Beynac is arguably one of the most impressive castles in the whole of France. Dating from the middle ages and standing in a commanding position high above the river Dordogne over the pretty village (a Plus Beau Village in fact) of the same name making a visit here doubly worthwhile. The original castle fell into the hands of the redoubtable...
The most popular Périgord Much of the Black Périgord or Périgord Noir (See Map) is located between the river Vézère and the river Dordogne. This is the east side of the Dordogne Département, although it does stretch further north and south of these rivers. It is arguably the most beautiful of the Périgords and is certainly the most visited part of the...
The 16th century Château de Losse is located on the right bank of the river Vézère about 5km/3miles south of Montignac on the D706. Access is via a bridge over the dried-up moat through a fortified Gateshouse, said to be the largest in France, leading into a courtyard and elegant Renaissance hall dating from 1576. There is a fine view...
The Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux, not to be confused with Castelnaud Château, lies about 2 miles/3km south west of the the interesting bastide village of Bretenoux which shares its name. The red stone castle is a splendid example of the military architecture of the middle ages and stands high above the small village of Prudhomat and the surrounding countryside overlooking the...
Not to be confused with Castelnau-Bretenoux Castle in the nearby Lot département, the Château de Castelnaud about 2 miles (3km) to the south and upstream of Beynac Château, is another splendid edifice constructed during the middle ages. Castelnaud commands the Céou Valley to the south as well as the Dordogne Valley. Having been taken by Simon de Montfort in 1214...
The Château de Montfort dominates the small village of the same name and is close to the meander of the Dordogne river known as the Cingle de Montfort. Perhaps the name is a little misleading as while the medieval warlord Simon de Montfort captured the castle in 1214 he immediately proceeded to pull it down. It was reconstructed only to...
Constructed during the great châteaux building period in 1489 by François de Caumont this delightful Renaissance and Gothic structure was built in order to escape the austere medieval ediface of nearby Castelnaud where the family had lived for generations. Following the Revolution in 1789, Milandes was abandoned and later it was badly damaged in a fire. The splendid gardens were...
The lovely village of Creysse on the Dordogne River in the Haut Quercy is not actually one of the Plus Beaux Villages but arguably it should be! A pleasant green area with a stream running through it awaits as you enter the village and the old bridge invites you to cross in order to explore the old village with its...
The Gabarre, sometimes spelled Gabare, a word derived from the Occitan gabarra, is a flat bottomed boat that was used on several French rivers which flow into the Atlantic. This type of design enabled the vessels to get further upstream to load up with products from the interior and indeed to deliver foodstuffs, fuel and other goods to places which...
Son of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England, this much celebrated warrior king spoke French, not English and spent more time in south west France than he did in England. Richard is, however, regarded as one of the greatest of English kings due partly to his exploits during the Third Crusade and his famous bravery. A cultured man...
The medieval fortress and the village at its foot is an magnificent sight especially when viewed from the D60 road from Larche east of the village. Impressive it may be but you will have to admire the Château from the outside as it is currently being restored and does not accept visitors. The towers with their conical rooves give an...
St-Amand-de-Coly, north of Sarlat, is deservedly one of the Plus Beaux Villages of France with its ancient lauzes roofed houses and impressive abbey church. Fortress-church Constructed during the 12th Century as an Augustinian Abbey, the church builders using the local honey-coloured limestone. However, during the Hundred Years’ War it became a fortress. Today’s visitor cannot help but marvel at the sheer bulk...
The delightfully named small town of St Céré is located in the Bave Valley in the east of the Quercy near the border with the Limousin and the Auvergne. The river Bave is a tributary of the Dordogne and flows into it nearby. A charming small town in its own right, St-Céré is also an excellent touring base. Julius Caesar...
The tiny hamlet of St-Crépin-Carlucet is hidden away in the Périgord Noir to the west of Salignac just off the D60 road. This charming collection of pretty houses with lauzes rooves, a church with a fascinating cemetery incorporating tombs set into a wall and the Renaissance Château Lacypierre.. It even comes complete with a village green and an 18th century...
The beautiful village of St Geniès nestles in greenery north of Sarlat just off the Montignac road. By and large, few would disagree that it is the epitome of how a perfect French village should look. Surprisingly not on the list of Plus Beaux Villages, for reasons which elude this author, it certainly should not be missed. A village green and lauzes...
Situated on a meander of the Vézère just to the south west of the Château de Losse the picturesque village boast two castles and a splendid romanesque church once part of a Benedictine priory dating from the 12th Century. On the riverbank can be found the 15th century Château de Clérans built as a palace but a much more military...
From the late 12th Century until the Revolution the viscounts of Turenne ruled the surrounding area as absolute monarchs answerable to no one and doing as they pleased. Turenne’s egg is a legacy from this period. They even minted their own coins and levied taxes! The formidable Château (open all year) stands above the village and it is easy to...
The Périgord Blanc or White Périgord (See Map) is the central part of the Périgord. It contains the capital and main city of the Dordogne département, Périgueux. The name for this area derives from the many outcrops of chalky limestone that proliferate around the countryside. Périgueux Many visitors come to the White Périgord to visit Périgueux in order to see its unusual Byzantine...
St-Jean-de-Cole is one of the Périgord’s Plus Beaux Villages and lies between Brântome and Thiviers on the banks of the river Côle just north of the D78. St Jean is a small village with a fine castle on the main square, the Château de la Marthonie, which dates from the 12th Century although the current building is mainly 15th with a...