Places to Explore

• Bergerac

  Yes, this is the Bergerac of Cyrano de Bergerac fame—but not exactly. The real satirist and playwright Cyrano (1619-55) who inspired playwright Edmond Rostand's long-nosed swashbuckler was born in... (more)

• Beynac-et-Cazenac

  One of the most picturesque sights in the Dordogne is the medieval castle that sits atop the wonderfully restored town of Beynac.... (more)

• Biron

• Brantôme

  When the reclusive monks of the abbey of Brantôme decided the inhabitants of the village were getting too nosy, they dug a canal between themselves and the villagers, setting the brantômois... (more)

• Cahors

  Less touristy and populated than most of the Dordogne, the Lot Valley has a subtler charm. The cluster of towns along the Lot River and the smaller rivers that cut through the dry, vineyard-covered plateau... (more)

• Domme

• Hautefort

  The reason to come to Hautefort is its castle, which presents a forbiddingly arrogant face to the world.... (more)

• La Roque-Gageac

  Across the Dordogne from Domme, in the direction of Beynac, romantically huddled beneath a cliff, is strikingly attractive La Roque-Gageac, one of the best-restored villages in the valley. Crafts shops... (more)

• Lascaux

• Les Eyzies-de-Tayac

  Sitting comfortably under a limestone cliff, Les Eyzies is the doorway to the prehistoric capital of France. Early Homo sapiens (the species to which humans belong) lived about 40,000 years ago and skeletal... (more)

• Monbazillac

  From the hilltop village of Monbazillac are spectacular views of the sweet wine-producing vineyards tumbling toward the Dordogne.... (more)

• Monpazier

  Monpazier, on the tiny Dropt River, is one of France's best-preserved and most photographed bastide (fortified) towns. It was built in ocher-color stone by English king Edward I in 1284 to protect the... (more)

• Périgueux

  For anyone tired of the bucolic delights of the Périgord, even a short visit to this thriving hub may prove a welcome reimmersion in classy city ways.... (more)

• Rocamadour

  A medieval village that seems to defy the laws of gravity, Rocamadour surges out of a cliff 1,500 feet above the Alzou River gorge—an awe-inspiring sight that makes this one of the most-visited tourist... (more)

• Sarlat-la-Canéda

  Sarlat defines enchantment. If you're planning a trip to the many prehistoric caves and the amazing perched villages near this gorgeous town, then this capital of the Périgord Noir is the place... (more)

• St-Cirq-Lapopie

  Perched on the edge of a cliff 330 feet up, the beautiful 13th-century village of St-Cirq (pronounced san-sare) looks as though it could slide right into the Lot River. Filled with artisans' workshops... (more)