Rick Steves France 2016

The Dordogne River Valley is a delicious brew, blending natural and man-made beauty. Walnut orchards, tobacco plants, sunflowers, and cornfields carpet the valley, while stone fortresses patrol the cliffs above. During much of the on-again, off-again Hundred Years’ War (when this region was called the Périgord), this strategic river—so peaceful today—separated warring Britain and France. Today’s Dordogne River carries more travelers than goods, as the region’s economy relies heavily on tourism.

The joys of the Dordogne include rock-sculpted villages, fertile farms surrounding I-should-retire-here cottages, memory-card-gobbling vistas, lazy canoe rides, and a local cuisine worth loosening your belt for. You’ll also find an amazing cache of prehistoric artifacts. Limestone caves decorated with prehistoric artwork litter the Dordogne region.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Although tourists inundate the region in the summer, the Dordogne’s charm is protected by its relative inaccessibility. Given the time it takes to get here by car, I’d allow a minimum of two nights (ideally three) and most of two days...or I’d skip it. Whirlwind travelers could consider flying here: Inexpensive flights connect Paris with the region’s main city, Brive-la-Gaillarde (where you can rent a car).

Your sightseeing obligations are prehistoric cave art; the Dordogne River Valley, nearby villages, and castles; the town of Sarlat-la-Canéda (often shortened to “Sarlat,” pronounced sar-lah); and, if you have a bit more time, the less-traveled Lot River Valley (most efficiently viewed when heading to or from the south). Wine lovers work in a pilgrimage to St-Emilion, two hours west of Sarlat.

If you’re connecting the Dordogne with the Loire region by car, the fastest path is via the free A-20 autoroute (exit at Souillac for Sarlat-la-Canéda and nearby villages). Break up your trip from the north by stopping in Oradour-sur-Glane. If you’re connecting the Dordogne and Carcassonne, explore the Lot River Valley on your way south. If heading west, taste the Bordeaux wine region’s prettiest town, St-Emilion.

Those serious about visiting the Dordogne’s best caves need to plan carefully and book ahead when possible (explained on here).

The following three-day itinerary is designed for drivers, but it’s doable—if you’re determined—by taxi rides, a canoe trip (the best way to see the Dordogne regardless of whether you’ve got a car), and a minivan tour.

Day 1—Sarlat-la-Canéda and the Dordogne Valley: Enjoy a morning in Sarlat (ideally on a market day—Sat or Wed), then spend the afternoon on a canoe trip, with time at the day’s end to explore Beynac and Castelnaud. If it’s not market day in Sarlat, do the canoe trip, Beynac, and Castelnaud first, and enjoy the late afternoon and evening in Sarlat. (Because the town’s essential sights are outdoors, my self-guided Sarlat walk works great after dinner.) The sensational views from Castelnaud’s castle and Domme are best in the morning; visit Beynac’s castle or viewpoint late in the day for the best light. With a little lead time, some canoe-rental companies can pick up nondrivers in Sarlat. Taxis are reasonable between Sarlat and the river villages.

Day 2—Prehistoric Caves: Start your day in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac at the Prehistory Welcome Center and the National Museum of Prehistory for a solid cave-art introduction. From there your day will depend on the cave(s) you can get an entry for (varies by season, described under each cave later). The Lascaux II replica cave delivers an excellent tour and can be reserved, the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume is the best cave with original art (though getting in is tricky), and the Grotte de Rouffignac makes a good and more reliable substitute. If you visit Lascaux II, follow the scenic Vézère River, stopping for a coffee or lunch in idyllic little St-Léon.

Without a car, this day’s full list of activities is only possible by taxi or excursion tour. By train, you can link Sarlat-la-Canéda and Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, though you have to transfer and some connections aren’t great.

Day 3—Other Sights: Head east and upriver to explore Rocamadour, Gouffre de Padirac, and storybook villages such as Carennac, Autoire, and Loubressac. Though Rocamadour is accessible by train and a short taxi ride, the rest of these places are feasible only with your own wheels, by taxi, or on an excursion tour.

CHOOSING A HOME BASE

Sarlat-la-Canéda is the only viable solution for train travelers, but those with a car should consider sleeping riverside in La Roque-Gageac (a beautiful village with good hotels) or Beynac (a très photogenic village with good chambres d’hôtes and a so-so hotel). For a grand château hotel experience that won’t break the bank, sleep near the Lascaux caves at Château de la Fleunie (30 minutes north of Sarlat; see here). For the best view hotel I’ve found in the area, try Hôtel de l’Esplanade in Domme (see here).

GETTING AROUND THE DORDOGNE

This region is a joy with a car, and tough without one. Consider renting a car for a day, renting a canoe or bike, or taking a minivan excursion. If you’re up for a splurge, take a hot-air balloon ride (see here).

By Train: Connecting the Dordogne’s sights by train is hopeless. The lone helpful train runs from Sarlat-la-Canéda to Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, with the Prehistory Welcome Center and museum, and the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume (3-4/day, 1-2.5 hours, transfer in Le Buisson, some long waits, 15-minute walk from station to museum, 30-minute walk from station to Font-de-Gaume cave).

By Car: Roads are small, slow, and scenic. There’s no autoroute in the remote region near Sarlat-la-Canéda; count on more travel time than usual. Little Sarlat is routinely snarled with traffic on market days—particularly Saturdays. You can rent a car in Sarlat (see here), though bigger cities, such as Libourne, Périgueux, and Brive-la-Gaillarde, offer greater drop-off flexibility. In summer (mid-June-mid-Sept), you’ll pay to park in most villages’ riverfront lots between 10:00 and 19:00. Leave nothing in your car at night—thieves enjoy the Dordogne, too.

By Taxi: To taxi from Sarlat-la-Canéda to Beynac or La Roque-Gageac, allow €27 (€37 at night and on Sun); from Sarlat to Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, allow €46 one-way (€66 at night and on Sun) or €88 round-trip. Christoph or Philippe (see next) can often pick you up within a few minutes if you call. Corinne, who runs Beynac-based Taxi Corinne, is helpful, speaks a little English, and is eager to provide good service to tourists (can provide regional as well as local transport, tel. 05 53 29 42 07, mobile 06 72 76 03 32, corinne.brouqui@wanadoo.fr).

By Custom Taxi/Minivan Excursion: You have several good options. Gentle Christoph and lively Sarissa Kusters speak flawless English and provide top service in their Land Rover (6 people) or Tesla (4 people), whether you need a taxi from the train station in Sarlat-la-Canéda to the town center, a pickup in Paris or Oradour-sur-Glane, or a day-long tour. This couple can help organize your trip from soup to nuts and give you a good running commentary as you ride. Their flexible plans allow for a fast or slow pace, based on your interests (€40/hour, mobile 06 08 70 61 67, www.taxialacarte.com, taxialacarte@gmail.com).

Allô-Philippe Taxi is run by amiable Philippe, who speaks some English. He will custom-design your tour and can pick you up anywhere. For excursions, he charges €42/hour for up to four people (€63/hour on Sun, tel. 05 53 59 39 65, mobile 06 08 57 30 10, www.allophilippetaxi.com, allophilippetaxi@wanadoo.fr).

Ophorus Excursions offers a full range of scheduled half- and full-day trips—for individuals or private groups—to caves, castles, and villages in a comfortable minivan with competent, English-fluent guides and up to 10 fellow travelers (€70/half-day, €110-140/day, mobile 06 33 05 10 09, www.ophorus.com, info@ophorus.com).

Caves and Castles is run by a delightful British couple (Steve and Judie Burman) who offer tours to the area’s main sights for a day or more. They offer translation services for French-only cave visits, and Steve has plenty of tricks to keep families happy and kids entertained (tel. 05 53 50 31 21, www.cavesandcastles.com, cavesandcastles@gmail.com).

Béatrice Mollart and Bruno Elure, a fun local guide team headquartered in Sarlat-la-Canéda, create tours tailor-made for travelers wanting to dig into Dordogne culture and get off the beaten track (9 Cours des Fontaines, mobile 06 79 63 28 47, www.dordogne-fellow-traveller.com, loeildelagazelle@orange.fr).

By Boat: Nondrivers should rent a canoe, my favorite way to explore a small but gorgeous slice of this region. A canoe offers easy access to the river’s sights and villages, and some canoe companies will pick you up in Sarlat-la-Canéda for no extra charge. Because a canoe costs only about €18/person (for the trip I recommend, from Vitrac to Beynac), and you can spend all day on and off the river touring sights I cover, this is a swimmingly good deal. For the same scenery with less work (and no ability to visit villages and castles en route), you can take a boat cruise from Beynac or La Roque-Gageac (€8-9).

By Bike: Cyclists find the Dordogne beautiful but really hilly, with lots of traffic on key roads. You can pick up a basic bike for the day in Sarlat-la-Canéda; serious riders will be impressed with Liberty Bike’s services and Aquitaine Bike’s fleet (see here).

By Balloon: The Dordogne is a terrific place to spring for a hot-air balloon trip, taking you high above its gorgeous river and hilly terrain capped with golden stone castles and villages. Montgolfières du Périgord is conveniently based in La Roque-Gageac and offers a variety of flights with well-trained pilots (one-hour flight-€200/person, departures in good weather generally just after sunrise and just before sunset, www.montgolfiere-du-perigord.com, perigordballoons@wanadoo.fr, tel. 05 53 28 18 58).

THE DORDOGNE’S CUISINE SCENE

Gourmets flock to this area for its geese, ducks, and wild mushrooms. The geese produce (involuntarily) the region’s famous foie gras. (They’re force-fed, denied exercise during the last weeks of their lives, and slaughtered for their livers, meat, and fluffy down—see sidebar on here.) Foie gras tastes like butter and costs like gold. The main duck specialty is confit de canard (duck meat preserved in its own fat—sounds terrible, but tastes great), but magret de canard (sautéed duck breast), smoked duck, and anything fried in duck fat also show up on menus.

Pommes de terre sarladaises are mouthwatering, thinly sliced potatoes fried in duck fat and commonly served with confit de canard. Wild truffles are dirty black tubers that grow underground, generally on the roots of oak trees. Farmers traditionally locate them with sniffing pigs and then charge a fortune for their catch (roughly $250 per pound). Native cheeses are Cabécou (a silver-dollar-size, pungent, nutty-flavored goat cheese) and Echourgnac (made by local Trappist monks). You’ll find walnuts (noix) in salads, cakes, liqueurs, salad dressings, and more.

Wines to sample are Bergerac (red, white, and rosé), Pecharmant (red, must be at least four years old), Cahors (a full-bodied red), and Monbazillac (sweet dessert wine). The vin de noix (sweet walnut liqueur) is delightful before dinner.

Remember, restaurants serve only during lunch (11:30-14:00) and dinner (19:00-21:00, later in bigger cities); bigger cafés serve food throughout the day.

DORDOGNE MARKETS

Markets are a big deal in rural France, and nowhere more so than in the Dordogne. I’ve listed good markets for every day of the week, so there’s no excuse for drivers not to experience one. Here’s what to look for:

Strawberries (fraises): For the French, the Dordogne is the region famous for the very tastiest strawberries. Available from April to November, they’re gorgeous, and they smell even better than they look. Buy une barquette (small basket), and suddenly your two-star hotel room is a three-star. Look also for fraises des bois, the tiny, sweet, and less visually appealing strawberries found in nearby forests.

Fresh Veggies: Outdoor markets allow you to meet the farmer, and give you a chance to buy direct. (See what’s fresh, and look for it on your menu this evening.) Subtly check out the hands of the person helping customers—if they’re not gnarled and rough from working the fields, move on.

Cheeses (fromages): The region is famous for its Cabécou goat cheese (described earlier), though often you’ll also find Auvergne cheeses (St. Nectaire and Cantal are the most common) from just east of the Dordogne (usually in big rounds), and Tomme and Brébis (sheep cheeses) from the Pyrenees to the south.

Truffles (truffes): Only the bigger markets will have these ugly, jet-black tubers on display. Truffle season is our off-season (Nov-Feb), when you’ll find them at every market. During summer, the fresh truffles you might see are truffes d’été, a less desirable and cheaper, but still tasty species. If you see truffles displayed at other times, they’ve been sterilized (a preservative measure that can reduce flavor). On Sarlat-la-Canéda market days, there’s usually a guy in the center of Place de la Liberté with a photo of his grandfather and his truffle-hunting dog. From November to mid-March there’s a truffle market on Saturday mornings on Rue Fénelon (details at TI).

Anything with Walnuts (aux noix): Pain aux noix is a thick-as-a-brick bread loaf chock-full of walnuts. Moutarde de noix is walnut mustard. Confiture de noix is a walnut spread for hors d’oeuvres. Gâteaux de noix are tasty cakes studded with walnuts. Liqueur de noix is a marvelous creamy liqueur, great over ice or blended with a local white wine.

Goose or Duck Livers and Pâté (foie gras): This spread is made from geese (better) and ducks (still good), or from a mix of the two. You’ll see two basic forms: entier and bloc. Both are 100 percent foie gras; entier is a piece cut right from the product, whereas bloc has been blended to make it easier to spread—mousse has been whipped for an even creamier consistency. Foie gras is best accompanied by a sweet white wine (such as the locally produced Monbazillac, or Sauterne from Bordeaux). You can bring the unopened tins back into the US, pas de problème. For more on foie gras, see the sidebar on here.

Confit de Canard: At butcher stands, look for hunks of duck smothered in white fat, just waiting for someone to take them home and cook them up. If you have kitchen access, try it: Scrape off some of the fat, then sauté the chunks until they’re crispy on the outside and heated through. Save some of that fat for roasting potatoes.

Dried Sausages (saucissons secs): Long tables piled high with dried sausages covered in herbs or stuffed with local goodies are a common sight in French markets. You’ll always be offered a mouthwatering sample. Some of the variations you’ll see include porc, canard (duck), fumé (smoked), à l’ail (garlic), cendré (rolled in ashes), aux myrtilles (with blueberries), sanglier (wild boar), and even âne (donkey)—and, but of course, aux noix (with walnuts).

Olive Oil (huile d’olive): You’ll find stylish bottles of various olive oils, as well as vegetable oils flavored with truffles, walnuts, chestnuts (châtaignes), and hazelnuts (noisettes)—good for cooking, ideal on salads, and great as gifts. Pure walnut oil, pressed at local mills from nuts grown in the region, is a local specialty, best on salads. Don’t cook with pure walnut oil, as it will burn quickly.

Olives and Nuts (olives et noix): These interlopers from Provence find their way to every market in France.

Brandies and Liqueurs: Although they’re not made in this region, Armagnac, Cognac, and other southwestern fruit-flavored liquors are often available from a seller or two. Try the liqueur de pomme verte, and sample Armagnac in the tiny plastic cups.

Dordogne Market Days

The best markets are in Sarlat-la-Canéda (Sat and Wed, in that order), followed by the markets in Cahors on Saturday, St-Cyprien on Sunday, and Le Bugue on Tuesday. Markets usually shut down by 13:00.

Sunday: St-Cyprien (lively market, 10 minutes west of Beynac, difficult parking), Montignac (near Lascaux), and St-Geniès (a tiny, intimate market with few tourists; halfway between Sarlat and Montignac)

Monday: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac and a tiny one in Beynac

Tuesday: Cénac (you can canoe from here) and Le Bugue (great market 20 minutes west of Beynac)

Wednesday: Sarlat (big market)

Thursday: Domme

Friday: Souillac (transfer point to Cahors, Carcassonne)

Saturday: Sarlat and Cahors (both are excellent), and the little bastide village of Belvès (small market)

Sarlat-la-Canéda

Sarlat–la-Canéda is a pedestrian-filled banquet of a town, serenely set amid forested hills. There are no blockbuster sights. Still, Sarlat delivers a seductive tangle of traffic-free, golden cobblestone lanes peppered with beautiful buildings, lined with foie gras shops (geese hate Sarlat), and stuffed with tourists. The town is warmly lit at night and ideal for after-dinner strolls. It’s just the right size—large enough to have a theater with four screens, but small enough so that everything is an easy meander from the town center. And though undeniably popular with tourists, it’s the handiest home base for those without a car.

Orientation to Sarlat-la-Canéda

Rue de la République slices like an arrow through the circular old town. The action lies east of Rue de la République. Sarlat’s smaller half has few shops and many quiet lanes.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The TI is 50 yards to the right of the Cathedral of St. Sacerdos as you face it (July-Aug Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00; May-June and Sept closes one hour earlier; April and Oct Mon-Sat 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00; shorter hours and closed Sun Nov-March; on Rue Tourny, tel. 05 53 31 45 45, www.sarlat-tourisme.com). Their city map with English information is helpful. Ask for information on car, bike, and canoe rental (this and other information can also be downloaded from the TI’s website).

The TI rents audioguides for self-guided city tours (€5/person, €7 with two sets of earphones). They also offer guided tours of Sarlat in English (€5.50, Thu at 11:00, mid-May-July and Sept-mid-Oct, no tours in Aug or off-season), and sell tickets for the panoramic elevator ride in the covered market hall (€5, cash only, handy to buy here because you can only pay at the elevator with a chip credit card).

ARRIVAL IN SARLAT-LA-CANEDA

By Train: The sleepy train station keeps a lonely vigil (without a shop, café, or hotel in sight). It’s a mostly downhill, 20-minute walk to the town center (taxis are about €7). To walk into town, turn left out of the station and follow Avenue de la Gare as it curves downhill, then turn right at the bottom, on Avenue Thiers, to reach the town center. Some trains (such as those from Limoges and Cahors) arrive at nearby Souillac, which is connected to Sarlat’s train station by an SNCF bus.

By Car: The hilly terrain around Sarlat-la-Canéda creates traffic funnels unusual for a town of this size. Metered parking is easy in the center on nonmarket and off-season days (about €4/2 hours, free Mon-Sat 12:00-14:00 & 19:00-9:00 and all day Sun). On market days, avoid the center by parking along Avenue du Général de Gaulle (at the north end of town), or in one of the signed lots on the ring road. The closest parking to the center is metered.

HELPFUL HINTS

Market Days: Sarlat has been an important market town since the Middle Ages. Outdoor markets still thrive on Wednesday morning and all day Saturday. Saturday’s market swallows the entire town and is best in the morning (produce and food vendors leave around noon). Come before 8:00 to watch them set up, and, once the market is under way, plant yourself at a well-positioned café to observe the civilized scene. On Thursday evenings (starting at 18:00), a small organic market enlivens the town’s lower side (best in summer; just south of the old center at Place du 14 Juillet). From November to March, a truffle market takes place on Saturday mornings on Rue Fénelon. For tips on what to look for at the market, see “Dordogne Markets,” earlier.

Supermarket: There’s a Petit Casino grocery at 32 Rue de la République.

Internet Access: Ask the TI where you can get connected. The recommended Brasserie le Glacier has free Wi-Fi for customers.

Laundry: Madame Mazzocato, who doesn’t speak much English, runs the launderette across from the recommended Hôtel la Couleuvrine (self-serve daily 24 hours, or have your hotel call and ask about full service, 10 Place de la Bouquerie, mobile 06 81 30 57 81). Another self-serve laundry is near the hotels north of the center (daily 7:00-21:00, 74 Avenue Gambetta).

Biking: Sarlat-la-Canéda is surrounded by beautiful country lanes that would be ideal for biking were it not for all those hills. Villages along the Dordogne River make good biking destinations, though expect some traffic and some serious ups and downs between Sarlat and the river (bike-rental places can advise quieter routes). A 26-kilometer bike-only lane runs from Sarlat to Souillac, but doesn’t connect the river villages I describe. Liberty Cycle rents bikes and offers short bike tours from Sarlat and Castelnaud (daily, by the canoe rental in Castelnaud, tel. 07 81 24 78 79, www.liberty-cycle.com, guillaume@liberty-cycle.com). Aquitaine Bike, run by a British-American couple, can deliver top quality bikes to your hotel in and near Sarlat in nonsummer months and provides roadside assistance (3-day minimum for most bikes, tours available, tel. 05 53 30 35 17, mobile 06 32 35 56 50, www.aquitainebike.com, aquitainebike@gmail.com). The TI has info on bike rental outside Sarlat.

Taxi: Call friendly Christoph Kusters (mobile 06 08 70 61 67, www.taxialacarte.com, taxialacarte@gmail.com, also offers regional day trips—see here) or Taxi Sarlat (tel. 05 53 59 02 43, mobile 06 80 08 65 05).

Car Rental: Try Europcar (Le Pontet, at south end of Avenue Leclerc on roundabout, Place du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 15-minute walk from center—for location, see map on here, tel. 05 53 30 30 40).

Sarlat-la-Canéda Walk

(See “Sarlat-la-Canéda” map, here.)

This short self-guided walk, rated ▲▲, starts facing the Cathedral of St. Sacerdos (a few steps from the TI, where you can buy tickets for the panoramic elevator, which we’ll visit on the way). The walk works well in the day, when all of the sights are open—but in some ways, it’s even better after dinner, when the gaslit lanes and candlelit restaurants twinkle. (For places that are closed after dark, circle back to the sights that interest you tomorrow.) See the map on the previous page to help navigate.

• Start in front of the Cathedral of St. Sacerdos, on the...

Place du Peyrou: An eighth-century Benedictine abbey once stood where the Cathedral of St. Sacerdos is today. It provided the stability for Sarlat to develop into an important trading city during the Middle Ages. The old Bishop’s Palace, built right into the cathedral (on the right, with its top-floor Florentine-style loggia), recalls Sarlat’s Italian connection. The Italian bishop was the boyfriend of Catherine de’ Medici (queen of France)—a relationship that got him this fine residence. After a short stint here, he split to Paris with lots of local money. And though his departure scandalized the town, it left Sarlat with a heritage of Italian architecture. (Notice the fine Italianate house of Etienne de la Boëtie on the opposite side of the square, and the similar loggia to its right.)

Another reason for Sarlat’s Italo-flavored urban design was its loyalty to the king during wartime. Sarlat’s glory century was from about 1450 to 1550, after the Hundred Years’ War (see sidebar on here). Loyal to the French cause—through thick and thin and a century of war—Sarlat was rewarded by the French king, who gave the town lots of money to rebuild itself in stone. Sarlat’s new nobility needed fancy houses, complete with ego-boosting features. Many of Sarlat’s most impressive buildings date from this prosperous era, when the Renaissance style was in vogue, and everyone wanted an architect with an Italian résumé.

• Take a closer look (opposite the cathedral) at...

The House of Etienne de la Boëtie: This house was a typical 16th-century merchant’s home—family upstairs and open ground floor (its stone arch now filled in) with big, fat sills to display retail goods. Pan up, scanning the crude-but-still-Renaissance carved reliefs. It was a time when anything Italian was trendy (when yokels “stuck a feather in their cap and called it macaroni”). La Boëtie (lah bow-ess-ee), a 16th-century bleeding-heart liberal who spoke and wrote against the rule of tyrannical kings, remains a local favorite.

Notice how the house just to the left arches over the small street. This was a common practice to maximize buildable space in the Middle Ages. Sarlat enjoyed a population boom in the mid-15th century after the Hundred Years’ War ended.

• If you’re doing this walk during the day, head into the cathedral now. After hours, skip ahead to the Lantern of the Dead: Face the cathedral, walk around it to the left, up the lane, and through the little door in the wall to the rocket-shaped building on a bluff 30 yards behind the church.

Cathedral of St. Sacerdos: Though the cathedral’s facade has a few well-worn 12th-century carvings, most of it dates from the 18th and 19th centuries. Step inside this historic Sarlat interior. The faithful believed that Mary delivered them from the great plague of 1348, so you’ll find a full complement of Virgin Marys here and throughout the town. The Gothic interiors in this part of France are simple, with clean lines and nothing extravagant. The first chapel on the left is the baptistery. Locals would come here to give thanks after they made the pilgrimage to Lourdes for healing and returned satisfied. The second column on the right side of the nave shows a long list of hometown boys who gave their lives for France in World War I.

• Exit the cathedral from the right transept (through a padded brown door) into what was once the abbey’s cloisters. Snoop through a maze of quiet, interconnecting courtyards, always bearing left. In the final (deserted) courtyard, cut across diagonally to find the easy-to-miss door in the far corner. You’ll wind up at the back of the church, where you’ll climb steps (above the monks’ graveyard) to a bluff. Here you’ll find a bullet-shaped building ready for some kind of medieval takeoff, known as the...

Lantern of the Dead (Lanterne des Morts): Dating from 1147, this is the oldest monument in town. In four horrible days, a quarter of Sarlat’s population died in a plague (1,000 out of 4,000). People prayed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux for help. He blessed their bread—and instituted hygiene standards while he was at it, stopping the disease. This lantern was built in gratitude.

• Facing the church, exit downhill and to the right, toward an adorable house with its own tiny tower. Cross one street and keep straight, turn left a block later on Impasse de la Vieille Poste, make a quick right on Rue d’Albusse, and then take a left onto...

Rue de la Salamandre: The salamander—unfazed by fire or water—was Sarlat’s mascot. Befitting its favorite animal, Sarlat was also unfazed by fire (from war) and water (from floods). Walk several steps down this “Street of the Salamander” and find the Gothic-framed doorway just below on your right. Step back and notice the tower that housed the staircase. Staircase towers like this (Sarlat has about 20) date from about 1600 (after the wars of religion between the Catholics and Protestants), when the new nobility needed to show off.

• Continue downhill, passing under the salamander-capped arch, and pause near (or better, sit down at) the café on the...

Place de la Liberté: This has been Sarlat’s main market square since the Middle Ages, though it was expanded in the 18th century. Sarlat’s patriotic town hall stands behind you (with a café perfectly situated for people-watching). You can’t miss the dark stone roofs topping the buildings across the square. They’re typical of this region: Called lauzes in French, the flat limestone rocks were originally gathered by farmers clearing their fields, then made into cheap, durable roofing material (today few people can afford them). The unusually steep pitch of the lauzes roofs—which last up to 300 years—helps distribute the weight of the roof (about 160 pounds per square foot) over a greater area. Although most lauzes roofs have been replaced by roofs made from more affordable materials, a great number remain. The small window is critical: It provides air circulation, allowing the lichen that coat the porous stone to grow—sealing gaps between the stones and effectively waterproofing the roof. Without that layer, the stone would crumble after repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles.

• Walk right, to the “upper” end of the square. The bulky Church of Ste. Marie, right across from you, today serves as Sarlat’s...

Covered Market and Panoramic Elevator: Once a parish church dedicated to St. Marie, with a massive lauzes roof and a soaring bell tower, this building was converted into a gunpowder factory and then a post office before becoming today’s indoor market (daily 8:30-13:00). Marvel at its tall, strangely modern, seven-ton doors, and imagine the effort it took to deliver and install them in the center of this tight-laned town.

On the opposite side of this building (walk through if it’s open, or around if it’s closed), you’ll find the entrance to a modern, glass-sided panoramic elevator, which whisks tourists up through the center of the ancient church’s bell tower for bird’s-eye views over the rooftops. Your elevator operator doubles as a guide, who gives a quick but effective history of Sarlat at the top. If they gather enough English-speakers, the spiel is in English; otherwise, it’ll be in French and you’ll use the good English handout (feel free to ask questions). Because the elevator is open-air, it doesn’t run in the rain (€5, pay using chip credit card—otherwise buy tickets with cash at TI; 5/hour, visit lasts 12 minutes, erratic hours—generally daily in summer 10:00-14:00 & 17:00-21:00, in spring and fall 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, shorter hours off-season).

• When you’ve returned to earth, double back into Place de la Liberté and climb the small lane opposite the market’s big doors to meet the “Boy of Sarlat”—a statue marking the best view over Place de la Liberté. Notice the cathedral’s tower, with a salamander swinging happily from its spire. Just below you on the stairs are several shops.

Foie Gras and Beyond: Tourist-pleasing stores like La Boutique du Badaud line the streets of Sarlat and are filled with the finest local products. This quiet shop sells it all, from truffles to foie gras to walnut wine to truffle liqueur. They also offer tastings (dégustations) of local liquors. To better understand what you’re looking at, read the foie gras sidebar on here.

• Turn left behind the boy statue and trickle like medieval rainwater down the ramp into an inviting square. Here you’ll find a little gaggle of geese.

Place des Oies: Feathers fly when geese are traded on this “Square of the Geese” on market days (Nov-March). Birds have been serious business here since the Middle Ages. Even today, a typical Sarlat menu reads, “duck, duck, goose.” Trophy homes surround this cute little square on all sides.

Check out the wealthy merchant’s home to the right as you enter the square—the Manoir de Gisson—with a tower built big enough to match his ego. The owner was the town counsel, a position that arose as cities like Sarlat outgrew the Middle Ages. Town counsels replaced priests in resolving civil conflicts and performing other civic duties. Touring the interior of the manor shows you how the wealthy lived in Sarlat (study the big poster next to the entry). You’ll climb up one of those spiral staircase towers, ogle at several rooms carefully decorated with authentic 16th- to 18th-century furniture, and peek inside the impressive lauzes roof. It’s fun to gaze out the windows and imagine living here, surrounded by 360 degrees of gorgeous cityscape (€7, daily April-Sept 10:00-18:30, until 19:00 July-Aug, closes earlier off-season, borrow English booklet, tel. 05 53 28 70 55, www.manoirdegisson.com).

• Walk to the right along Rue des Consuls. Just before Le Mirandol restaurant, turn right toward a...

Fourteenth-Century Vault and Fountain: For generations, this was the town’s only source of water, protected by the Virgin Mary (find her at the end of the fountain). Opposite the restaurant and fountain, find the wooden doorway (open late June-Aug only) that houses a massive Renaissance stairway. These showy stairways, which replaced more space-efficient spiral ones, required a big house and a bigger income. Impressive.

• Follow the curve along Rue des Consuls, and enter the straight-as-an-arrow...

Rue de la République: This “modern” thoroughfare, known as La Traverse to locals, dates from the mid-1800s, when blasting big roads through medieval cities was standard operating procedure. It wasn’t until 1963 that Sarlat’s other streets would become off-limits to cars, thanks to France’s forward-thinking minister of culture, André Malraux. The law that bears his name has served to preserve and restore important monuments and neighborhoods throughout France. Eager to protect the country’s architectural heritage, private investors, cities, and regions worked together to create traffic-free zones, rebuild crumbling buildings, and make sure that no cables or ugly wiring marred the ambience of towns like this. Without the Malraux Law, Sarlat might well have more “efficient” roads like Rue de la République slicing through its once-charming old town center.

Your tour is over, but make sure you take time for a poetic ramble through the town’s quiet side—or, better yet, stroll any of Sarlat’s lanes after dark. This is the only town in France illuminated by gas lamps, which cause the warm limestone to glow, turning the romance of Sarlat up even higher. Now may also be a good time to find a café and raise a toast to Monsieur Malraux.

Sleeping in Sarlat-la-Canéda

Even with summer crowds, Sarlat-la-Canéda is the train traveler’s best home base. Note that in July and August, some hotels require half-pension, and hotels in downtown Sarlat book up first. Parking can be a headache—drivers will find rooms and parking more easily just outside of town, or in the nearby villages and destinations described later, under “The Best of the Dordogne River Valley” (most are a 15-minute drive away).

HOTELS IN THE TOWN CENTER

$$$ Hôtel Plaza Madeleine**** is a central and upscale value with formal service, a handsome pub/wine-bar, stylish public spaces, and 39 very sharp rooms with every comfort. You’ll find a pool out back, a sauna, and a Jacuzzi—all free for guests (fine standard Db-€130-140, bigger and newer Db-€160-220, extra person-€26, connecting rooms for families, great breakfast buffet-€15, air-con, elevator, garage parking-€15/day, at north end of ring road at 1 Place de la Petite Rigaudie, tel. 05 53 59 10 41, www.plaza-madeleine.com, contact@plaza-madeleine.com).

$$ La Villa des Consuls***, a cross between a B&B and a hotel, occupies a 17th-century home buried on Sarlat’s quiet side with 13 lovely, spacious rooms with microwave ovens and refrigerators; most also have a kitchen and a living room. The rooms surround a small courtyard and come with wood floors, private decks, and high ceilings. English-fluent owner David prices his rooms to encourage longer stays; these rates are for stays of two to six nights (Db-€89-102, big Db/Tb/Qb-€129-169, 10 percent more for 1-night stays, less for 7 or more days, air-con, free use of washers and dryers, garage parking-€10/day, train station pickup-€7, David will help with hauling bags from the street, 3 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, tel. 05 53 31 90 05, www.villaconsuls.fr, villadesconsuls@yahoo.fr).

$$ Hôtel Montaigne***, a good value located a block south of the pedestrian zone, is run by the smiling Martinats (Mama, Papa, and daughter). The 28 rooms are simple, spotless, comfortable, and air-conditioned. Of the hotels I list, this is the one nearest to the train station (Db-€69-90, extra person-€15, two-room family suites-€110-125, good breakfast buffet-€10, air-con, elevator, easy parking nearby, Place Pasteur, tel. 05 53 31 93 88, www.hotelmontaigne.fr, contact@hotelmontaigne.fr).

$ Hôtel de la Mairie’s** rooms are located above its namesake café, smack dab on the main square (ideal for market days). The nice but dated, peeling-wallpaper rooms provide basic comfort at fair prices, and most have beamed ceilings; rooms #3 and #6 have the best views. The management is très laissez faire (Db-€58-65, Tb-€65-70, reception in café, lots of stairs, Place de la Liberté, tel. 05 53 59 05 71, www.hotel-mairie-sarlat.com, hoteldelamairie@orange.fr).

$ Hôtel la Couleuvrine** offers 27 simple rooms with character at good rates in a historic building with a handy location—across from the launderette and with easy parking (for Sarlat). Families enjoy les chambres familles (several in the tower). Some rooms have tight bathrooms, some could use new carpets, and a few have private terraces (Db-€50-85, Db suite-€95, family rooms-€95-115, breakfast-€10, elevator, on ring road at 1 Place de la Bouquerie, tel. 05 53 59 27 80, www.la-couleuvrine.com, contact@la-couleuvrine.com). Half-pension is encouraged during busy periods and in the summer—figure €35 per person beyond the room price for breakfast and a good dinner in the classy restaurant.

HOTELS NORTH OF TOWN

The following hotels are a 10-minute walk north of the old town on Avenue de Selves. All have easy parking. For locations, see the “Greater Sarlat-la-Canéda” map.

$$$ Hôtel de Selves**** feels très American, with a big lobby, professional staff, and 40 way pricey-for-Sarlat rooms in a modern shell with a year-round swimming pool (Db-€120-165, Db with balcony-€180-200, extra person-€35, all rooms nonsmoking, big breakfast-€14, 10 percent discount for Rick Steves readers, air-con, elevator, outside parking-€10/day, garage parking-€13/day, 93 Avenue de Selves, tel. 05 53 31 50 00, www.selves-sarlat.com, hotel@selves-sarlat.com).

$$ Hôtel de Compostelle*** features a cheery, spacious lobby and 23 well-maintained, generously sized, and air-conditioned rooms, including several good family rooms (Db-€85-115—higher price for newer rooms, Tb-€150, family room-€160-180 for 4-6 people, breakfast-€11, elevator is one floor up, sweet backyard terrace, parking-€7/day, 66 Avenue de Selves, tel. 05 53 59 08 53, www.hotel-compostelle-sarlat.com, info@hotel-compostelle-sarlat.com).

$$ Hôtel le Madrigal**, one block past Hôtel de Compostelle, is a charming nine-room hotel with good two-star rooms and rates, all with queen-size beds, air-conditioning, and smallish bathrooms. Check in at the Hôtel de Compostelle a few doors down (Db-€70-88, Tb-€90-98, Qb-€95-105, breakfast-€10, fitness room, parking-€7/day, 50 Avenue de Selves, tel. 05 53 59 21 98, www.hotel-madrigal-sarlat.com, info@hotel-madrigal-sarlat.com).

CHAMBRES D’HOTES

These chambres d’hôtes are central and compare well with the hotels listed earlier.

$$ La Lanterne, named for the monument it faces, occupies a 500-year-old building that could not be more central nor more welcoming. British Terri Bowen (and dogs Frodo and Fibi) deliver cozy public spaces and four thoughtfully appointed, quiet rooms that surround a sweet little courtyard (Db-€85-95, breakfast-€9, cash or PayPal only, 9 bis Rue Montaigne, tel. 05 53 59 17 79, mobile 06 33 38 89 11, www.sarlat.biz, info@sarlat.biz).

$$ Les Cordeliers, owned by gentle Brits Chris and Amanda Johnson, offers four-star comfort at two-star prices. Most of the seven cushy rooms are huge; all are air-conditioned and well-furnished; and a small kitchen is at your disposal with serve-yourself snacks and drinks. The building—a classic old Sarlat address with a mansard roof and sky-blue shutters—overlooks a picturesque square at the north end of the old center (Db-€95, extra bed-€20, big breakfast with fresh fruit and eggs-€8, closed Nov-Feb, 51 Rue des Cordeliers, mobile 06 76 78 04 01, www.hotelsarlat.com, info@hotelsarlat.com).

$$ Les Chambres du Glacier, where kind Monsieur Da Costa and son Bruno offer four cavernous, simple, but surprisingly comfortable rooms above an outdoor café, is in the thick of Sarlat’s pedestrian zone (perfect for market days). Rooms come with sky-high ceilings, big and soundproof windows over Sarlat’s world, polished wood floors, and bathrooms you can get lost in (Db-€85, Tb-€110, Qb-€135, includes breakfast, Place de la Liberté, tel. 05 53 29 99 99, www.chambres-du-glacier-sarlat.com, carlos.da.costa.24@wanadoo.fr).

$ La Maison du Notaire Royal, run by English-speaking Pierre-Henri Toulemon and French-speaking Diane, has four large and simple rooms with a private entry in a 17th-century home located a few steps above the main square. Guests have access to a fridge, microwave, and garden tables (Db-€63, €10/extra person up to 5, includes breakfast, cash only, no deposit required, parking-€1/day, call a day ahead to confirm approximate arrival time, look for big steps from northeast corner of Place de la Liberté, 4 Rue Magnanat, tel. 05 53 31 26 60, mobile 06 08 67 76 90, www.toulemon.com, contact@toulemon.com). They also rent two cottages with living rooms and kitchens a few blocks from the town center. One has two bedrooms and sleeps four; the other has three bedrooms and can sleep seven (3-day minimum, easy parking).

NEAR SARLAT-LA-CANEDA

For a list of good chambres d’hôtes near Sarlat, try www.chambres-perigord.com.

$ L’Oasis Sarladaise Chambres gives travelers a true French experience a few minutes above the town center. Here, the eager-to-please Mazzocatos welcome you into their neighborhood home, picnic dinners are encouraged, and the price is right. All three rooms are bird-chirping-peaceful (Db-€54-65, big room with 2 bedrooms and big terrace-Tb-€95/Qb-€102, includes good breakfast, cash only, air-con, no English spoken, 5-minute drive from the center at 9 Rue Jacques Monod—for location, see map on previous page; mobile 06 81 30 57 81, www.oasis-sarladaise.fr, fred.mazzo@orange.fr).

Eating in Sarlat-la-Canéda

(See “Sarlat-la-Canéda” map, here.)

Sarlat is stuffed with restaurants that cater to tourists, but you can still dine well and cheaply. The following places have been reliable; Le Présidial is the most formal. If you have a car, consider driving to Beynac (see here) or La Roque-Gageac (here) for a riverfront dining experience. Wherever you dine, sample a glass of sweet Monbazillac wine with your foie gras.

Chez le Gaulois is a change from the traditional places that line Sarlat’s lanes. Pyrenees-raised Olivier and his wife Nora serve a hearty mountain cuisine featuring fondue, raclette, tartiflette (roasted potatoes mixed with ham and cheese—comes with a good salad for €14), and thinly sliced ham (Olivier spends all evening slicing away). The cassolette des légumes (a ratatouille-like dish) is also tasty (€11). They have a few sidewalk tables, but the fun is inside and the service is English-fluent. The ceiling is cluttered with ham hocks, and the soundtrack is jazz. To eat at prime time (12:00 or 19:00), reservations are smart during the high season (good salads, try la tarte au figues—fig tart—for dessert, daily April-Oct, closed Sun-Mon Nov-March, near the TI at 1 Rue Tourny, tel. 05 53 59 50 64).

L’Adresse, a sweet little bistro, serves regional specialties with a creative twist—ideal for foodies. It gets rave reviews from locals so try to book ahead, particularly if you want a table on the front terrace, facing a Parisian-style square. There’s more space on the terrace out back, in an atmospheric alley (€22-34 menus with good choices, closed Sun, 8 Place de la Petite Rigaudie, tel. 05 53 30 56 19).

Le Présidial is a lovely place for a refined meal in a historic mansion. The setting is exceptional—you’re greeted with beautiful gardens (where you can dine in good weather), and the interior comes with high ceilings, stone walls, and rich wood floors (€19-39 menus, closed Sun, 6 Rue Landry, tel. 05 53 28 92 47, www.lepresidial.fr).

L’Instant de Delice, with tables lining a cobbled lane just off Place des Oies), is a popular place for affordable cuisine, with reasonably priced salads, plats du jour, and €18-30 menus (daily, a block off Rue de la République at 5 Rue des Consuls, tel. 05 53 59 28 67).

Le Bistrot has marvelous outside seating across from the cathedral, plus a cozy interior. The traditional cuisine is served at affordable prices (€18-30 menus, daily, 14 Place du Peyrou, tel. 05 53 28 28 40).

Brasserie le Glacier offers main-square views from its outdoor tables and good, crowd-pleasing café fare nonstop from 11:00-22:00. Come here for good service (Filomena has the big smile); a big salad for €12 (the salade paysanne—peasant salad with smoked duck—works for me), pizza (€10-12), or un plat (€12-16); and a view of the lights warming the town buildings (daily, Place de la Liberté, tel. 05 53 29 99 99, also rents rooms—see “Sleeping in Sarlat-la-Canéda,” earlier).

Pizzeria Romane is a cheap, spacious, and family-friendly eatery where you can watch your pizza bake in the oven (€10-12 pizza, lots of salads, daily July-Aug, otherwise closed Sun-Mon, on the quiet side of Sarlat at 3 Côte de Toulouse, tel. 05 53 59 23 88).

North of the Center: Le Bistro de l’Octroi, overlooking a busy road a few blocks north of the old town, has to provide top cuisine and competitive prices to draw locals—and it does. Quality bistro fare (mostly meat dishes) is served on a generous terrace and within the pleasant interior (€21-36 three-course menus offering many options; order two starters if you prefer, daily, 111 Avenue des Selves—for location see map on here, tel. 05 53 30 83 40, www.lebistrodeloctroi.fr).

Pastries and Lunch: At Lemoine, a classy pastry shop with a line of sidewalk tables along Rue de la République, you can enjoy rich chocolate cake (chocolate decadence) with a hot drink, or pick from a selection of savory treats at lunchtime (daily, 13 Rue de la République, tel. 05 53 59 20 77).

Sarlat-la-Canéda Connections

Sarlat’s TI has train schedules. Souillac and Périgueux are the train hubs for points within the greater region. For all of the following destinations, you could go west on the Libourne/Bordeaux line (transferring in either city, depending on your connection), or east by SNCF bus to Souillac (covered by rail pass, bus leaves from Sarlat train station). I’ve listed the fastest path in each case. Sarlat train info: tel. 05 53 59 00 21.

From Sarlat-la-Canéda by Train to: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac (3-4/day, 1-2.5 hours, transfer in Le Buisson), Paris (4/day, 6-6.5 hours, change in Libourne or Bordeaux-St-Jean), Amboise (3/day, 5-7 hours, via Libourne, then TGV to Tours’ St-Pierre-des-Corps, then local train to Amboise), Bourges (4/day, 6-7 hours, 2-4 changes), Limoges/Oradour-sur-Glane (slow and difficult trip with lots of changes, 5/day, 3-4 hours: 3/day by bus to Souillac and train to Limoges, then 15-minute walk to catch bus to Oradour-sur-Glane—and 2/day to Limoges with change in Le Buisson and Périgueux), Cahors (5/day, 3 hours, bus to Souillac or Siorac, then train to Cahors), Albi (6/day, 6 hours with 2-3 changes, some require bus from Sarlat to Souillac), Carcassonne (5/day, 5.5-7 hours, 1-3 changes, some require bus from Sarlat to Souillac), St-Emilion (6/day, 2 hours).

To Beynac, La Roque-Gageac, Castelnaud, and Domme: These are accessible only by taxi or bike (best rented in Sarlat). See Sarlat’s “Helpful Hints” on here for specifics.

The Best of the Dordogne River Valley

The most striking stretch of the Dordogne lies between Carsac and Beynac. Traveling by canoe is the best way to savor the highlights of the Dordogne River Valley, though several scenic sights lie off the river and require a car or bike. Following my “Dordogne Scenic Loop” (below), you can easily link Sarlat-la-Canéda with La Roque-Gageac, Beynac and its château, and Castelnaud before returning to Sarlat.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

Drivers should allow a minimum of a half-day to sample the river valley. Drive slowly to savor the scenery and to stay out of trouble (these are narrow, cliff-hanging roads). The area is picnic-perfect, but buy your supplies before leaving Sarlat; pickings are slim in the villages (though view cafés are abundant). Vitrac (near Sarlat) is the best place to park for a canoe ride down the river. La Roque-Gageac, Beynac, and Domme have good restaurants. There are a few good places to witness the gavage (feeding of the geese and ducks to make foie gras) between Beynac and Sarlat—their dinnertime is generally about 18:00.

In riverfront villages, you’ll pay for parking during the day (about €2-3 for a 3-hour minimum stay, free during midafternoon siesta, pay at meter, then put receipt on your dashboard; cars are checked). Parked cars are catnip to thieves: Take everything out or stow belongings out of sight.

I’ve given distances in kilometers for drivers to match up with your rental car’s odometer.

Self-Guided Tours Along the Dordogne

▲▲DORDOGNE SCENIC LOOP

(See “Dordogne Canoe Trips & Scenic Loop Drive” map, here.)

Following these directions, beginning and ending in Sarlat-la-Canéda, you can see this area by car or bike (27 hilly miles). Cyclists can cut seven miles off this distance and still see most of the highlights by following D-704 from Sarlat toward Cahors, then taking the Montfort turnoff (well-signed after the big Leclerc grocery store) and tracking signs to Montfort—see the map on page 464. Once in Montfort, follow the river downstream to La Roque-Gageac.

Key villages along this route are described in detail later in this chapter, under “Dordogne Towns and Sights.”

The Tour Begins: From Sarlat, follow signs on D-704 toward Cahors. Not long after leaving Sarlat, you’ll pass the Rougie foie gras outlet store, then the limestone quarry that gives the houses in this area their lemony color.

In about five minutes, be on the lookout for the little signposted turnoff on the right to the Eglise de Carsac (Church of Carsac). Set peacefully among cornfields, with its WWI monument, bonsai-like plane trees, and simple, bulky Romanesque exterior, the Eglise de Carsac church is part of a vivid rural French scene. Take a break here and enter the church (usually open, English handout). The stone capitals behind the altar are exquisitely medieval. Back outside, the small cornfields nearby are busy growing feed for ducks and geese—locals are appalled that humans would eat the stuff.

From here, continue on, following signs to Montfort. About a kilometer west of Carsac, pull over to enjoy the scenic viewpoint (overlooking a bend in the river known as Cingle de Montfort). Across the Dordogne River, fields of walnut trees stretch to distant castles, and the nearby hills are covered in oak trees. This area is nicknamed “black Périgord” for its thick blanket of oaks, which stay leafy throughout the winter. The fairy-tale castle you see is Montfort, once the medieval home of Simon de Montfort, who led the Cathar Crusades in the early 13th century. Today it’s considered mysterious by locals. (It’s rumored that the castle is now the home of a brother of the emir of Kuwait.) A plaque on the rock near where you parked honors those who fought Nazi occupiers in this area in 1943.

Continue on, passing under Montfort’s castle (which you can’t tour; its cute little village has a few cafés). If you’re combining a canoe trip with this drive, cross the river following signs to Domme, and find my recommended canoe rental on the right side (see “Dordogne Canoe Trip,” next).

The touristy bastide (fortified village) of Domme is well worth a side-trip from Vitrac or La Roque-Gageac for its sensational views (best early in the day). Our driving route continues to the more important riverfront villages of La Roque-Gageac, then on to Castelnaud, and finally to Beynac (all described later in this chapter). From Beynac, it’s a quick run back to Sarlat.

▲▲▲DORDOGNE CANOE TRIP

(See “Dordogne Canoe Trips & Scenic Loop Drive” map, here.)

For a refreshing break from the car or train, explore the riverside castles and villages of the Dordogne by canoe.

Renting a Canoe (or Kayak): You can rent plastic boats—which are hard, light, and indestructible—from many area outfits in this area. Whether a one-person kayak or a two-person canoe, they’re stable enough for beginners. Many rental places will pick you up at an agreed-upon spot (even in Sarlat, provided that your group is big enough, and they aren’t too busy). All companies let you put in anytime between 9:30 and 16:00 (start no later than 15:00 to allow time to linger when the mood strikes; they’ll pick you up at about 18:00). They all charge about the same and typically accept cash only (€14-18/person for two-person canoes, €17-24 for one-person kayaks). You’ll get a life vest and, for about €2 extra, a watertight bucket in which to store your belongings. (The bucket is bigger than you’d need for just a camera, watch, wallet, and cell phone; if that’s all you have bring a resealable plastic baggie or something similar for dry storage.) You must have shoes that stay on your feet; travelers wearing flip-flops will be invited to purchase more appropriate footwear (sold at most boat launches for around €10).

The trip is fun even in light rain (if you don’t mind getting wet)—but heavy rains can make the current too fast to handle, so be sure to check on river levels. If you don’t see many other canoes in the river, the river is probably too high—ask before you rent.

Beach your boat wherever it works to take a break—it’s light enough that you can drag it up high and dry to go explore. (The canoes aren’t worth stealing, as they’re cheap and clearly color-coded for their parent company.) It’s OK if you’re a complete novice—the only whitewater you’ll encounter will be the rare wake of passing tour boats...and your travel partner frothing at the views.

Of the region’s many canoe companies, only Périgord-Aventure et Loisirs (also called Copeyre Canoë) has a pullout arrangement in Beynac (to get to their Vitrac put-in base, from the main roundabout in the town of Vitrac, cross the Dordogne, and turn right). Readers of this book get a 10 percent discount in 2016, and they’ll even pick you up in Sarlat for free if you arrange it in advance (this allows nondrivers a chance to explore the riverfront villages for the price of a canoe trip—tip the driver a few euros for this helpful service; tel. 05 53 28 23 82, mobile 06 83 27 30 06, www.perigordaventureloisirs.com, info@perigordaventureloisirs.com). Allow time to explore Beynac after your river paddle and before the return shuttle trip. Périgord-Aventure also arranges a longer 14-mile trip from Carsac to Beynac, adding the gorgeous Montfort loop (Cingle de Montfort). Ask about their canoe-hike-bike option that starts with the canoe trip to Beynac, continues with a walk along a riverside trail to Castelnaud, and ends with a bike ride back to your starting point in Vitrac (€30, no discounts, reserve in advance, start or end the loop wherever you like).

The Nine-Mile Paddle from Vitrac to Beynac: This is the most interesting, scenic, and handy trip if you’re based in or near Sarlat. Vitrac, on the river close to Sarlat, is a good starting point. And, with its mighty castle and pleasant hotels and restaurants, Beynac delivers the perfect finale to your journey. Allow 2 hours for this paddle at a relaxed pace in spring and fall, and up to 2.5 hours in summer when the river is usually at its lowest flow.

Here’s a rundown of the two-hour Vitrac-Beynac adventure: Leave Vitrac, paddling at an easy pace through lush, forested land. The fortified hill town of Domme will be dead ahead. Pass through Heron Gulch, and after about an hour you’ll come to La Roque-Gageac (one of two easy and worthwhile stops before Beynac).

Paddle past La Roque-Gageac’s wooden docks (with the tour boats) to the stone ramp leading up to the town. Do a 180-degree turn and beach thyself, dragging the boat high and dry. From there you’re in La Roque-Gageac’s tiny town center (described on here), with a TI and plenty of cafés, snacks, and ice-cream options. Enjoy the town before heading back to your canoe and into the water.

When leaving La Roque-Gageac, float backward to enjoy the village view. About 15 minutes farther downstream, you’ll approach views of the feudal village and castle of Castelnaud. Look for the castle’s huge model of medieval catapults silhouetted menacingly against the sky (it’s a steep but worthwhile climb to tour this castle—see here). About 15 minutes after you first spot the castle, you’ll find two grassy pullouts flanking the bridge below the castle, and the bridge arches make terrific frames for castle views. Just past the grass there’s a small market and charcuterie with all you need for a picnic. La Plage Café serves good café fare with views (near where you pull out).

Another 15 minutes downstream brings views of Château de Fayrac on your left. The lords of Castelnaud built this to spy on Beynac during the Hundred Years’ War (1336-1453). It’s another 15 minutes to your last stop: Beynac (described on here). The awesome Beynac castle—looming high above the town—gets better and better as you approach. Slow down and enjoy the ride (sometimes there’s a snack stand with the same views at the bridge on the right). Keep to the right as you approach the Périgord-Aventure/Copeyre Canoë depot. You’ll see the ramp just before the parking lot and wooden dock (where the tour boats generally tie up). Do another 180-degree turn, and beach yourself hard. The office is right there. Return your boat, and explore Beynac.

Other Canoe Options: All along the river you’ll see canoe companies, each with stacks of plastic canoes. Depending on their location and relations with places to pull out, each one works best on a particular stretch of the river. All have essentially the same policies. Below Domme in Cénac, Dordogne Randonnées has canoes and kayaks for the scenic two-hour stretch to a pullout just past Beynac (to reach their office coming from Sarlat or Beynac, take the first left after crossing the bridge to Cénac, tel. 05 53 28 22 01, randodordogne@wanadoo.fr). In La Roque-Gageac, Canoe-Dordogne rents canoes for the worthwhile two-hour float to Château des Milandes, allowing canoers to stop in Beynac along the way (tel. 05 53 29 58 50). For a lazier no-paddle alternative, try a boat cruise on the river to Castelnaud and back, either from Beynac or La Roque-Gageac (€9, 50-60 minutes, both options are great for landlubbers and described in the next section).

Dordogne Towns and Sights

The towns and sights described below coincide with the Dordogne River Valley scenic loop outlined earlier (see here). These villages are a joy to wander before lunch and late in the day. In high season, expect mobs of tourists and traffic in the afternoons. Those with a car can enjoy tranquil rural accommodations at great prices in these cozy villages. I like the comfort they provide and the views they offer. Read about the villages below, then make your choice—you can’t go wrong.

SCENIC LOOP: MONTFORT TO BEYNAC

Montfort

There’s more to this castle-topped village than meets the eye—leave most tourists behind and find a few cafés and a handful of chambres d’hôtes, including these recommended listings (for locations, see map on here).

Sleeping near Montfort: $$ Chambres la Barde has five good rooms in a warm, recently built stone home with a swimming pool, a cozy lounge, a big grass yard, a communal kitchen, and views to Montfort castle from most rooms’ terraces (Db-€90-110, extra person-€20, 2-room suite sleeps 5, includes breakfast, cash only, behind Montfort castle—green signs guide you there, tel. 05 53 28 24 34, mobile 06 86 88 60 93, www.labardemontfort.com, labardemontfort@gmail.com).

$$ L’Ombriere, with four elegant rooms and caring Italian hosts Andrea and Barbara, is a calm B&B overlooking a walnut grove (small Db-€85-90, standard Db-€88-98, includes breakfast, attic rooms have air-con, on east edge of Montfort village—watch for signs, tel. 05 53 28 11 38, www.lombriere.com, info@lombriere.com).

▲▲Domme

This busy little town merits a stop for its stunning view and is ideal early in the day. Otherwise, come late, when crowds recede and the light is best. If you come for lunch or dinner, arrive early enough to savor the cliff-capping setting, and if you come on market day (Thu) expect to hoof it up from a parking lot well below (cars not allowed in old town until the market is over). On other days, follow signs up to La Bastide de Domme, and drive right through the narrow gate of the fortified town walls. Park at the pay lot near the view (Panorama). You’ll find picnic-perfect benches, cafés, and a view you won’t soon forget. While the main street is lined with touristy shops that make the town feel greedy, lose yourself in some of the unusually picturesque back lanes, where roses climb over rustic doorways.

Sleeping and Eating in Domme: The town has many forgettable restaurants, but a few places stand out.

$$$ Hôtel de l’Esplanade delivers the valley’s most sensational views from many of its 15 comfortable bedrooms and restaurant tables. If you come for the restaurant (€35-70 menus, closed Mon lunch), book ahead for view seating. Both the hotel and the restaurant are traditional, formal, and a bit stiff (Db-€98-140, view Db-€145-165, air-con, tel. 05 53 28 31 41, www.esplanade-perigord.com, esplanade.domme@wanadoo.fr).

Cabanoix et Châtaigne is a small bistro serving delicious Dordogne fare blended with international flavors. Enjoy the sunset from Domme’s viewpoint, then come here to dine in a quaint courtyard with colorful shutters. Book a table ahead—local foodies are all over this place (€20 plats, €30 menus, Sept-June open Thu-Mon for lunch and dinner, closed Tue-Wed; July-Aug open daily for lunch and dinner except closed Sat lunch; from the viewpoint, walk past the church several blocks down Grand Rue and turn left to 3 Rue Geoffroy de Vivans; tel. 05 53 31 07 11, www.restaurantcabanoix.com).

Belvédère Café owns a privileged position at the viewpoint and serves café fare at good prices with million-dollar views from its outside tables (€19-23 plats, daily for lunch and dinner, closed Oct-March, at Le Panorama, tel. 05 53 31 12 01).

▲▲▲La Roque-Gageac

Whether you’re joyriding, paddling the Dordogne, or taking a hot-air balloon ride, La Roque-Gageac (lah rohk-gah-zhahk) is an essential stop—and a strong contender on all the “cutest towns in France” lists. Called by most simply “La Roque” (“The Rock”), it looks sculpted out of the rock between the river and the cliffs. It also makes a fine base for touring the region.

Orientation: At the upstream end of town, you’ll find plenty of parking and an ATM; the TI (April-Sept daily 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, July-Aug until 18:00, closed off-season, tel. 05 53 29 17 01); a WC; swings and slides for kids; canoe rental; and pétanque (boules) courts, which are lively on summer evenings. A small market brightens La Roque-Gageac on Friday mornings in summer. Though busy with day-trippers, the town is tranquil at night.

La Roque-Gageac Town

Stand along the river near the TI and survey La Roque-Gageac: It’s a one-street town stretching along the river. The highest stonework (on the far right) was home to the town’s earliest inhabitants in the 10th century. High above (about center), 12th-century cave dwellers built a settlement during the era of Norman (Viking) river raids. Long after the Vikings were tamed, French soldiers used this lofty perch as a barracks while fighting against England in the Hundred Years’ War. Sturdy concrete supports now reinforce the cave.

Now locate the exotic foliage around the church on the right. Tropical gardens (bamboo, bananas, lemons, cactus, and so on) are a village forte, because limestone absorbs heat.

Those wooden boats on the river are modeled after boats called gabarres, originally built here to take prized oak barrels filled with local wine down to Bordeaux. Unable to return against the river current, the boats were routinely taken apart for their lumber. Today, tourists, rather than barrels, fill the boats on river cruises (described later). If you’re experiencing a movie-based déjà vu, it’s because these actual boats (dolled up, of course) were used by Johnny Depp in the movie Chocolat, to the delight of viewers and Juliette Binoche alike.

La Roque-Gageac frequently endures winter floods that would leave you (standing where you are now) underwater. When there’s a big rain in central France, La Roque-Gageac floods two days later. The first floors of all the riverfront buildings are vacated off-season. The new riverfront wall, finished in 2014, was pushed out into the river, adding 13 feet of width to the street. Notice the openings at sidewalk level allowing water to flow through in heavy rains. Walk on the main drag to get a closer look. A house about five buildings downriver from Hôtel la Belle Etoile shows various high-water marks (inondation means “flood”). Looking farther downstream, notice the fanciful castle built in the 19th century by a British aristocrat (whose family still nurtures Joan of Arc dreams in its turrets). The old building just beyond that (downstream end of town) actually is historic—it’s the quarantine house, where lepers and out-of-town visitors who dropped by in times of plague would be kept (after their boats were burned).

Climb into the town by strolling up the cobbled lane to the right of Hôtel la Belle Etoile. Where the stepped path ends, veer right to find the exotic plants and viewpoint (in front of the simple church). From here you can make out Château de Castelnaud downriver, and the village of Domme capping its hill to the left. A left turn at the end of the stepped path takes you to more views and the privately owned Fort Troglodytique (closed to the public). For a terrific medieval fort experience, visit the prehistoric La Roque St-Christophe (described on here).

Boat Tours: Tour boats cruise from La Roque-Gageac to Castelnaud and back (one-hour cruise-€9, includes audioguide, 2/hour, April-Nov daily, tel. 05 53 29 40 44).

Hot-Air Balloon Rides: Montgolfières du Périgord, located in La Roque-Gageac, offers a range of flights with well-qualified pilots (one-hour flight-€200/person, tel. 05 53 28 18 58, www.montgolfiere-du-perigord.com).

Sleeping and Eating in and near La Roque-Gageac: Along with Beynac, this is one of the region’s most beautiful villages. Park in the lot at the eastern end of town if you’re staying in La Roque-Gageac, and take everything of value out of your car.

$$$ Manoir de la Malatrie is a wonderful splurge with five country-classy rooms and one family-ideal apartment with oak-meets-leather public areas, all surrounding a big, heated pool and terraced gardens (begging for a picnic). Your gentle hostess Ouaffa manages her place with elegance (Db-€140-160; large modern apartment for two-€140-180, €40/extra person; cheaper in winter, air-con, free parking, barely downstream from the village—10-minute walk to town on trail above road, mobile 06 18 61 61 18, www.chambresdhotes-lamalartrie.com, lamalatire@orange.fr).

$ Hôtel la Belle Etoile**, a well-managed hotel-restaurant in the center of La Roque-Gageac, is a terrific value. Hostess Danielle and chef Régis (ray-geez) offer good rooms, most overlooking the river, a nice terrace, and a fine restaurant (no riverview Db-€56, riverview Db-€68-79, gorgeous suite-€140-150, air-con, free parking, closed Dec-March, tel. 05 53 29 51 44, www.belleetoile.fr, hotel.belle-etoile@wanadoo.fr). Régis is third generation of his family to be chef here and he takes his job seriously. Come for a memorable dinner of classic French cuisine with modern accents in a romantic setting. The oeufs cocottes are really good (menus from €31, closed for lunch Wed and all day Mon; book a few days ahead).

$ L’Auberge des Platanes**, across from La Roque-Gageac’s TI and parking lot, rents 25 rooms above a sprawling café—guests take a backseat to café clients. Half the rooms are basic and traditional; the other half are modern and pricier (small Db-€45-65, newer “comfort” Db with view-€70, Tb-€72-92, a few rooms have air-con, tel. 05 53 29 51 58, www.aubergedesplatanes.com, contact@aubergedesplatanes.com).

▲▲Château de Castelnaud

This castle may look a tad less mighty than Château de Beynac (down the river), but it packs a powerful medieval punch. The concise English handout escorts you room by room through the castle-museum. The exhibits—which focus on warfare (armor, crossbows, and catapults) are a bit slicker than Beynac’s, but the castle is also more touristy and lacks personality.

Cost and Hours: €9.60, €8.60 before 13:00 in summer; open daily July-Aug 9:00-20:00, April-June and Sept 10:00-19:00, Oct and Feb-March 10:00-18:00, Nov-Jan 14:00-17:00, last entry one hour before closing; daily demonstrations of medieval warfare and guided visits in English mid-July-Aug—call for exact times, tel. 05 53 31 30 00, www.castelnaud.com.

Getting There: From the river, it’s a steep 25-minute hike through the village to the castle. Drivers must park in the €3 lot (5-minute walk uphill from there). You can stop at Castelnaud on your canoe trip, or hike an hour from Beynac along a riverside path (though it’s tricky to follow in parts—it hugs the river as it passes through campgrounds and farms—determined walkers do fine).

Visiting the Castle: After passing the ticket booth, read your essential handout and follow the suite de la visite signs. Start by climbing through the tower. Every room has a story to tell, and many have displays of costumed mannequins, suits of armor, weaponry (including the biggest and most artistic crossbows I’ve ever seen), and artifacts from the Hundred Years’ War. Other rooms show informative videos (with English subtitles)—don’t miss the catapult video where you’ll learn that the big ones could fire only two shots per hour and required up to 250 men to manage. Kids eat it up, in part thanks to the children’s guide with fun puzzles. The upper courtyard has a 150-foot-deep well (drop a pebble). On your way back down, you’ll see a sparsely furnished medieval kitchen and an iron forge with an interesting video. The rampart views are as unbeatable as the four siege machines are formidable. A few cafés and fun medieval shops await at the foot of the castle.

Sleeping near Castelnaud: This village, ideally situated between La Roque-Gageac and Beynac, has two excellent B&B choices nearby (see map on here).

$$ La Tour de Cause is where Belgian owners Igor and Nico have found their heaven, amid their renovated farmhouse with five top-quality rooms, a big pool, and, best of all, a pétanque court (Sb-€76, Db-€95-100, includes breakfast, cash only, 2-night minimum, en-suite bathrooms—some with immense walk-in showers, closed Nov-April, tel. 05 53 30 30 51, US tel. Nov-March 707/527-5051, www.latourdecause.com, info@latourdecause.com). From the Dordogne River, cross the bridge to Castelnaud, follow signs toward Daglan, then make a hard right turn in the hamlet of Pont de Cause and park near their gate.

$ Le Lys de Castelnaud is run by French medieval enthusiasts and travel fanatics Nathalys and Dominique. Nathalys is a Joan of Arc fan who adores her home’s namesake castle and loves helping travelers. Public areas are steeped in the Middle Ages, with knights in armor, tapestries, and more. The four lovely rooms are a great value (three have Castelnaud views), and there’s a well-designed one-bedroom apartment below with a kitchen (Db-€68, Tb/Qb-€92-115, Db apartment-€92, cash only, French lessons available, tel. 05 53 28 20 27, mobile 06 09 57 21 97, www.chambres-dordogne.com, contact@chambres-dordogne.com). It’s well-signed at the foot of the road that leads across the river to Castelnaud.

▲▲▲Beynac

Four miles downstream from La Roque-Gageac, Beynac (bay-nak) is the other must-see Dordogne village. It’s also home to one of the most imposing castles in France.

This well-preserved medieval village winds like a sepia-tone film set, from the castle above to the river below (easy parking at the top avoids the steep climb). The stone village—with cobbled lanes that retain their Occitan (old French) names—is just plain pretty, best late in the afternoon and downright dreamy after dark. For the best light, tour the castle late, or at least walk out to the sensational viewpoint, then have a dinner here.

Orientation: Drivers can park at pay lots located on the river, way up at the castle (follow signs to Château de Beynac), or halfway between. The same parking ticket works up at the château if you decide against the climb. The TI is near the river, across from Hôtel du Château (daily 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00, tel. 05 53 29 43 08). Pick up the Plan du Village in English for a simple self-guided walking tour, and get information on hiking and canoes. A few steps down from the TI is the post office (ATM outside). If you need a lift, call Beynac-based Taxi Corinne (see here). From mid-June to mid-September, a cute little market sets up on Monday mornings in the riverfront parking lot.

Château de Beynac: Beynac’s brooding, cliff-clinging château, worth ▲▲, soars 500 feet above the Dordogne River. It’s the ultimate for that top-of-the-world, king-of-the-castle feeling. During the Hundred Years’ War (see sidebar on here), the castle of Beynac housed the French, while the British set up camp across the river at Castelnaud. This sparsely furnished castle is best for its valley views, but it still manages to evoke a memorable medieval feel. (These castles never had much furniture in any case.) When buying your ticket, notice the list showing the barons of Beynac (Beynac et Ses Barons)—Richard the Lionheart (Coeur de Lion) spent 10 years here (€8, daily May-Oct 10:00-18:30, Nov-April until 17:00 or 17:30, last entry 45 minutes before closing, tel. 05 53 29 50 40).

You’re free to wander on your own, though occasional tours are available in English. Pick up the English explanations (small fee) or spring for the excellent €5 pamphlet, and don’t miss the nearby viewpoint (described next). As you tour the castle, swords, spears, and crossbows keep you honest, and the two stone WCs keep kids entertained. I like the soldiers’ party room best—park your sword (in the slots at the end of the table) and hang your crossbow (on the hooks above), s’il vous plaît. Authentic-looking wooden stockades were installed for the 1998 filming of the movie The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. Circling up through the castle, find your way to the highest crenellated terraces for smashing views. Just down the river, mighty Castelnaud—which seems so imposing from up close—looks like a child’s playset.

Walks and Viewpoints: A too-busy road separates Beynac from its river, making walks along the river unappealing in the village center. Traffic-free lanes climb steeply uphill from the river to the château—the farther you get from the road, the more medieval the village feels. A riverfront trail begins across from Hôtel Bonnet at the eastern end of town and follows the river toward Castelnaud, with great views back toward Beynac and—for able route-finders—a level one-hour hike to the village of Castelnaud. Make time to walk at least a few hundred yards along this trail to enjoy the view to Beynac.

One of the Dordogne’s most commanding views lies a short walk from the castle at the top of the village (easy parking). Step just outside the village (on the way between the castle and the upper parking lot) and take the enclosed lane to the right of the little cemetery. Stroll uphill until the view opens up. Castelnaud’s castle hangs on the hill in the distance straight ahead; Château de Fayrac (owned by a Texan) is just right of the rail bridge; it was originally constructed by the lords of Castelnaud to keep a closer eye on the castle of Beynac. The Château de Marqueyssac, on a hill to the left, was built by the barons of Beynac to keep a closer eye on the boys at Castelnaud—touché. More than a thousand such castles were erected in the Dordogne alone during the Hundred Years’ War. That’s right: 1,000 castles in this area alone.

Boat Trips: Boats leave from Beynac’s riverside parking lot for relaxing, 50-minute river cruises to Castelnaud and back (€8, nearly hourly, departures Easter-Oct daily 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00, more frequent trips July-Aug, written English explanations, tel. 05 53 28 51 15).

Sleeping near Beynac: $$ Le Petit Versailles does its name justice, with five immaculate rooms that Louis would have appreciated. The place has a quiet terrace and garden, and—best of all—the welcoming Fleurys, Jean-Claude and Françoise (Db-€75, 2-night minimum, 3 rooms have fine views, all have big beds, includes large English breakfast, cash only, no smoking anywhere, laundry facilities, Route du Château, mobile 06 71 88 59 72, www.lepetitversailles.fr, info@lepetitversailles.fr). With the river on your right, take the small road—wedged between the hill and Hôtel Bonnet—for a half-mile, turn right when you see the Résidence de Versailles sign and continue 100 yards, then take a right down a steep driveway.

Eating in Beynac: Beynac has two worthwhile places to eat and a bakery with handy picnic-ready lunch items (across from the TI). Have a drink up high at the café opposite the castle entry, or down below at the recommended café that hides right on the river (walk down the steps across from Hôtel du Château); stay for dinner if the spirit moves you.

Taverne/Café des Remparts, Beynac’s scenic eatery, faces the castle at the top of the town and serves copious salads, good omelets, and plats. I can’t imagine leaving Beynac without relaxing at their view-perfect café for at least a drink. Sophie promises a free aperitif with this book in 2016 and usually keeps the place open to at least 20:00—plenty late for most Americans to have dinner. Call ahead to be sure they’re open (daily, closed in winter, across from castle, tel. 05 53 29 57 76).

La Petite Tonnelle, cut into the rock, has a romantic interior and a fine terrace out front. Locals love it for its tasty cuisine served at fair prices, though the service can be very slow. It’s a block up from Hôtel du Château (€17-40 menus, daily, on the road to the castle, tel. 05 53 29 95 18, www.restaurant-petite-tonnelle.fr).

BEYOND THE SCENIC LOOP

Foie Gras Farms

During the evenings, many farms in this area let you witness the force-feeding of geese for the “ultimate pleasure” of foie gras. Look for Gavage signs, but beware: It can be hard for the squeamish to watch (read the sidebar for a description before you visit).

Elevage du Bouyssou

This big, homey goose farm a short drive from Sarlat is run by a couple who enjoy their work. Denis Mazet (the latest in a long line of goose farmers here) spends five hours a day feeding his gaggle of geese. His wife, Nathalie—clearly in love with country life—speaks wonderful English and enthusiastically shows guests around their idyllic farm. Each evening, she leads a one-hour, kid-friendly tour. You’ll meet the goslings, do a little unforced feeding, and hear how every part of the goose (except heads and feet) is used—even feathers (for pillows). Nathalie explains why locals see force-feeding as humane (comparable to raising any other animal for human consumption) before you step into the dark barn where about a hundred geese await another dinner. The tour finishes in the little shop. They raise and slaughter a thousand geese annually, producing about 1,500 pounds of foie gras—most of which is sold directly to visitors at good prices.

Cost and Hours: Free; tours July-Aug daily at 18:30, Sept-June Mon-Sat at 18:30; shop open daily year-round, tel. 05 53 31 12 31, mobile 06 38 95 48 80, www.elevagedubouyssou.com, elevagedubouyssou@gmail.com.

Getting There: Leave Sarlat on the Cahors-bound road (D-704), go about seven kilometers, turn left at the cement plant (where you see the Camping Aqua-Viva sign), and follow Bouyssou signs until you reach the farm (the last section winds up several curves—keep going—you’ll hear the geese).

Cro-Magnon Caves

The area around the town of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac—about a 30-minute drive from Sarlat or the Dordogne Valley—has a rich history of prehistoric cave art. The paintings you’ll see in this area’s caves are famous throughout the world for their remarkably modern-looking technique, beauty, and mystery. For a rundown of your cave options, see “Prehistoric Sights at a Glance” on here. And to fully appreciate the art you’ll see, take time to read the following information, written by Gene Openshaw, on the purpose of the art and the Cro-Magnon style of painting.

CAVE ART 101

From 18,000 to 10,000 B.C., long before Stonehenge, before the pyramids, before metalworking, farming, and domesticated dogs, back when mammoths and saber-toothed cats still roamed the earth, prehistoric people painted deep inside limestone caverns in southern France and northern Spain. These are not crude doodles with a charcoal-tipped stick. They’re sophisticated, costly, and time-consuming engineering projects planned and executed by dedicated artists supported by a unified and stable culture—the Magdalenians.

The Magdalenians (c. 18,000-10,000 B.C.): These hunter-gatherers of the Upper Paleolithic period (40,000-10,000 B.C.) were driven south by the Second Ice Age. (Historians named them after the Madeleine archaeological site near Les Eyzies-de-Tayac.) The Magdalenians flourished in southern France and northern Spain for eight millennia—long enough to chronicle the evolution and extinction of several animal species. (Think: Egypt lasted a mere 3,000 years; Rome lasted 1,000; America fewer than 250 so far.)

Physically, the people were Cro-Magnons. Unlike hulking, beetle-browed Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons were fully developed Homo sapiens who could blend in to our modern population. We know these people by the possessions found in their settlements: stone axes, flint arrowheads, bone needles for making clothes, musical instruments, grease lamps (without their juniper wicks), and cave paintings and sculpture. Many objects are beautifully decorated.

The Magdalenians did not live in the deep limestone caverns they painted (which are cold and difficult to access). But many did live in the shallow cliffside caves that you’ll see throughout your Dordogne travels, which were continuously inhabited from prehistoric times until the Middle Ages.

The Paintings: Though there are dozens of caves painted over a span of more than 8,000 years, they’re all surprisingly similar. These Stone Age hunters painted the animals they hunted—bison or bulls (especially at Lascaux and Grotte de Font-de-Gaume), horses, deer, reindeer, ibex (mountain goats), wolves, bears, and cats, plus animals that are now extinct—mammoths (the engravings at Grotte de Rouffignac), woolly rhinoceroses (at Grotte de Font-de-Gaume), and wild oxen.

Besides animals, you’ll see geometric and abstract designs, such as circles, squiggles, and hash marks. There’s scarcely a Homo sapiens in sight (except the famous “fallen hunter” at Lascaux), but there are human handprints traced on the wall by blowing paint through a hollow bone tube around the hand. The hunter-gatherers painted the animals they hunted, but none of the plants they gathered.

Style: The animals stand in profile, with unnaturally big bodies and small limbs and heads. Black, red, and yellow dominate (with some white, brown, and violet). The thick black outlines are often wavy, suggesting the animal in motion. Except for a few friezes showing a conga line of animals running across the cave wall, there is no apparent order or composition. Some paintings are simply superimposed atop others. The artists clearly had mastered the animals’ anatomy, but they chose to simplify the outlines and distort the heads and limbs for effect, always painting in the distinct Magdalenian style.

Many of the cave paintings are on a Sistine Chapel-size scale. The “canvas” was huge: Lascaux’s main caverns are more than a football field long; Grotte de Font-de-Gaume is 430 feet long; and Grotte de Rouffignac meanders six miles deep. The figures are monumental (bulls at Lascaux are 16 feet high). All are painted high up on walls and ceilings, like the woolly rhinoceros of Grotte de Font-de-Gaume.

Techniques: Besides painting the animals, these early artists also engraved them on the wall by laboriously scratching outlines into the rock with a flint blade, many following the rock’s natural contour. A typical animal might be made using several techniques—an engraved outline that follows the natural contour, reinforced with thick outline paint, then colored in.

The paints were mixed from natural pigments dissolved in cave water and oil (animal or vegetable). At Lascaux, archaeologists have found more than 150 different minerals on hand to mix paints. Even basic black might be a mix of manganese dioxide, ground quartz, and a calcium phosphate that had to be made by heating bone to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, then grinding it.

No paintbrushes have been found, so artists probably used a sponge-like material made from animal skin and fat. They may have used moss or hair, or maybe even finger-painted with globs of pure pigment. Once they’d drawn the outlines, they filled everything in with spray paint—either spit out from the mouth or blown through tubes made of hollow bone.

Imagine the engineering problems of painting one of these caves, and you can appreciate how sophisticated these “primitive” people were. First, you’d have to haul all your materials into a cold, pitch-black, hard-to-access place. Assistants erected scaffolding to reach ceilings and high walls, ground up minerals with a mortar and pestle, mixed paints, tended the torches and oil lamps, prepared the “paintbrushes,” laid out major outlines with a connect-the-dots series of points...then stepped aside for Magdalenian Michelangelos to ascend the scaffolding and create.

Dating: Determining exactly how old this art is—and whether it’s authentic—is tricky. (Because much of the actual paint is mineral-based with no organic material, carbon-dating techniques are often ineffective.) As different caves feature different animals, prehistorians can deduce which caves are relatively older and younger, since climate change caused various animal species to come and go within certain regions. In several cases, experts confirmed the authenticity of a painting because the portrayals of the animals showed anatomical details not previously known—until they were discovered by modern technology. (For instance, in Grotte de Rouffignac, the mammoths are shown with a strange skin flap over their anus, which was only discovered during the 20th century on a preserved mammoth found in Siberian permafrost.) They can also estimate dates by checking the amount of calcium glaze formed over the paint, which can sometimes only be seen by infrared photography.

Why?: No one knows the purpose of the cave paintings. Interestingly, the sites the artists chose were deliberately awe-inspiring, out of the way, and special. They knew their work here would last for untold generations, as had the paintings that came before theirs. Here are some theories of what this first human art might mean.

It’s no mystery that hunters would paint animals, the source of their existence. The first scholar to study the caves, Abbé Henri Breuil, thought the painted animals were magic symbols made by hunters to increase the supply of game. Or perhaps hunters thought that if you could “master” an animal by painting it, you could later master it in battle. Some scholars think the paintings teach the art of hunting, but there’s very little apparent hunting technique shown. Did they worship animals? The paintings definitely depict an animal-centered (rather than a human-centered) universe.

Prehistoric Sights at a Glance

You can reserve ahead only for Lascaux II, Grotte du Pech Merle, Abri du Cap Blanc, and possibly Font-de-Gaume. For the other caves, it’s first-come, first-served.

Prehistory Welcome Center Free, good intro to region’s important prehistoric sites, in Les Eyzies. Hours: May-Sept daily 9:30-18:30; Oct-April Sun-Fri 9:30-17:30, closed Sat. Reservations: Not necessary. Allow about 30 minutes to visit. See here.

▲National Museum of Prehistory More than 18,000 well-displayed artifacts, in Les Eyzies—good preparation for your cave visit. Hours: July-Aug daily 9:30-18:30; June and Sept Wed-Mon 9:30-18:00, closed Tue; Oct-May Wed-Mon 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:30, closed Tue. Reservations: Not necessary, but reserve if you want a tour. Allow about one hour. See here.

▲▲▲Grotte de Font-de-Gaume Last prehistoric multicolored paintings open to public, with strict limits on the number of daily visitors allowed. Hours: Mid-May-mid-Sept Sun-Fri 9:30-17:30, mid-Sept-mid-May Sun-Fri 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:30, closed Sat year-round. Reservations: May be possible in 2016 (check website in Jan; must book by phone or email). Sans reservation, be in line by 7:00 in summer, by 8:30 in spring and fall, and in winter by 9:00. Required 45-minute tour (likely in French). See here.

▲Abri du Cap Blanc 14,000-year-old carvings that use natural contours of cave to add dimension, but no cave paintings. Hours: Mid-May-mid-Sept Sun-Fri 10:00-17:00, mid-Sept-mid-May Sun-Fri 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sat year-round, last entry at about 16:15. Reservations: Book a tour time by phone or email, or at the Font-de-Gaume ticket office. Required 45-minute tour (usually with some English, usually 6/day); call for times. See here.

▲▲Lascaux II Exact replica of the world’s most famous cave paintings. Hours: July-Aug daily 9:00-20:00, night visits possible; April-June and Sept-Oct daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-Dec and mid-Feb-March Tue-Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:30, closed Mon; closed Jan-mid-Feb. Reservations: Reserve a maximum of 2-5 days ahead for July-Aug. Required 40-minute tour; call for English tour times (2-4/day). See here.

▲▲Grotte de Rouffignac Etchings and paintings of prehistoric creatures such as mammoths in a large cave accessed by a little train. Hours: Daily July-Aug 9:00-11:30 & 14:00-18:00, April-June and Sept-Nov 10:00-11:30 & 14:00-17:00, closed Dec-March. Reservations: Not available or necessary, arrive by 8:30 in mid-July-Aug, otherwise 30 minutes early. Visit lasts one hour. See here.

▲La Roque St-Christophe Terraced cliff dwellings where prehistoric people lived. Hours: Daily April-Sept 10:00-18:30, July-Aug until 20:00, shorter hours off-season. Reservations: Not available or necessary. Allow 45 minutes to visit on your own (good English descriptions posted). See here.

▲▲Grottes de Cougnac Oldest paintings (20,000-25,000 years old) open to public, showing rust-and-black ibex, mammoths, giant deer, and a few humans, on a tour more focused on cave geology than art. Hours: July-Aug daily 10:00-18:00; April-June and Sept daily 10:00-11:30 & 14:30-17:00; Oct Mon-Sat 14:00-16:00, closed Sun; closed Nov-March. Reservations: Not available. Arrive 10 minutes before it opens in summer. Required 1.25-hour tour (with minimal English explanation). See here.

▲▲Grotte du Pech Merle Brilliant cave art of mammoths, bison, and horses, plus Cro-Magnon footprint, about an hour south of the Dordogne in the Lot River Valley. Hours: Daily March-mid-Nov 9:30-17:00, closes earlier off-season. Reservations: Book a week ahead in summer (fewer visitors allowed on weekends), or arrive by 9:30. Allow two hours for a complete visit (good English information). See here.

The paintings may have a religious purpose, and some of the caverns are large and special enough that rituals and ceremonies could have been held there. But the paintings show no sacrifices, rituals, or ceremonies. Scholars writing on primitive art in other parts of the world speculate that art was made by shamans in a religious or drug-induced trance, but France’s paintings are very methodical.

The order of paintings on the walls seems random. Could it be that the caves are a painted collage of the history of the Magdalenians, with each successive generation adding its distinct animal or symbol to the collage, putting it in just the right spot that established their place in history?

The fact that styles and subject matter changed so little over the millennia might imply that the artists purposely chose timeless images to relate their generation with those before and after. Perhaps they simply lived in a stable culture that did not value innovation. Or were these people too primitive to invent new techniques and topics?

Maybe the paintings are simply the result of the universal human drive to create, and these caverns were Europe’s first art galleries, bringing the first tourists.

Very likely there is no single meaning that applies to all the paintings in all the caves. Prehistoric art may be as varied in meaning as current art.

Picture yourself as a Magdalenian viewing these paintings: You’d be guided by someone into a cold, echoing, and otherworldly chamber. In the darkness, someone would light torches and lamps, and suddenly the animals would flicker to life, appearing to run around the cave, like a prehistoric movie. In front of you, a bull would appear, behind you a mammoth (which you’d never seen in the flesh), and overhead a symbol that might have tied the whole experience together. You’d be amazed that an artist could capture the real world and reproduce it on a wall. Whatever the purpose—religious, aesthetic, or just plain fun—there’s no doubt the effect was (and is) thrilling.

Today, you can visit the caves and share a common experience with a caveman. Feel a bond with these long-gone people...or stand in awe at how different they were from us. Ultimately, the paintings are as mysterious as the human species.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

While the cave art here is amazing, it can be a headache to strategize. Delicate caves come with strict restrictions on visitors, and many are in out of the way locations—making it time-consuming to fit a cave visit into your vacation (allow three hours for a typical visit including transit time). Certain caves are so restricted that getting in is nigh impossible (Grotte de Font-de-Gaume) and others require long visits, French-only tours, and detours to reach. Others are easier to plan for and well-worth a traveler’s time, provided you come prepared.

If seeing the very best matters, plan way ahead and try in January to reserve at the best cave: Grotte de Font-de-Gaume. If you don’t score an entry here, good alternatives are Rouffignac and Cougnac (no reservations, but you can often get in without too much of a wait by just showing up—call ahead to see how busy they are). Abri du Cap Blanc is bookable at the Font-de-Gaume office—but it only has carvings, not paintings. Grotte du Pech Merle is easy to book ahead and has good English descriptions but requires a considerable detour, so it’s a good option if you’re connecting the Dordogne to Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, or other points south. Determine which cave(s) best fit into your itinerary.

Procrastinators who arrive in the Dordogne without any reservations can show up and take their chances. But if you’re dead-set on Font-de-Gaume, you’ll have to get up early and wait in line (details in listing).

HELPFUL HINTS

Drivers Fare Best: All of the prehistoric caves listed here (except Grotte du Pech Merle) are within an hour of Sarlat-la-Canéda. But due to the scarcity of public transit, without a car you’ll be like a caveman without a spear (see here for guided tours that connect some of these sights).

Reserve Ahead or Get Up Early: Be clear on which caves take reservations (see the “Prehistoric Sights at a Glance” sidebar), and try to reserve your choice; other caves are first-come, first-served. That means it’s essential to arrive early to secure a ticket, and then find something to do nearby if you have time to kill. How early you need to arrive varies by cave; I’ve suggested times for caves where you can’t make a reservation. July, August, and holiday weekends are busiest, and rainy weather anytime sends sightseers scurrying for the caves. Saturdays are quieter—but note that Grotte de Font-de-Gaume and Abri du Cap Blanc are closed that day, and from October to April, so is the Prehistory Welcome Center.

Cave Tips: Read “Cave Art 101” (here) to gain a better understanding of what you’ll see. Dress warmly, even if it’s hot outside. Tours can last up to an hour, and the caves are all a steady, chilly 55 degrees Fahrenheit, with 98 or 99 percent humidity. While on tour, lag behind the group to have the paintings to yourself for a few moments. Photos, daypacks, big purses, and strollers are not allowed. (You can take your camera—without using it—and check the rest at the site.)

Local Guide: Angelika Siméon is a passionate guide/lecturer eager to teach you about the caves and well worth spending a day with. She handles cave reservations and makes it easy and educational (book ahead; €145/half-day, €235/day, tel. 05 53 35 19 30, mobile 06 24 45 96 28, angelika.simeon@wanadoo.fr).

Les Eyzies-de-Tayac

This single-street town is the touristy hub of a cluster of Cro-Magnon caves, castles, and rivers. It merits a stop for its Prehistory Welcome Center, National Museum of Prehistory, and (if you can get in) the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume cave, a 15-minute walk or two-minute drive outside of town (described later). Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is world-famous because it’s where the original Cro-Magnon man was discovered in 1870. That breakthrough set of bones was found just behind the hotel of Monsieur Magnon—Hôtel le Cro-Magnon, which is in business to this day on the western end of the main street. The name “Cro-Magnon” translates as “Mr. Magnon’s Hole.”

Orientation: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac’s TI rents bikes and has free Wi-Fi (July-Aug Mon-Sat 9:30-18:30, Sept-June Mon-Sat 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:00; May-Sept Sun 9:30-12:30, otherwise closed Sun; tel. 05 53 06 97 05, www.tourisme-vezere.com). The train station is a level 500 yards from the town center (turn right from the station to get into town). The street that runs just below the museum is lined with handy lunch eateries.

Sights in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac

Prehistory Welcome Center (Pôle International de la Préhistoire)

Start your prehistoric explorations at the Pôle International de la Préhistoire (PIP) as you enter town from the east (Sarlat). This glass-and-concrete facility is a helpful resource for planning a visit to the region’s important prehistoric sites. The low-slung building houses timelines, slideshows, and exhibits (all in English) that work together to give visitors a primer on the origins of man. Temporary exhibits are near the entrance, with permanent exhibits farther in. The English-speaking staff is happy to provide maps of the region and give suggestions on places to visit. Park here (for free), then walk out the center’s back door 200 yards on a pedestrian-only lane to the National Museum of Prehistory.

Cost and Hours: Free; May-Sept daily 9:30-18:30; Oct-April Sun-Fri 9:30-17:30, closed Sat; free parking across the street, located east of downtown Les Eyzies-de-Tayac at 30 Rue du Moulin—watch for tall silver PIP sign, tel. 05 53 06 06 97, www.pole-prehistoire.com.

▲National Museum of Prehistory (Musée National de Préhistoire)

This well-presented, modern museum houses more than 18,000 bones, stones, and crude little doodads that were uncovered locally. It takes you through prehistory—starting 400,000 years ago—and is good preparation for your cave visits. Appropriately located on a cliff inhabited by humans for 35,000 years (above Les Eyzies-de-Tayac’s TI), the museum’s sleek design is intended to help it blend into the surrounding rock. Inside, the many worthwhile exhibits include videos demonstrating scratched designs, painting techniques, and how spearheads were made. You’ll also see full-size models of Cro-Magnon people and animals that stare at racks of arrowheads. The museum’s handheld English explanations require patience to correlate to the exhibits.

Cost and Hours: €8, €6 off-season; July-Aug daily 9:30-18:30; June and Sept Wed-Mon 9:30-18:00, closed Tue; Oct-May Wed-Mon 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:30, closed Tue; last entry 45 minutes before closing, tel. 05 53 06 45 65, www.musee-prehistoire-eyzies.fr.

Information: For context, read “Cave Art 101,” on here, before you go.

Tours: To get the most out of your visit, consider a private or semiprivate English-language guided tour; for details, call 05 53 06 45 65 or email reservation.prehistoire@culture.gouv.fr.

Visiting the Museum: Pick up the museum layout with your ticket. Notice the timeline shown on the stone wall starting a mere 7 million years ago. Then enter, walking in the footsteps of your ancestors, and greet the 10-year-old Turkana Boy, whose bone fragments were found in Kenya in 1984 by Richard Leakey and date from 1.5 million years ago.

Spiral up the stairs to the first floor, which sets the stage by describing human evolution and the fundamental importance of tools. You’ll also see a life-size recreation of Megaloceros—a gigantic deer (with even bigger antlers)—and a skeleton of an oversized steppe bison, both of which appear in some of the area’s cave paintings.

The more engaging second floor highlights prehistoric artifacts found in France. Some of the most interesting objects you’ll see are displayed in this order: a handheld arrow launcher, a 5,000-year-old flat-bottomed boat (pirogue) made from oak, prehistoric fire pits, amazing cavewoman jewelry (including a necklace labeled La Parure de St-Germain-la-Rivière, made of 70 stag teeth—pretty impressive, given that stags only have two teeth each), engravings on stone (find the unflattering yet impressively realistic female figure), a handheld lamp used to light cave interiors (lampe façonnée), and beautiful rock sculptures of horses (much like the sculptures at the cave of Abri du Cap Blanc).

Your visit ends on the cliff edge, with a Fred Flintstone-style photo op on a stone ledge (through the short tunnel) that some of our ancient ancestors once called home.

Sleeping near Les Eyzies-de-Tayac

$$ Le Chevrefeuille, halfway between Les Eyzies-de-Tayac and St-Cyprien, is a family-friendly place offering modern comfort in a farm setting. Ian and Sara Fisk moved to France from England (via Brazil) to raise their children. Expert cook Ian prepares scrumptious dinners several nights a week in season and offers occasional cooking classes. Five classy-rustic guest rooms and suites in various configurations handle singles to family groups; common areas include a lounge and kitchen area (Db-€75-95, family rooms/suites-€120-180, includes breakfast, pay laundry facilities, cash only, swimming pool and play areas, closed Nov-Easter, tel. 05 53 59 47 97, www.lechevrefeuille.com, info@lechevrefeuille.com). From near Les Eyzies, head south on D-48 about six kilometers, turn right into the small hamlet of Pechboutier, and look for their sign.

Caves and Other Sights near Les Eyzies-de-Tayac

For convenience, I’ve arranged these geographically, and included sights that can be handy if you have time to kill while awaiting your cave appointment: the ruined-but-rebuilding Château de Commarque, the stately-for-a-cave Maison Forte de Reignac, and the evocative troglodyte terraces of La Roque St-Christophe. Most of the caves and other sights listed here are within a 20-minute drive of Les Eyzies. Two caves are easier to visit from other bases: the Grottes de Cougnac is south of the river, and Grotte du Pech Merle—listed on here—is an hour and a half south, near the Lot River Valley.

JUST EAST OF LES EYZIES-DE-TAYAC

These are barely outside of Les Eyzies, and managed by the same office; you can book tickets for either one at the Font-de-Gaume ticket desk.

▲▲▲Grotte de Font-de-Gaume

Even if you’re not a connoisseur of Cro-Magnon art, you’ll dig this cave—the last one in France with prehistoric multicolored (polychrome) paintings still open to the public. (Lascaux—45 minutes down the road—has replica caves; the other cave paintings open to the public are monochrome.) This cave, made millions of years ago—not by a river, but by the geological activity that created the Pyrenees Mountains—is entirely natural. It contains 15,000-year-old paintings of 230 animals, 82 of which are bison.

On a carefully guided and controlled 100-yard walk, you’ll see about 20 red-and-black bison—often in elegant motion—painted with a moving sensitivity. When two animals face each other, one is black, and the other is red. Your guide, with a laser pointer and great reverence, will trace the faded outline of the bison and explain how, 15 millennia ago, cave dwellers used local minerals and the rock’s natural contours to give the paintings dimension. Some locals knew about the cave long ago, when there was little interest in prehistory, but the paintings were officially discovered in 1901 by the village schoolteacher.

Warning: Access to Font-de-Gaume is extremely restricted. The number of available tickets meets only a small fraction of the demand. The site’s ticketing and booking processes change regularly: Some years about a third of the slots can be booked ahead, while at other times your only option is to get up at the crack of dawn and stand in line. Check the website in early January to see if reserved tickets are possible. Otherwise I’d skip this place unless it’s solidly off-season. Lining up for hours is a poor use of your precious time, and other good options exist to see original cave art. Drivers who can’t get a ticket here should try the other interesting caves I recommend: Abri du Cap Blanc can be booked at this same office, and Rouffignac is a safe backup (you’re already partway there).

Cost and Hours: €7.50, 17 and under free, includes required 45-minute tour; open mid-May-mid-Sept Sun-Fri 9:30-17:30, mid-Sept-mid-May Sun-Fri 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:30, closed Sat year-round; last tour departs 1.5 hours before closing, no photography or large bags, tel. 05 53 06 86 00, www.eyzies.monuments-nationaux.fr, fontdegaume@monuments-nationaux.fr—don’t expect a fast reply. Those planning to also visit Abri du Cap Blanc (described next) can reserve and buy tickets here.

Getting a Ticket: To preserve the precious and fragile art, tours are limited to 13 people, and the number of daily visitors allowed is strictly regulated (180/day in 2011, 96/day in 2012, 80/day in 2013-15). Two tours a day (that’s 26 tickets) can be reserved in advance by email or phone; in 2015, these went on sale for the entire year on January 2, and many were sold out by March. Try to reserve as far ahead as possible. Otherwise, tickets for the remaining four tours are doled out in person each morning starting at 9:30. In summer, plan to be in line by 7:00, in spring and fall no later than 8:30, and in the winter you should be OK if you arrive by 9:00. (Each person can buy only one ticket, so you can’t send one member of your party ahead for the whole group.) You can drop by the sight at any time during opening hours to get the latest on how early you need to show up to get a ticket. You must check in 30 minutes before your tour, or you’ll lose your place to sightseeing vultures waiting to snatch up the spots of late arrivals.

Tours: English tours are available but limited; expect to visit with a French guide. The English flier is useless, but depending on the guide, the actual tour can be either illuminating and enthusiastic, or little more than pointing out legs, eyes, heads, and bellies of the bison. Don’t fret if you’re not on an English tour—most important is experiencing the art itself.

Getting There: The cave is at the corner of D-47 and D-48, about a two-minute drive (or a 15-minute walk) east of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac (toward Sarlat). There’s easy on-site parking. After checking in at the ticket house, walk 400 yards on an uphill path to the cave entrance (where there’s a free, safe bag check and a WC).

▲Abri du Cap Blanc

In this prehistoric cave (a 10-minute drive from Grotte de Font-de-Gaume), early artists used the rock’s natural contours to add dimension to their sculpture. Your guide spends the tour in a single stone room explaining the 14,000-year-old carvings. The small museum (with English explanations) helps prepare you for your visit, and the useful English handout describes what the French-speaking guide is talking about (some guides add English commentary). Look for places where the artists smoothed or roughened the surfaces to add depth. Keep in mind that you’ll be seeing carvings, not cave paintings. Impressive as these carvings are, their subtle majesty is lost on some.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, 17 and under free; includes required 45-minute tour, 6 tours/day (35 people each), call for tour times and to reserve. The cave is open mid-May to mid-Sept Sun-Fri 10:00-17:00, mid-Sept-mid-May Sun-Fri 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sat year-round, last entry at about 16:15, no photos, tel. 05 53 59 60 30. Tickets and reservations are also available at the Font-de-Gaume cave (fontdegaume@monuments-nationaux.fr).

Getting a Ticket: Like Font-de-Gaume, the reservation process is subject to change. But generally you should be able to book by phone, by email, or in person at the Font-de-Gaume ticket desk.

Getting There: Abri du Cap Blanc is well-signed and is located about six kilometers after Grotte de Font-de-Gaume on the road to Sarlat. From the parking lot, walk 200 yards down to the entry. Views of the Château de Commarque (described next) are terrific as you arrive.

▲Château de Commarque

This mystical medieval castle ruin is ripe for hikers wanting to get away from it all. Owner Hubert de Commarque acquired his family’s ancestral castle in 1968 and has been digging it out of the forest ever since. (The Commarque clan has the world’s only family crest that features the Ark of the Covenant—people call Hubert “Indiana Jones.”) While not as striking as other castles in the region, this Back Door alternative offers fewer crowds and a chance to explore a ruined castle that’s coming back to life before your eyes. Note that it requires a long hike to visit.

Cost and Hours: €7.50, daily May-Sept 10:00-19:00, July-Aug until 20:00, April and Oct 10:30-18:00, closed Nov-March, last entry one hour before closing, WCs back at the parking lot, off D-47 and D-6 between Sarlat and Les Eyzies-de-Tayac—see map on here, www.commarque.com.

Getting There: From Sarlat, follow signs to Les Eyzies, then follow D-6 to Marquay. As you pass through Marquay, keep right, following Commarque signs, then go about two kilometers and turn right. Hearty hikers can walk from Abri du Cap Blanc (see here) to the castle in 25 minutes (ask for trail conditions at the site). Signs also direct drivers from here.

Visiting the Castle: From the remote and secluded parking lot, it’s a 20-minute walk down through a forest of chestnut trees to a clearing, where the mostly ruined castle appears...like a mirage. Borrow the English binder, and you’re free to scour the complex. Near the entrance, peek into the chapel for photos of the overgrown hillside just 50 years ago. Then hike up to the 12th-century keep, which is a work in progress; areas that are completed feature modest exhibits, and the top of the tallest tower provides panoramic views.

Walking out into the field and looking back, you can see that Château de Commarque sits on layers of history: in the river-gouged lower level, troglodyte dwellings (and some 15,000-year-old cave art, not open to the public); just above, fortified early-medieval settlements, where ninth-century residents holed up from Viking attacks; and at the top, a 12th-century castle that is being resurrected in the 21st century.

NORTHEAST OF LES EYZIES-DE-TAYAC

I’ve listed the following stops—an elegant manor burrowed into the side of a cliff, a medieval cave dwelling, and one of the region’s most famous stops for cave art—in the order you’d reach them traveling northeast from Les Eyzies along the Vézère River on D-706.

Maison Forte de Reignac

For over 700 years, a powerful lord ruled from this unusual home carved from a rock face high above the Vézère River. After a short but steep hike to the entry, you’ll climb through several floors of well-furnished rooms, some with lit fireplaces. Kids love this tree house of a place. Your tour concludes in a room that houses torture devices and highlights man’s creative abilities to inflict unthinkable pain...and a slow death. (This section may be too gruesome for young kids.) The loaner English handout provides good context.

Cost and Hours: €7.80, April-June and Sept daily 10:00-19:00, July-Aug until 20:00, Oct-Nov until 18:00, closed Dec-March; just north of the village of Tursac, tel. 05 53 50 69 54, www.maison-forte-reignac.com.

Getting There: From Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, it’s a twisty 10-minute drive up D-706 (direction: La Roque St-Christophe).

▲La Roque St-Christophe

Five fascinating terraces carved by the Vézère River have provided shelter to people here for 55,000 years. Although the terraces were inhabited in prehistoric times, there’s no prehistoric art on display—the exhibit (except for one small cave) is entirely medieval.

Cost and Hours: €8.50, daily April-June and Sept 10:00-18:30, July-Aug until 20:00, shorter hours off-season, last entry 45 minutes before closing, lots of steps; eight kilometers north of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac—soon after passing Maison Forte de Reignac—follow signs to Montignac; tel. 05 53 50 70 45, www.roque-st-christophe.com.

Background: The official recorded history goes back to A.D. 976, when people settled here to steer clear of the Viking raiders who’d routinely sail up the river. (Back then, in this part of Europe, the standard closing of a prayer wasn’t “amen,” but “and deliver us from the Norseman, amen.”) A clever relay of river watchtowers kept an eye out for raiders. When they came, cave dwellers gathered their kids, hauled up their animals (see the big, re-created winch), and pulled up the ladders. Although there’s absolutely nothing old here except for the gouged-out rock (with holes for beams, carved out of the soft limestone), it’s easy to imagine the entire village—complete with butcher, baker, and candlestick-maker—in this family-friendly exhibit. This place is a dream for kids of any age who hold fond treehouse memories.

Visiting the Caves: It’s simple to visit: There’s a free parking lot across the stream, with picnic tables, a WC, and, adjacent to the babbling brook, a pondside café (selling good salads, omelets, and drinks—the nearby pretty village of St-Léon provides more lunch choices). Climb through the one-way circuit, which is slippery when damp. Panels show the medieval buildings that once filled this space; don’t miss the English translations on the back side. Allow at least 45 minutes for your visit.

▲▲Lascaux II

The region’s—and the world’s—most famous cave paintings are at Lascaux, 14 miles north of Sarlat-la-Canéda and Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. The Lascaux caves were discovered accidentally in 1940 by four kids and their dog. From 1948 to 1963, more than a million people climbed through this prehistoric wonderland—but these visitors tracked in fungus on their shoes and changed the temperature and humidity with their heavy breathing. In just 15 years, the precious art deteriorated more than during the previous 15,000 years, and the caves were closed. A copy cave—accurate to within one centimeter, reproducing the best 40-yard-long stretch, and showing 90 percent of the paintings found in Lascaux—was opened next to the original in 1983. Guides assure visitors that the original is every bit as crisp and has just as much contrast as the facsimile you’ll see.

At impressive Lascaux II, the reindeer, horses, and bulls of Lascaux I are painstakingly reproduced by top artists using the same dyes, tools, and techniques their predecessors did 15,000 years ago. Of course, seeing the real thing at the other caves is important, but coming here and taking one of the scheduled English-language tours is a great introduction to the region’s cave art. Although it feels a bit rushed—40 people per tour are hustled through the two-room cave reproductions—the guides are committed to teaching, the paintings are astonishing, and the experience is mystifying. (Forget that they’re copies, and enjoy being swept away by the prehistoric majesty of it all.) The cave is a constant 56 degrees year-round, so dress warmly. Pleasant Montignac is worth a wander if you have time to kill.

Cost and Hours: €10.20; July-Aug daily 9:00-20:00, night visits possible; April-June and Sept-Oct daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-Dec and mid-Feb-March Tue-Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:30, closed Mon; closed Jan-mid-Feb. You’ll see Lascaux II with a 40-minute English tour (4/day July-Aug, 2-4 per day May-Sept—usually 1-2 tours in the morning and 1-2 more in the afternoon, www.semitour.com, call 05 53 51 96 23 for ticket availability and estimated English tour times).

Getting Tickets: Unless you’re visiting in the off-season (mid-Sept-March), you must buy your ticket before coming to Lascaux. Reservations are strongly suggested in July and August and accepted up to 7 days in advance in person, and 2-5 days in advance by phone (call at 9:00 or 13:00-14:00 to avoid frequent busy signals). Without a reservation in high season, be at the ticket office when it opens on the day you want to visit (April-early Sept daily 9:30-18:00 except July-Aug 9:00-19:00). The ticket office is next to the TI on Place Bertrand de Born in Montignac, five minutes away by car. Deep-blue signs direct drivers to La Billetterie in Montignac (follow signs for Centre-Ville, then look for La Billetterie—don’t double-park. Lascaux is well-signed from there.

Sleeping near Lascaux: $$ Château de la Fleunie*** allows you to bed down in a medieval castle at peasant prices (well, almost). Built between the 12th and 16th centuries, this castle shares its land with pastures and mountain goats, a big pool (unheated), worn tennis courts, and play toys. Stay-awhile terraces overlook the scene and its riddled-with-character restaurant (€29-45 menus). Rooms are located in three buildings: the main château, an attached wing, and the modern pavilion. The château’s rooms are old-world-worn with musty and dated bathrooms (many big rooms for families), while the pavilion offers contemporary rooms with private view decks (small Db-€80-105, big Db-€105-156, Tb-€190, Qb-€210, breakfast-€14, half-pension requested July-Aug-€55/person, 10-minute drive north of Montignac on road to Brive-la-Gaillarde, in Condat-sur-Vézère, tel. 05 53 51 32 74, www.lafleunie.com, lafleunie@free.fr).

Eating near Lascaux: En Aparté makes a good stop for breakfast, a snack, lunch, or an early dinner with wonderfully light quiches, sweet pastries, to–die-for croissants, and more. Welcoming Matthieu runs the place with grace (daily 10:00-20:00, Wi-Fi, near the river on Place Tourny in Montignac, tel. 05 53 50 17 91).

NORTHWEST OF LES EYZIES

▲▲Grotte de Rouffignac

Rouffignac provides a different experience from other prehistoric caves in this area. Here you’ll ride a clunky little train down a giant subterranean riverbed, exploring about half a mile of this six-mile-long gallery. The cave itself was known to locals for decades, but the 13,000-year-old paintings were discovered only in 1956. With a little planning, you’ll have no trouble getting a ticket.

Cost and Hours: €7, daily July-Aug 9:00-11:30 & 14:00-18:00, April-June and Sept-Nov 10:00-11:30 & 14:00-17:00, closed Dec-March; essential videoguide-€1.50; one-hour guided tours run 2-3/hour, no reservations; tel. 05 53 05 41 71, www.grottederouffignac.fr. Dress warmly. It’s really crowded only mid-July-Aug—during these months the ticket office opens at 9:00 and closes when tickets are sold out for the day—usually by noon. Arrive by 8:30 in summer and 30 minutes early at other times of year, and you’ll be fine. Weekends tend to be quietest, particularly Sat.

Getting There: Grotte de Rouffignac is well-signed from the route between Les Eyzies-de-Tayac and Périgueux (don’t take the first turnoff, for Rouffignac; wait for the Grotte de Rouffignac sign); allow 25 minutes from Les Eyzies-de-Tayac.

Visiting the Cave: Your tour will be in French (with highlights described in caveman English), but the videoguide explains it all. Before the tour begins, read your videoguide’s background sections and the informative displays in the cave entry area. Once on the tour it’s easy to follow along. Here’s the gist of what they’re saying on the stops of your train ride:

The cave was created by the underground river. It’s entirely natural, but it was much shallower before the train-track bed was excavated. As you travel, imagine the motivation and determination of the painters who crawled more than a half-mile into this dark and mysterious cave. They left behind their art...and the wonder of people who crawled in centuries later to see it all.

You’ll ride about five minutes before the first stop. Along the way, you’ll see crater-like burrows made by hibernating bears long before the first humans painted here. There are hundreds of them—not because there were so many bears, but because year after year, a few of them would return, preferring to make their own private place to sleep (rather than using some other bear’s den). After a long winter nap, bears would have one thing on their mind: Cut those toenails. The walls are scarred with the scratching of bears in need of clippers.

Stop 1: The guide points out bear scratches on the right. On the left, images of woolly mammoths etched into the walls can be seen only when lit from the side (as your guide will demonstrate). As the rock is very soft here, these were simply gouged out by the artists’ fingers.

Stop 2: Look for images of finely detailed rhinoceroses outlined in black. Notice how the thicker coloring under their tummies suggests the animals’ girth. The rock is harder here, so nothing is engraved. Soon after, your guide will point out graffiti littering the ceiling—made by “modern” visitors who were not aware of the prehistoric drawings around them (with dates going back to the 18th century).

Stop 3: On the left, you’ll see woolly mammoths and horses engraved with tools in the harder rock. On the right is the biggest composition of the cave: a herd of 10 peaceful mammoths. A mysterious calcite problem threatens to cover the paintings with ugly white splotches.

Off the Train: When you get off the train, notice how high the original floor was (today’s floor was dug out in the 20th century to allow for visitors). Imagine both the prehistoric makers and viewers of this art crawling all the way back here with pretty lousy flashlight-substitutes. The artists lay on their backs while creating these 60 images (unlike at Lascaux, where they built scaffolds).

The ceiling is covered with a remarkable gathering of animals. You’ll see a fine 16-foot-long horse, a group of mountain goats, and a grandpa mammoth. Art even decorates the walls far down the big, scary hole. When the group chuckles, it’s because the guide is explaining how the mammoth with the fine detail (showing a flap of skin over its anus) helped authenticate the paintings: These paintings couldn’t be fakes, because no one knew about this anatomical detail until the preserved remains of an actual mammoth were found in Siberian permafrost in modern times. (The discovery explained the painted skin flap, which had long puzzled French prehistorians.)

SOUTH OF THE RIVER

Of the caves listed in this section, this is the farthest from Les Eyzies-de-Tayac (about 45 minutes); it’s easier to visit from Sarlat or one of the river towns (about 30 minutes from either), and is roughly on the way between the Dordogne Valley and the A-20 autoroute.

▲▲Grottes de Cougnac

Located 23 kilometers south of Sarlat-la-Canéda and three well-signed kilometers north of Gourdon on D-704, this cave holds fascinating rock formations and the oldest (20,000-25,000-year-old) paintings open to the public. Family-run and less touristy than other sites, it provides a more intimate look at cave art, as guides take more time to explain the caves and paintings (your guide should give some explanations in English—ask if he or she doesn’t). The art is just one small part of the full tour, which focuses heavily on the cave’s geology and unique formations—you’ll see spaghetti-style stalactites, curtain stalactites, and much more.

Cost and Hours: €8; these hours correspond to first/last tour times: July-Aug daily 10:00-18:00; April-June and Sept daily 10:00-11:30 & 14:30-17:00; Oct Mon-Sat 14:00-16:00, closed Sun; closed Nov-March; free WCs, beverages sold on-site, tel. 05 65 41 47 54, www.grottesdecougnac.com.

Visiting the Cave: The 1.25-hour tour, likely in French, begins in a cave below the entrance, where the guide explains the geological formations (you’ll learn that it takes 70 years for water to make it from the earth’s surface into the cave). From this first cave, you’ll return to the fresh air and walk eight minutes to a second cave. Inside, you’ll twist and twist through forests of stalagmites and stalactites before reaching the grand finale: the paintings you came to see. They are worth the wait. Vivid depictions (about 10) of ibex, mammoths, and giant deer (Megaloceros), as well as a few nifty representations of humans, are outlined in rust or black. The rendering of the giant deer’s antlers is exquisite, and many paintings use the cave’s form to add depth and movement. The art is subtle—small sketches here and there, rather than the grand canvases of some of the more famous caves—but powerful.

Because access is first-come, first-served (and groups are limited to 25), plan your visit carefully. During busy times (in summer and in bad weather), they’re most crowded 11:00-12:00 and 15:00-17:00; try to arrive first thing (ideally 10 minutes before opening). At quieter times, you can usually stop by before 11:00 and get in. Outside of July and August, be careful not to arrive too close to the last tour before lunch (11:30)—if that tour is full, you’ll have to wait for the 14:30 departure. English-only tours are possible in peak season; call ahead to ask. You can also buy a €5 English booklet about the site.

Oradour-sur-Glane

Lost in lush countryside, two hours north of Sarlat-la-Canéda, Oradour-sur-Glane is a powerful experience—worth ▲▲▲. French children know this town well, as most come here on school trips. Village des Martyrs, as it is known, was machine-gunned and burned on June 10, 1944, by Nazi troops. With cool attention to detail, the Nazis methodically rounded up the entire population of 642 townspeople, of whom about 200 were children. The women and children were herded into the town church, where they were tear-gassed and machine-gunned as they tried to escape the burning chapel. Oradour’s men were tortured and executed. The town was then set on fire, its victims left under a blanket of ashes.

The reason for the mass killings remains unclear today. Some believe that the Nazis wanted revenge for the kidnapping of one of their officers, some believe they wanted to teach locals a lesson for stealing a large amount of gold, and still others believe that the Nazis were simply terrorizing the populace in preparation for the upcoming Allied invasion (this was four days after D-Day). Today, the ghost town, left untouched for 70 years (by order of President Charles de Gaulle), greets every pilgrim who enters with only one English word: Remember.

ORIENTATION TO ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE

Cost and Hours: Entering the village is free, but the museum costs €8 (audioguide-€2). Both are open daily mid-May-mid-Sept 9:00-19:00, off-season until 17:00 or 18:00, last visit one hour before closing, tel. 05 55 43 04 30, www.oradour.org. Allow two hours for your visit.

Getting There: For drivers coming from the south, Oradour-sur-Glane is well-signed off the (mostly free) A-20. Those driving from the north should take A-10 to Poitiers, then follow signs toward Limoges and turn south at Bellac. Bus #12 links Oradour-sur-Glane with the train station in Limoges (3/day, 40 minutes, consider taking the bus one way to Oradour and taxi the other); Limoges is a stop on an alternative train route between Amboise and Sarlat (Limoges TI tel. 05 55 34 46 87). Those without a car should consider hiring a taxi; Christoph Kusters can pick you up in Limoges and take you to Oradour and other sights on the way to your Dordogne hotel (reverse this plan if leaving the Dordogne; see listing under “Getting Around the Dordogne” on here).

VISITING ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE

Follow Village Martyrs signs to the parking lot and enter at the rust-colored underground museum (Centre de la Mémoire). The pricey-for-what-it-offers museum gives a standard timeline of the rise of Hitler and WWII events, shows haunting footage of everyday life in Oradour before the attack, and offers a day-by-day account of the town’s destruction. While thorough English explanations are posted, and the 13-minute subtitled movie adds drama, the museum as a whole is skippable for some. At the bookshop, consider picking up a €3 English map to better navigate the site (which has almost no posted information).

From the museum’s back door, you pop out at the edge of the ruined village itself. It’s shocking just how big and how ruined it is—a harrowing embodiment of the brutality and pointlessness of war.

Join other hushed visitors to walk the length of Oradour’s main street, past gutted, charred buildings and along lonely streetcar tracks. Lieu de Supplice signs show where the townsmen were tormented and murdered. The plaques on the buildings provide the names and occupations of the people who lived there (laine means wool, sabotier is a maker of wooden shoes, couturier is a tailor, quincaillerie is a hardware store, cordonnier is shoe repair, menuisier is a carpenter, and tissus are fabrics). You’ll pass several cafés and butcher shops, and a hôtel-restaurant. This village was not so different from many you have seen on your trip.

At the end of main street, visit the modest church, with its bullet-pocked altar. Then double back through the upper part of the village, bearing right at the long, straight street to the cemetery. The names of all who died in the massacre on that June day are etched into the rear wall of the cemetery, around an austere pillar. In front of the pillar, glass cases display ashes of some of the victims. Leaving the cemetery, jog right and cut through the hedges to find the entrance to the easy-to-miss, bunker-like underground memorial, where you’ll see displays of people’s possessions found after the attack: eyeglasses, children’s toys, sewing machines, cutlery, pocket watches, and so on.

Nearby: The adorable village of Mortemart lies 10 minutes south of Bellac with a good café (closed Mon) wedged between its ancient market hall and low-slung château (a block off the main road, to the right; wander behind for a sweet scene).

St-Emilion

Two hours due west of Sarlat-la-Canéda and just 40 minutes from Bordeaux, pretty St-Emilion is carved like an amphitheater into the bowl of a limestone hill. Its tidy streets connect a few inviting squares with heavy cobbles and scads of well-stocked wine shops. There’s little to do in this well-heeled town other than enjoy the setting and sample the local sauce. Sunday is market day.

They’ve been making wine in St-Emilion for more than 1,800 years—making it the oldest wine producer in the Bordeaux region (though it accounts for barely 5 percent of Bordeaux’s famous red wine). Blending cabernet franc and merlot grapes, St-Emilion wines are also the most robust in Bordeaux. About 60 percent of the grapes you see are merlot.

The helpful TI is located at the top of the town on Place des Créneaux, across from the town’s highest bell tower (open daily year-round, Place Pioceau, tel. 05 57 55 28 28, www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com, st-emilion.tourisme@wanadoo.fr). The TI rents bikes and has helpful English-language handouts outlining self-guided cycling routes as well as themed, well-marked walking routes through the vineyards. Ask also about their English-language guided tours (see “Tours and Views,” below).

Getting There: It’s a 20-minute walk from St-Emilion’s train station into town; taxis don’t wait at the station, but you can call one from there (6 trains/day Mon-Fri from Bordeaux, 4/day Sat-Sun). You can also get off in Libourne (5 miles away, with better train service, easy car rental, taxis, and 3 buses/day to St-Emilion).

Drivers will find pay parking in lots at the upper end of the town or along the wall.

Wine Tasting and Wine Shops: Located next to the TI, Maison du Vin is a fair starting point for an introduction to wine (free, daily, tel. 05 57 55 50 55, www.maisonduvinsaintemilion.com, maisonduvin@vins-saint-emilion.com). They also offer wine-tasting classes (usually mid-July-mid-Sept, register in advance).

Keepers of small shops greet visitors in flawless English, with a free tasting table, maps of the vineyards, and several open bottles. Americans may represent only about 15 percent of the visitors, but we buy 40 percent of their wine. Cercle des Oenophiles is an easygoing place where you can taste wines and tour nearby cellars storing more than 400,000 bottles (free, daily except closed 12:30-14:00, 12 Rue Guadat, tel. 05 57 74 45 55).

Château Visits and Minivan Excursions: The TI can send you to a tasting at selected châteaux (no charge, but a tasting fee may apply) and offers a variety of tours (some with an open-deck bus) through the vineyards—in English and French—that includes a tasting at one château (€10, two hours, usually May-mid-Sept only; verify times on website).

Tours and Views: You can climb the bell tower in front of the TI for a good view (small fee, ask at TI for key, open daily), but the view is best from the Tour du Roy several blocks below (small fee, open daily).

The TI offers two guided tours in St-Emilion (fees for both). The interesting 45-minute underground tour makes three stops at sights that otherwise aren’t open to visitors: the catacombs (sorry, no bones), monolithic church, and Trinity Chapel (English tour daily, usually at 14:00, more in French, thorough English handout given on French tours). The city walking tour takes 1.5 hours and covers aboveground sights and the back streets of St-Emilion.

Quickie Vineyard Loop by Car or Bike: This 10-kilometer loop can be done in 20 minutes if driving, and in 2 hours if pedaling. Leave the upper end of St-Emilion on D-243E-1 and head to St-Christophe des Bardes. Pass through the village (direction: St-Genès), then follow signs to the right to St. Laurent des Combes. Joyride your way down through hillsides of vines, then find signs looping back to St-Emilion’s lower end via D-245 and D-122.

If you need a driver, local guide Robert Faustin drives a comfortable station wagon, speaks enough English, and arranges visits to wineries—he knows them all (tel. 05 57 25 17 59, mobile 06 77 75 36 64, www.taxi-lussac-winetour-stemilion.com, robert.faustin@wanadoo.fr).

Sleeping in St-Emilion: There are no cheap hotels in St-Emilion. Chambres d’hôtes, hidden among the surrounding vineyards, offer a better value—ask at the TI for a list. Hotel prices skyrocket during the VinExpo festival at the end of June and during harvest time (late Sept).

$$$ Au Logis des Remparts*** offers top comfort, a pool, and a tranquil garden with vineyards (tel. 05 57 24 70 43, www.logisdesremparts.com, contact@logisdesremparts.com).

$$ L’Auberge de la Commanderie** has 16 well-maintained rooms at midrange prices (closed Jan-Feb, free parking, tel. 05 57 24 70 19, www.aubergedelacommanderie.com, contact@aubergedelacommanderie.com).

$$ At Moulin la Grangère,

Eating in St-Emilion: Skip most of the cafés lining the street by the TI and instead head to the melt-in-your-chair square, Place du Marché.

Amelia-Canta Café is the happening spot on Place du Marché with café fare, salads, and veggie options (daily March-Nov, 2 Place de l’Eglise Monolithe, tel. 05 57 74 48 03).

L’Envers du Décor wine bar-bistro is about fun, wine, and food—in that order. Meat dishes are their forte (daily, a few doors from the TI at 11 Rue du Clocher, tel. 05 57 74 48 31).

Logis de la Cadène has street appeal with a pleasing patio terrace, a warm interior, and fine, traditional cuisine (closed Sun-Mon, just above Amelia-Canta Café at 3 Place du Marché du Bois, tel. 05 57 24 71 40).

The Overlooked Eastern Dordogne

This remote, less-visited section of the Dordogne (Quercy région) is detour-worthy for those with a full day. Its undisputed highlight is the pilgrimage town of Rocamadour, but there’s much more to see. For a good introduction to this area, follow this self-guided driving tour connecting Sarlat and Rocamadour.

Eastern Dordogne Driving Tour

(See “Near Rocamadour” map, here.)

For the most scenic route from Sarlat to Rocamadour, drive about an hour upriver from Souillac, connecting these worthwhile stops: Martel, Carennac, Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux, Loubressac, and Autoire. Rocamadour lies a short hop south of this area, as do the Tom Sawyer-like Gouffre de Padirac caves (both described later in this chapter). Allow 45 minutes from Sarlat to Souillac, then 15 minutes to Martel, and 20 minutes to Carennac (Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux and Loubressac are within 10 minutes of Carennac; Autoire is about 10 minutes beyond Loubressac). From Carennac or Autoire, it’s 25 minutes south to Rocamadour. On Mondays, these towns are very quiet, and most shops are closed.

• From Souillac’s center, take D-803 east to...

Martel: This well-preserved medieval town of 1,500 souls and seven towers offers a good chance to stretch your legs and stock up on picnic items (market days are Wed and Sat on the atmospheric Place des Consuls). Lacking a riverfront or a hilltop setting, Martel is largely overlooked by tourists. Park in the ample lot along the main road, then walk one block behind the buildings to find the market square, with the TI in a smaller, adjoining square. Buy a copy of the TI’s well-done walking-tour pamphlet (in English, TI closed 12:30-14:00 and Sun), and enjoy the handsome pedestrian area lined with historic buildings. The walking tour starts at Martel’s terrific main square (Place des Consuls)—with a medieval covered market and reasonable lunch cafés—and connects the town’s seven towers and the fortress-like church of St. Maur. The town is said to be named for Charles Martel, Charlemagne’s grandfather and role model, who stopped the Moors’ advance into northern France in 732.

• From Martel, continue east on D-803 toward Vayrac and Bétaille, then cross the Dordogne on D-20 and turn right to find...

Carennac: This jumble of peaked roofs and half-timbered walls, lassoed between the river and D-20, begs to be photographed. Park along D-20 and wander the village to the river on foot. Find the fortified Prieuré St.-Pierre, explore its evocative church, and examine its exquisitely carved tympanum. It was built as an outpost of the Cluny Abbey in the 10th century, and then fortified in the 1500s during the French Wars of Religion (a series of civil wars between Catholic and Protestant factions). You can pay €3 (buy token at TI) to enter the tranquil, two-story cloister; in the chapter house, you’ll see a life-size statue group surrounding the body of Christ. Cross the small bridge behind the restaurant for more village views.

• From here, head east on D-30, tracking the Dordogne River. On the left you’ll pass the splendidly situated and once-powerful military castle called...

Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux: This château has views in all directions and a few well-furnished rooms. The reddish-golden stone and massive 12th-century walls make an impression, as does its height—almost 800 feet. Consider detouring for a closer look (watch for the turnoff on the left, over the one-lane bridge), but skip the interior. The village of Bretenoux has good markets on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.

• From D-30, turn right on D-14 and then left on D-118. You’ll come to...

Loubressac: Mystical Loubressac hangs atop a beefy ridge, with outlandish views and a gaggle of adorable homes at its eastern end. If this is not the most beautiful village in France, I’d like to see the one that is. Park along the central green (with a small grocery store), take a loop stroll through the village, and consider a café or meal at the très traditional and reasonable $ Hôtel Lou Cantou**. Or, if you’re really on vacation, spend the night, have dinner (restaurant closed Fri and Sun nights and all day Mon), and let owner Marie-Claude take good care of you (Db-€62-78, half with valley views, breakfast-€9, tel. 05 65 38 20 58, www.loucantou.com, lou_cantou@orange.fr).

• From here it’s a short hop on D-118 to lovely little...

Autoire: The other most beautiful village in France, this one lies a few minutes beyond Loubressac. Visit and decide which village is fairest of them all.

• From here you can follow signs to Gramat, then on to Rocamadour. The caves of Gouffre de Padirac (described later) are also nearby, and well-signed from this area.

Rocamadour

An hour east of Sarlat-la-Canéda, this historic town with its dramatic rock-face setting is a ▲▲ sight after dark. Once one of Europe’s top pilgrimage sites, today it feels more tacky than spiritual. Still, if you can get into the medieval mindset, its peaceful and dramatic setting—combined with the memory of the countless thousands of faithful who trekked from all over Europe to worship here—overwhelms the kitschy tourism, and it becomes a nice (short) stop.

Those who visit only during the day might wonder why they bothered, as there’s little to do here except climb the pilgrims’ steps (with scads of people who aren’t pilgrims) to a few churches, and then stare at the view. Travelers who arrive late and spend the night enjoy fewer crowds—and a floodlit spectacle. To scenically connect Rocamadour and Sarlat, follow the driving tour outlined in the previous section.

Orientation to Rocamadour

Rocamadour has three basic levels, connected by steps or elevators. The bottom level (La Cité Médiévale, or simply La Cité) is a single, long pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants. The sanctuary level (Cité Religieuse)—the main attraction—is up 223 holy steps from La Cité. Its centerpiece is a church with seven chapels gathered around a small square. A switchback trail, the Way of the Cross (Chemin de la Croix), leads from the sanctuary to the top level. The top level consists of a cliff-capping château (public access to ramparts only) and—a 15-minute walk away—a small town, called L’Hospitalet. You can drive between the upper town (where you’ll approach from the north, including Sarlat or my driving tour) and the lower town (where you’ll approach from the south), which both have free parking lots.

TOURIST INFORMATION

There are two TIs in Rocamadour (www.rocamadour.com): the glassy TI that most drivers come to first, in the village of L’Hospitalet above Rocamadour (daily July-Aug 9:30-19:00, April-June and Sept-Oct 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00, closed Nov-March); and another on the level pedestrian street in La Cité Médiévale (same hours in summer, off-season 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:00, tel. 05 65 33 22 00, www.vallee-dordogne-rocamadour.com).

ARRIVAL IN ROCAMADOUR

By Train: Five daily trains (transfer in Brive-la-Gaillarde) leave you 2.5 miles from the village at an unstaffed station. It’s about a €12 taxi ride to Rocamadour (see “Helpful Hints—Taxi,” next page).

By Car: All of the parking lots around Rocamadour are free. I prefer the upper lot: From L’Hospitalet, follow P Château signs all the way to the western end of town until you see the ascenseur incliné (elevator). From here, it’s easy to walk or take the elevator down to the sanctuary.

You can also park in the lower lot, but it takes more effort to get up to the sanctuary: Follow signs to La Cité and park at Parking de la Vallée. Hike 15 minutes up into La Cité Médiévale, or take the little tourist train—called le petit train (4/hour, €3.50 round-trip); then either climb the stairs or take the elevator up to the sanctuary.

HELPFUL HINTS

Elevators: This vertical town has two handy elevators. From top to bottom, the ascenseur incliné (€2.60 one-way, €4.20 round-trip) connects the sanctuary with the château and parking lot at the top. The ascenseur cité (€2.10 one-way, €3.10 round-trip) links the lower town with the sanctuary. If you buy a round-trip, keep the receipt for your return ride. If no one is staffing the ticket window, press the button to call the elevator, then pay as you exit. Managed by two different companies, the elevators are within 50 yards of one another at the sanctuary level. Note that both elevators stop running at night (after 19:00 in peak season, earlier off-season).

Views After Dark: If you’re staying overnight, don’t miss the views of a floodlit Rocamadour from the opposite side of the valley (doable by car, on foot, or by tourist train; see next). It’s best as a half-hour (round-trip) stroll. From the town’s southeast end (Porte du Figuier), follow the quiet road down, cross the bridge, and head up the far side of the gorge opposite the town. Leave before it gets dark, as the floodlighting is best just after twilight. Wear light-colored or reflective clothing, or take a flashlight—it’s a dark road with no shoulder. Within the town, climb the steps to just below the sanctuary, and consider a drink with a view at the Hôtel Sainte Marie.

Tourist Train: Most useful for connecting the valley parking lot to the lower town (explained earlier), the petit train is an option for enjoying the view after dark—with 50 other travelers, a bad sound system blaring worthless multilingual commentary, a flashing yellow light, and a view-cramping rooftop (€5, 30-minute round-trip, 2 trips/evening April-Sept, departures starting at twilight—the first one is by far the best, check at the TI or call 05 65 33 67 84). Or you can walk the same route in 30 minutes (see above), and take much better photos.

Money: There’s an ATM in the upper town (next to the TI) and one in the lower town (near the elevator).

Small Grocery Store: The “Superette” on Place de l’Europe in the upper city is open daily (8:00-20:00).

Taxi: Call 06 86 18 71 55.

Sights in Rocamadour

IN THE UPPER TOWN (L’HOSPITALET)

If you’re coming from Sarlat or from the north, your first view of Rocamadour is the same as the one seen by medieval pilgrims—at the top of the gorge from the hamlet of L’Hospitalet, named for the hospitality it gave pilgrims. Stop here for the sweeping views, then move along: A right turn takes you to the Château parking lot described earlier (for most, this is the best place to park for the sanctuary); a left leads to the glassy TI and—several switchbacks later—La Cité Médiévale and valley parking.

Taking in the view, imagine the impact of this sight in the 13th century, as awestruck pilgrims first gazed on the sanctuary cut from the limestone cliffs. It was through L’Hospitalet’s fortified gate that medieval pilgrims gained access to the “Holy Way,” the path leading from L’Hospitalet to Rocamadour.

Of the sights below, the cave is right in the town itself, and the château is a two-minute drive (or 15-minute walk).

Château

Dating from the 14th century, the original château fortified a bluff that was an easy base for bandits to attack the wealthy church below. Today’s structure is a 19th-century private house that was transformed into a reception spot for pilgrims. It’s privé unless you are a pilgrim (in which case you can sleep here). All it offers tourists is a short rampart walk for a grand view (not worth the €2 fee; turnstile requires exact change).

The zigzag Way of the Cross (Chemin de la Croix—a path marked with 14 Stations of the Cross, with a chapel for each station) gives religious purpose to the 15-minute hike between the château and the sanctuary below.

Grotte Préhistorique des Merveilles

This cave, located next to the upper TI, has the usual geological formations and a handful of small, blurred cave paintings. It’s of no interest if you have seen or will see other prehistoric caves—its sole advantages are that it requires little effort to visit (with only about 10 steps down), and the guide can answer questions in English on the 45-minute tour.

Cost and Hours: €7, daily July-Aug 9:30-19:00, April-June and Sept 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Oct until 17:00, closed Nov-March, decent handout available, tel. 05 65 33 67 92, www.grotte-des-merveilles.com.

BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER TOWNS (LA CITE RELIGIEUSE)

▲▲Sanctuary of Our Lady of Rocamadour

These sights form the heart of your vertical sightseeing. Be sure to read the “Rocamadour’s Religious History” sidebar before beginning your visit.

Cost and Hours: Free, open daily generally 8:00-19:00.

Getting There: To reach the sights from the château’s parking lot in the upper town, descend the paved Way of the Cross path or take the elevator and walk downhill. If you’re coming from the lower town, ride the elevator up or climb the Grand Escalier steps (like a good pilgrim), passing a plaque listing key medieval pilgrims, such as St. Bernard, St. Dominique, and St. Louis (the only French king to become a saint; he brought the Crown of Thorns to Paris and had Sainte-Chapelle constructed to house it). Either way, your destination will be signed Sanctuaires.

Self-Guided Tour: Find the concrete bench on the small square facing the cliff. Though the buildings originated much earlier, most of what you see was rebuilt in the 19th century. Crammed onto a ledge on a cliff, the church couldn’t follow the standard floor plan, so its seven chapels surround the square (called the parvis) rather than the church. The bishop’s palace is behind you and to your left, and houses a gift shop selling various pilgrimage mementos, including modern versions of the medallions that pilgrims prized centuries ago as proof of their visit (€13 for a tiny one). The two most historic chapels are straight ahead on either side of the steps.

• Walk up the flight of steps to the cliff, where a tomb is cut into the rock.

This is where the miraculously preserved body of St. Amadour was found in 1166. Places of pilgrimage do better with multiple miracles, so, along with its Black Virgin and the miracle of St. Amadour’s body (see sidebar on here), Rocamadour has the Sword of Roland. The rusty sword of Charlemagne’s nephew sticks in the cliffside, above Amadour’s tomb (30 feet straight up and a bit to the right, about where the church roof meets the cliff). According to medieval sources, Roland was about to die in battle, but the great warrior didn’t want his sword to fall into enemy hands. He hurled it from the far south of France, and it landed here—stuck miraculously into the Rocamadour cliffs just above the Black Virgin. (The sword is clearly from the 18th century, but never mind.)

St. Michael’s Chapel is built around the original cave to your left (open only to pilgrims, with little to see inside). A few steps farther along, the tiny Chapel of St-Louis is sculpted into the rock with a view terrace just beyond. Since 2011, this chapel has been dedicated to “Notre-Dame du Rugby,” honoring a sport that’s revered in southwestern France. You’ll see jerseys displayed on the wall.

Backtrack to the Chapel of the Virgin (Chapelle Notre-Dame), the focal point for pilgrims. Step inside. Sitting above the altar is the much-venerated Black Virgin, a 12th-century statue (covered with a thin plating of blackened silver—see sidebar on here) that depicts Mary presenting Jesus to the world. The oldest thing in the sanctuary—from the ninth century—is a simple rusted bell hanging from the ceiling. The suspended sailboat models are a reminder that sailors relied on Mary for safe passage.

The adjacent Church of St. Saveur is the sanctuary’s main place of worship. You can’t miss the dazzling new organ, installed in 2013. The rebuilt wooden balcony overhead was for the monks. Imagine attending a Mass here in centuries past, when pilgrims filled the church and monks lined the balconies. While Rocamadour’s church seems more like a tourist attraction, it remains a sacred place of worship. A sign reminds tourists “to admire, to contemplate, to pray. You’re welcome to respectfully visit.” A bulletin board on the wall usually displays fliers for pilgrimages to Lourdes or Santiago de Compostela. Rocamadour has been both a key destination and staging point for pilgrims for centuries.

• From here, you can walk down the Grand Escalier to the lower town. Or walk under the Church of St. Saveur to find the Way of the Cross (Chemin de la Croix) and elevators up (Château par ascenseur) or down (La Cité par ascenseur). The passage under the church is lined with votive plaques, many of them saying “Merci à Notre-Dame” (thank you to the Virgin Mary) or “Reconnaissance” (in appreciation).

IN THE LOWER TOWN (LA CITE MEDIEVALE)

Rocamadour’s town is basically one long street traversing the cliff below the sanctuary. For eight centuries it has housed, fed, and sold souvenirs to the site’s countless visitors. There’s precious little here other than tacky trinket shops, but I enjoy popping into the Galerie le Vieux Pressoir (named for its 13th-century walnut millstone). It fills a medieval vaulted room with the fine art of a talented couple: Richard Begyn and Veronique Guinard (about 50 yards up from the elevator).

Of Rocamadour’s 11 original gates, 7 survive (designed to control the pilgrim crowds). In the 14th century, as many as 20,000 people a day from all over Europe would converge on this spot. From the western end of town, 223 steps lead up to the church at the sanctuary level. Traditionally, pilgrims kneel on each and pray an “Ave Maria” to Our Lady.

NEAR ROCAMADOUR

▲Gouffre de Padirac

A 20-minute drive northeast of Rocamadour is the huge sinkhole of Padirac, with its underground river and miles of stalagmites and stalactites (but no cave art). Though it’s an impressive cave, if you’ve seen caves already, it may feel slow in comparison (and there’s little English). But the mechanics of the visit are easy, and there’s not much to communicate anyway. Here’s the drill: After paying, hike the stairs (with big views of the sinkhole—a round shaft about 100 yards wide and deep), or ride the elevator to the river level. Line up and wait for your boat. Pack into the boat with about a dozen others for the slow row past a fantasy world of hanging cave formations. Get out and hike a big circle with your group and guide, enjoying lots of caverns, underground lakes, and mighty stalagmites and stalactites. Get back on the boat and retrace your course. Two elevators zip you back to the sunlight. The visit takes 1.5 hours (crowds make it take longer in summer). Dress warmly.

Cost and Hours: €10, reserve online at least 48 hours ahead and save lots of waiting, daily mid-July-Aug 9:30-20:30, April-mid-July and Sept-early Nov until 18:00, closed mid-Nov-March, tel. 05 65 33 64 56, www.gouffre-de-padirac.com. For a knickknack Padirac, don’t miss the shop.

Sleeping in and near Rocamadour

Hotels are a good deal here. Those in the upper town (L’Hospitalet) have views down to Rocamadour and easier parking, but the spirit of St. Amadour is more present below, in the lower town (La Cité, which I prefer). Every hotel—including the ones I recommend—has a restaurant where they’d like you to dine.

In the Upper Town (L’Hospitalet): $ Hôtel Belvédère** has 17 well-maintained, modern, and appealing rooms. Five rooms have views over Rocamadour, and seven have valley views (rooms #14-18 have best views; no view Db-€57-67, view Db-€73-78, breakfast-€9, tel. 05 65 33 63 25, www.hotel-le-belvedere.fr, lebelvedere-rocamadour@orange.fr).

In the Lower Town (La Cité): $ Hôtel-Restaurant le Terminus des Pèlerins**, at the western end of the pedestrian street in La Cité Médiévale, has 12 immaculate, homey rooms with wood furnishings; the best have balconies and face the valley. Reserved, motherly owner Geneviève was born in this hotel (standard valley-facing Db-€62, street-facing twin Db-€74, view Db with balcony-€83, Tb/Qb-€90, breakfast-€8, tel. 05 65 33 62 14, www.terminus-des-pelerins.com, contact@terminus-des-pelerins.com).

Near Rocamadour: $$ Moulin de Fresquet, well worth the 15-minute drive from Rocamadour, is simply idyllic. Here gracious Gérard and his wife, Claude, have lovingly restored an ancient mill in a lush, park-like setting lined up along a private stretch of river. The five antique-furnished rooms come with wood beams, oodles of character, lovely terraces, chaise lounges, and all the modern comforts. Book well ahead (Db-€83-99, larger Db and Db suite-€119, Tb suite-€144, includes big breakfast, cash only, closed Nov-March, in Gramat, tel. 05 65 38 70 60, mobile 06 08 85 09 21, www.moulindefresquet.com, info@moulindefresquet.com). Go to Gramat, then follow signs toward Figeac. The chambres d’hôte is well-signed at the east end of Gramat, at a big roundabout.

Eating in Rocamadour

Both of these are in the upper town, L’Hospitalet.

Hôtel Belvédère has the best interior view from its modern dining room. Book ahead for a windowside table, ideally for a meal just before sunset (menus from €18, daily, tel. 05 65 33 63 25; also recommended under “Sleeping in Rocamadour,” earlier).

The Bar l’Esplanade hunkers cliffside below Hôtel Belvédère and owns unobstructed views from the tables in its garden café. It’s open for lunch, dinner, drinks, and snacks (daily, tel. 05 65 33 18 45).

Lot River Valley

An hour and a half south of the Dordogne, the overlooked Lot River meanders through a strikingly beautiful valley under stubborn cliffs and past tempting villages. If you have a car, the fortified bridge at Cahors, the prehistoric cave paintings at Grotte du Pech Merle, and the breathtaking town of St-Cirq-Lapopie are worthwhile sights in this valley. These sights can be combined to make a terrific day for drivers willing to invest the time (doable as a long day trip from the Sarlat area). They also work well as a day trip from Rocamadour, but are best to visit when connecting the Dordogne with Albi, Puycelci, or Carcassonne. (If you’re going to or coming from the south, you can scenically connect this area with Albi via Villefranche-de-Rouergue and Cordes-sur-Ciel.)

St-Cirq-Lapopie

This spectacularly situated village, clinging to a ledge sailing above the Lot River, knows only two directions—straight up and way down. In St-Cirq-Lapopie, there’s little to do but wander the rambling footpaths, inspect the flowers and stones, and thrill over the vistas. You’ll find picnic perches, a gaggle of galleries and restaurants, and views from the bottom and top of the village that justify the pain. Leave no stone unturned in your quest to find the village’s best view (the overlook from the rocky monolith across from the TI makes a good start). In this town, every building seems historic. You’ll lose most tourists by wandering downhill from the church.

The TI is located across from the recommended Auberge du Sombral (May-Sept daily 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00 except July-Aug 10:00-19:00, Oct-April until 17:00 and closed Sun, tel. 05 65 31 31 31). Pick up the visitor’s guide in English, with brief descriptions of 22 historic buildings, and ask for information on hikes in the area.

St-Cirq-Lapopie is slammed on weekends and in high season (mid-June-mid-Sept), but is peaceful early and after-hours in any season. Come early and spend a few hours, or arrive late and spend the night—your first views of St-Cirq-Lapopie are eye-popping enough to convince you to stay. The lanes are steep—those with imperfect knees but still wanting a lovely village retreat should sleep an hour south in the level, quiet hilltop village of Puycelci (see here).

Getting There: St-Cirq-Lapopie is well-signed 40 minutes east of Cahors, 75 minutes south of Rocamadour, and just 20 minutes from the cave paintings of Grotte du Pech Merle.

Arriving by car from the west, you’ll pass the town across the Lot River, then cross a narrow bridge and climb. There are five parking lots (€3-5) from well below the village to the top; unless it’s high season, keep climbing and park at lot closest to the town center near the post office (in high season you’ll be directed to lower lots, leaving you a good climb to the center). Pull over for photo stops as you climb.

Sleeping and Eating in St-Cirq-Lapopie: The village has all of 18 rooms, none of which are open off-season (mid-Nov-March).

$$ Auberge du Sombral**, run by English-speaking Marion, is a good value in the town center below the TI. She’ll welcome you with an oh-so-cozy lobby area and eight comfortable rooms in various sizes above, most with double beds (small Sb-€65, Db-€85, breakfast-€9, tel. 05 65 31 26 08, www.lesombral.com, aubergesombral@gmail.com). The good restaurant serves reliable lunches (every day but Thu) and dinners (Fri-Sat only) in its lovely dining room or out front on a photogenic terrace (€17 lunch menus, €24-30 dinner menus).

As restaurants go, Lou Boulat Brasserie works for me. It serves low-risk lighter meals (salads, crêpes, pizza, and plats) in a low-stress setting, with good views from the pleasant side terrace (daily for lunch and dinner June-Sept, otherwise lunch only, at the upper end of town, off the main road by the post office, tel. 05 65 30 29 04).

L’Oustal is the most traditional restaurant in town, with a handful of cozy tables inside and out on a little terrace (menus from €18, €15 plats du jour, beneath the towering church, tel. 05 65 31 20 17).

Picnicking: This town was made for picnics; consider picking up dinner fixings in the hamlet of La Tour de Faure. There’s a small grocery store on the other side of the river just west of the bridge to St-Cirq-Lapopie, and a bakery a short way east of the bridge.

▲▲Grotte du Pech Merle

This cave, about 30 minutes east of Cahors, has prehistoric paintings of mammoths, bison, and horses—rivaling the better-known cave art at Grotte de Font-de-Gaume. Although this cave is easier to view, as more people per day are allowed in (700), that also makes the cave a bit less special. Still, it has brilliant cave art and interesting stalactite and stalagmite formations. I like the mud-preserved Cro-Magnon footprint. Allow a total of two hours for your visit, starting at the small museum, continuing with a 20-minute film subtitled in English, and finishing with the caves. If you can’t join an English tour, ask for the English booklet.

Cost and Hours: €11, daily March-mid-Nov 9:30-17:00, closes earlier off-season, fewer visitors on weekends, tel. 05 65 31 27 05, www.pechmerle.com. Before you visit, read “Cave Art 101” on here.

Getting Tickets: It’s smart to reserve your spot in advance (by phone or online), as private groups can fill the cave’s quota. Book a week ahead in summer; if you visit without a reservation, arrive by 9:30 and line up.

▲Cahors and the Pont Valentré

Cahors is home to one of Europe’s best medieval monuments. This massive fortified bridge was built in 1308 to keep the English out of Cahors. It worked. Learn the story of the devil on the center tower, then cross the bridge and have a view drink at the riverside café. Consider walking up the trail across the road: A short, steep hike leads to terrific views (the rock is dangerous if the trail is wet). This trail was once part of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Imagine that cars were allowed to cross this bridge until recently.

To find the bridge as you’re approaching Cahors, follow signs to Centre-Ville, Gare SNCF, then Pont Valentré. Turn left at the river and find parking lots a few blocks down and a fine riverside promenade to the bridge.

On the city side, Cahors’ small TI is at the foot of the bridge. Across the street, Le Cèdre boutique offers a good selection of Cahors wines at fair prices.

If you need an urban fix, walk for 10 minutes on the street that continues straight from the bridge (Rue de Président Wilson) and find the old city (Vielle Ville) after crossing Boulevard Gambetta. Cahors’ thriving, pedestrian-friendly center is filled with good lunch options, cafes, cool gardens, and riverside parkways. To find this area by car, follow Centre-Ville and St. Urcisse Eglise signs, and park where you can.

$$$	Higher Priced—Most rooms €120 or more
$$	Moderately Priced—Most rooms €70-120
$	Lower Priced—Most rooms €70 or less