Local Area Information

Sarlat is a small town of exceptional beauty with it's narrow winding streets, stone roofs & Benedictine Abbey; you will be mesmerised by over 1000 years of art & architecture at every turn. From this Sarlat holiday home with its all day long sunny south facing terrace & 9x4mtr secluded private pool which is surrounded by a tranquil mature garden, you really can stroll to the gourmet restaurants in Sarlat without a hill climb in sight! Visit the colourful Farmers Market & food hall, or indulge in French Cafe Culture & watch the world pass you by. Sarlat has many free attractions & shows all year around, but especially during the summer months when the streets of Sarlat are full of street performers, acrobats, musicians, clowns & artists. There is the open air summer street theatre and even a lovely festive Christmas market complete with an outdoor ice rink and Santas Grotto in the town centre. Art exhibitions, Truffle Markets, Foie Gras Festivals, Gourmet Food Festivals........ Whatever time of the year you visit there is sure to be something happening in Sarlat!

LOCAL ACTIVITIES: Lazily drifting down the Dordogne river in a canoe, passing Chateaux, Bastides & medieval villages as you go is a not to be missed treat. Take your own picnic & stop off at one of the many beaches along the river, or pull in for a gourmet meal at one of the many riverside restaurants. For those of you feeling a bit more energetic, you can join a bike tour & see the leafy lanes & valleys. There is Hot air ballooning & micro-lighting flights which can be organised locally for the more adventurous amongst you. There are Tree Adventure Parks near by, which are great places to go with a group of kids & adults alike. There are also the prehistoric cave paintings, including Lascaux & Font de Gaume at les Eyzies for you to visit. Sarlat itself offers many free attractions, especially during the summer, including open air street theatre, acrobats, musicians, art exhibitions & concerts. The fabulous towns & villages of Beynac, Domme & Rocamadour are also not to be missed, as are the delights of the Dordogne Valley & it's many Chateaux.

Situated between the rivers Dordogne and Vézère, Sarlat-la-Canéda is a medieval market town and capital of the Périgord Noir. Stroll along the paved lanes of the old town or sample the Périgordian gastronomy, amongst the finest France has to offer. Take in the hustle and bustle, the smells and noise of the market, sit at one of the cafés and watch the world go by.

Sarlat-la-Canéda has something for everyone and is a perfect base from which to set off and explore the sites and surrounding countryside. Steeped in history and pre-history, counting the world famous site of Lascaux within easy reach. From the dawn of time man has left his mark in what must surely be described as one of the most beautiful parts of France. From cave dwellings to fairy tale castles the views and scenery are breath-taking.

Lots of Golf courses nearby. Nearest is Montfort about 15 minutes.

Hot air ballooning, various local companies. Micro-lite air craft and light aircraft flights available from Sarlat - Domme aerodrome.

Paintball, very good site near Roque-Gageac. Roque-Gageac (approx 15 minutes) is a stunningly beautiful village under the towering cliffs. The village regularly wins France's 'Prettiest Village' competition. Good canoeing centre here.

Competing with La Roque-Gageac in the prettiness stakes is the village of Carennac. Elevated just above the South bank of the river, it is best known for its typical Quercy architecture and Romanesque priory. Further Romanesque art at the Saint-Pierre church in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.

Perhaps the most famous of the Dordogne tourist attractions are the cave paintings around Les Eyzies. There are more pre-historic caves in this area than you could ever visit in a day! Les Eyzies lies at the heart of an unspoilt area of great natural beauty with rolling hills, tranquil rivers and fascinating cliff and rock formations. It has some of the world's most beautiful caves with outstanding stalactite and stalagmite crystallisations. And the cave-lined Vézère valley has been classified as a heritage site by UNESCO. The most well-known of all is the cave at Lascaux which was discovered in 1940. The paintings date back some 17,000 years.

Brantôme is a very popular and pretty town. Well worth a visit, there are several churches and abbeys to discover as well as the Musée de Reve et Miniatures. Perhaps the best thing to do in the town is to firstly take a stroll along the beautiful balustraded river banks and then to choose your evening fayre at one of the many excellent restaurants.

Just North of Brantôme is the hamlet of Villars. The hamlet itself is unexciting, but it is surrounded by lovely countryside and is a great base from which to explore Château de Puyguilhem and Saint-Jean-de-Côle. The Grottes de Villars (pre-historic caves) are just past the hamlet and were discovered in 1958 and feature cave paintings.

Canoeing on the Dordogne is hugely popular. There are rental centres on almost every curve and corner of the river. Some of the bigger centres are based at La Roque-Gageac, Martel, Argentat and Beynac.

Brive airport 40 minutes.

Bergerac airport 70 minutes.