify to its various construction stages. The hill behind the structure—the stomping ground of local teenagers—is a nice spot to relax.
Other Sights. Venture into an open doorway and up a winding stone staircase, and you might discover one of Sarlat’s many art galleries. The lovingly landscaped Jardin Public du Plantier, just outside the centre-ville on bd. Henri Arlet, offers refuge from the downtown bustle. It features benches along flower-lined paths that look out onto picture-perfect vistas of Sarlat’s rooftops.
Nearly every weekend during the summer, street performers and musicians converge on place de la Liberté. During the last two weeks of July and the first week of August, Sarlat hosts the Festival des Jeux du Théâtre, which features open-air performances, musicals, and panel discussions. (☎05 53 31 10 83. Tickets €15-25. 20% student discount with ID.) In early November, Sarlat hosts many of France’s leading filmmakers in its annual film festival. Screenings are open to the public at the Cultural Center and CinéRex.
These daytrips are not accessible by public transportation. To get to Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, 12km south of Sarlat on D57, follow rue Faure, which becomes rue de Cahors, then rue Gabriel Tarde. At the roundabout, head down av. de la Dordogne, then follow signs for D57 and Château de Castelnaud. D57 is hilly; bikers might prefer to take a slightly longer but much flatter route with less traffic. At the 2nd roundabout, turn left on D46 toward Vitrac. From Vitrac, follow the roadside signs to Castelnaud. The Château des Milandes is 5km from Castelnaud on D57.
Although the panoramic views of the Dordogne Valley alone make the trip worthwhile, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle (kah-stell-noh-lah-shah-pell) is exciting in its own right. Actors in medieval garb reveal what life was like in the Middle Ages and hold theatrical demonstrations with impressive full-size trébuchets outside. (☎05 53 31 30 00; www.castelnaud.com. Open daily July-Aug. 9am-8:15pm; Sept. and Apr.-June 10am-7pm; from Oct. to mid-Nov. and Feb.-Mar. 10am-6pm; from mid-Nov. to Jan. 2-5pm; holidays and school vacation 10am-5pm. July-Aug. 8 French tours per day; English tours M-F 3 per day, Sa 8 per day. Call in advance for low-season English tours and for schedule of demonstrations. €7.60, ages 10-17 €3.80, under 10 free.)
Halfway down the hill from the castle lies the Eco-Musée de la Noix de Périgord, a restored farmhouse that celebrates the history of the region’s famous walnut industry with exhibits and a documentary film. In the store, nut lovers can purchase homemade walnut products like walnut wine (€5-9). True nut nuts should stop in the small museum and stroll through the walnut grove. (☎05 33 59 69 63; www.ecomuseedelanoix.site.voila.fr. Open daily from Easter to Nov. 10am-7pm. €4, under 18 €3, under 10 free.)
The Renaissance Château des Milandes (shah-toh day mill-ahnd) was built by François de Caumont in 1489 to satisfy his wife, who wanted a more stylish home than the outdated fortress of Castelnaud. Centuries later, cabaret singer Josephine Baker fell in love with the neglected château, purchased the property, and created a “world village” to house and care for the children she had adopted on her international tours. A museum devoted to her life now occupies the château, its luxurious rooms showcasing the cabaret star’s furniture, glamor shots, and authentic stage costumes. In a truly random acknowledgment of its medieval origins, the château offers a falconry show, complete with handlers in costume. A restaurant and bar are also on-site. (☎05 53 59 31 21; www.milandes.com. Open July-Aug. daily 9:30am-7:30pm; Sept. M-F and Su 10am-7pm; Oct. M-F and Su 10am-6:15pm; Apr.-June M-F and Su 10am-6:30pm. Apr.-Oct. 2-4 falconry shows per day; call for schedule. Audio tours in French. €7.80, students €6, ages 5-10 and handicapped €5.50, under 5 free.)
These daytrips are most easily accessible by car. From Sarlat, take av. de la Dordogne and head southwest at the roundabout on D57 toward Beynac or south on the significantly less hilly D46 (dir.: Vitrac and Domme). Car rentals are available in Sarlat. Découverte et Loisirs minibuses run through the valley several times per week from Sarlat. (☎05 65 37 19 00; www.decouverte-loisirs.com. €30-40. Call for schedule.) For cyclists, Sarlat is the best starting point. It’s about 4-10km between each village, and, once along the Dordogne, the bike ride is fairly level, with small hills every few kilometers.
Across from the Domme (dohmm) tourist office, a 45min. cave tour descends into the Grottes de la Halle. Discovered almost 100 years ago, this beautiful network of expansive caverns is filled with rows of breathtaking white stalactites and stalagmites that resemble organ pipes. A visit to this natural cathedral affords visitors a detailed explanation of the cave’s geological features and a chance to admire the colorful, well-lit formations. (☎05 53 31 71 00. French tours with written English explanations July-Aug. every 20-30min. 10:15am-7pm; Sept. and Apr.-June every 45min. 10:15am-noon and 2-6pm; Oct. and Feb.-Mar. every hr. 2-5pm. Call ahead for English tours. €6.50, students €5.50, ages 5-14 €4.) Explore the dilapidated Porte des Tours during a 1hr. guided tour in French. Seventy Templar Knights were imprisoned here in 1307 and tortured for nearly 20 years by King Philip IV, who wanted the secret of their hidden treasure. The artistic graffiti they scratched into the walls with their teeth, hands, and fingernails remains a mysterious combination of Christian iconography and Muslim and Jewish motifs encountered by the Templars during the Crusades. (Accessible by tour only. July-Aug. 2-3 per day; Sept.-Dec. and Feb.-June by reservation. €6.50, students €5.50, ages 5-14 €4.)
The Domme tourist office is at pl. de la Halle, in the stone building near the river’s edge. (☎05 53 31 71 00; www.ot-domme.com. Tickets for village tours available. Open daily July-Aug. 9am-12:30pm and 2-6pm; Sept. and June 10am-12:30pm and 2-5:30pm.) Domme also offers a 20min. petit train touristique tour. (☎05 53 31 71 00; www.domme-perigord.com. July-Aug.)
Downstream, the village of La Roque Gageac (lah rohk gah-jhay-ahk) overlooks the Dordogne River. While the town boasts few sights, it offers a relaxing location for a picnic and serves as a good canoeing outpost. A 1hr. tour on a gabare, a traditional wood boat, affords a perfect view of the châteaux along the Dordogne. Norbert (☎05 53 29 40 44; www.norbert.fr; tours daily Apr.-Oct. every hr. 10am-6pm; €2 audio tours available in English; €8, under 18 €5) and Caminade (☎05 53 29 40 95; garbarrecaminade@wanadoo.fr; tours in English and French Easter-Oct. daily 10am-6pm; €8, under 18 €5) boats depart from La Roque Gageac. The 12th-century Fort Troglodytique Aérien commands a spectacular view of the Dordogne River Valley. Nestled securely into a cliff, it withstood all English assaults during the Hundred Years’ War. (☎05 53 31 61 94. Open daily from Apr. to mid-Nov. 10:30am-7pm; from mid-Nov. to Mar. 11am-5pm. €5, students €4, ages 10-18 €2, ages 6-9 €1, under 6 free.) For more information on any La Roque Gageac’s sights, call the tourist office (☎05 53 29 17 01).
Campgrounds and companies along the river rent canoes and kayaks. At the Pont de Vitrac, near Domme, try Canoës-Loisirs (☎05 53 31 22 92; www.canoes-loisirs.com). Canoë-Dordogne (☎05 53 29 58 50; www.canoe-dordogne.fr) and Canoë Vacances (☎05 53 28 17 07; www.canoes-vacances.com) are located in La Roque Gageac. Prices are typically around €11 per half-day and €16 per day.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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