The Dordogne
France’s most famous prehistoric cave paintings are at the Grotte de Lascaux, 2km southeast of Montignac. Naturally sealed and protected for millennia, it…
Must-see attractions in The Dordogne, Limousin & the Lot
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The Dordogne
This extraordinary cave contains the only original polychrome (as opposed to single-colour) paintings still open to the public. About 14,000 years ago,…
The Dordogne
The massive ramparts and metre-thick crenellated walls of this quintessential medieval fortress (occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War)…
Limoges
The city’s wonderful art museum is inside the beautifully restored 18th-century bishops’ palace. Get an overview of the town's history through Roman…
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The Dordogne
Hidden in woodland 18km north of Les Eyzies, this tri-level cave is one of the most complex and rewarding to see in the Dordogne. Board an electric train…
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The Dordogne
Part of the park that contains the Tour de Vésone, this sleek museum designed by French architect Jean Nouvel encompasses a 1st-century Roman domus …
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The Dordogne
Horticulture fans won’t want to miss these famous manicured gardens, stretching along a rocky bluff overlooking the Dordogne Valley. Signposted paths lead…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
For an introductory French market experience, visit Sarlat’s heavily touristed Saturday market, which takes over the streets around Cathédrale St-Sacerdos…
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The Dordogne
This narrow, very long cave 1.5km east of Font de Gaume was the first rediscovered in the valley, in 1901, and is renowned for its animal engravings. Look…
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Musée National Adrien Dubouché
Limoges
This museum, founded in 1845, has one of France’s two outstanding ceramics collections (the other is in Sèvres, southwest of Paris), so it’s a must for…
The Dordogne
Towering gloriously atop a limestone bluff, this 12th-century fortress’ panoramic position above the Dordogne made it a key defensive position during the…
The Dordogne
Périgueux’ most distinctive landmark is most notable for its five creamy Byzantine tower-topped domes (inspired by either St Mark’s Basilica in Venice or…
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Limoges
Built between 1273 and 1888, Limoges’ Gothic cathedral is worth a visit for the Flamboyant-style Portail St-Jean, as well as a glorious rose window, a…
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The Dordogne
From the town’s three gateways, Monpazier’s flat, grid-straight streets lead to the arcaded market square (also known as place Centrale), surrounded by an…
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Limoges
Named for the two granite lions flanking its door, Église St-Michel des Lions was built between the 14th and 16th centuries. It contains the relics …
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
A life-size statue of three bronze geese stands in the centre of beautiful place du Marché aux Oies (Goose Market Sq), where live geese are still sold…
The Dordogne
Inside a marvellous modern building alongside the cliffs, this museum provides a fine prehistory primer, with the most comprehensive collection of…
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The Dordogne
This 15th-century château, 3km southwest of Beynac, is famous for its fabulous former owner: glamorous dancer, singer and music-hall star Josephine Baker …
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The Dordogne
While most of the Vézère’s caves contain engravings and paintings, this overhanging cliff-face contains a handful of unusual large carvings in relief,…
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The Dordogne
North of the cathedral is this fabulous tangle of cobblestone streets lined with medieval houses. The best examples are along rue du Plantier, rue de la…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
The Dordogne is famous for its foie gras. You’ll see duck and goose farms dotted throughout the countryside, many of which offer guided tours and…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
The humble noix (walnut) has been a prized product of the Dordogne for centuries, and is still used in many local recipes – cakes, puddings, pancakes and…
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The Dordogne
Behind the former abbey – Brantôme’s most illustrious landmark and now the town hall – lie moody caves, originally a place of pagan worship and then part…
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Limoges
Pedestrianised rue de la Boucherie was named for the butchers’ shops that lined the street in the Middle Ages. Today it has many attractive medieval half…
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The Dordogne
Eight kilometres south of Monpazier, this much-filmed château is a glorious mishmash of styles, having been fiddled with by eight centuries of successive…
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The Dordogne
In an effort to bring the prehistoric age to life, Le Thot, 8km southwest of Montignac, places reproduced Lascaux cave scenes alongside displays about Cro…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
Église Ste-Marie was ingeniously converted by acclaimed architect Jean Nouvel, whose parents still live in Sarlat, into the town’s touristy Marché Couvert…
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The Dordogne
The ruins of the city’s amphitheatre, designed to hold more than 20,000 baying spectators, was one of the largest such structures in Gaul. Today the tops…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
Once part of Sarlat’s Cluniac abbey, the original abbey church was built in the 1100s, redeveloped in the early 1500s, and remodelled again in the 1700s,…
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The Dordogne
Around 3km northwest of Les Eyzies along the D47, this cave contains an array of glittering stalactites and stalagmites. A joint ticket (adult/child €11/6…
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Limoges
One of the oldest porcelain factories, dating from 1797, offers guided tours by reservation, and has the 19.5m-high Four des Casseaux, the only surviving…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
Behind the cathedral, the Jardin des Enfeus was Sarlat’s first cemetery. The rocket-shaped Lanterne des Morts may have been built to honour a visit by St…
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Limoges
The Limousin was a stronghold of the Resistance during WWII, and this museum explores the story of their struggle against German occupation through…
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Sarlat-la-Canéda
This impressive turreted château, 8km northwest of Sarlat, was first built in 1270, destroyed in 1358 during the Hundred Years War, and rebuilt around…
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The Dordogne
This castle was originally built in the Middle Ages, but was rebuilt in the 17th century. The main reason for a visit is its beautiful formal gardens,…
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Limoges
Around Limoges, look out for porcelain and enamel tiles on many buildings, including the Pavillon du Verdurier, a beautiful octagonal building dating from…
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Limoges
Four des Casseaux is the only surviving 18th-century brick kiln used in Limoges' porcelain factories. It's part of the factory of Porcelaine Royal Limoges…
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Limoges
Completed in 1929, Limoges' train station is one of France’s most resplendent. It was designed by Roger Gonthier and is graced by a copper dome, carved…
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The Dordogne
This small interpretative centre is a good stop for history buffs interested in reading up on bastides, or, for a bit more family fun, playing one of the…
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Limoges
Alongside Cathédrale St-Étienne, Limoges’ beautiful botanical garden stretches down towards the river, with super views. Medicinal and toxic herbs have…
