Towns & Villages in Dordogne

The town of Martel is not, in fact, famous for the brandy (that's Martell with two ll's) but is well known as the capital of truffles and a great producer of walnuts, two of the region's specialities.

It's hard to imagine a nicer village than La Roque-Gageac, with its huge limestone cliffs that tower behind the Renaissance-style houses built in creamy stone with burnt red roofs. 

Sainte-Foy-la-Grande sits on the south bank of the Dordogne river. This attractive walled bastide town still has some of its medieval houses and is a good base for visiting the surrounding Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux wine region and nearby Château de Montaigne, home of Michel de Montaigne.

Limeuil is a picturesque old village which features on the list of 'Les Plus Beaux Villages de France'. It has a pretty park on the top of the hill and some ruins from its medieval past.

Formerly the capital of the old province of Quercy, Cahors is the largest town in the Lot valley. The site was inhabited by the Cadurci tribe in Roman-Gaul times. 

Founded in 1261, Lalinde was the first English bastide. Situated on the banks of the Dorgdogne, the town is also crossed by the Canal de Lalinde, constructed to bypass the dangerous rapids of Grand Thoret.

Standing out as one of the most charming towns in the region, this medieval dwelling remains much as it was when it was built in the 14th century. 

The town and the surrounding prehistoric sites have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nearly 150 sites have already been discovered and contain significant finds dating back as far as the Middle Stone Age - about 300,000 to 40,000 years ago.

Couze used to be a paper-making village and a number of its old mills are still in existence, using the power of the Couze river to turn the water wheel.

Carennac has been previously voted 'One of the 'Most Beautiful Villages in France' and it's easy to see why. The blonde stone and red-brown roofs of its buildings have tall chimneys and are adorned with creepers that turn red in the autumn.

Trémolat was originally home to a 6th century hermit, Saint-Cybard, before monks built their monastery here in the 9th century.

The largest town in the area, Bergerac, still retains a quaint old feel, with a change in pace in the summer months.

This medieval town on a bend in the Dordogne grew around its 9th century Benedictine abbey of Saint-Pierre.

Sitting proud on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Nauze valley, this fortified town boasts seven bell towers and an 11th century keep that is still standing, despite numerous invasions and wars.

Very much a textbook bastide village, it's laid out in a grid fashion around a central square. Eymet, as it exists today, was founded by Alphonse de Poitiers in 1270. 

You get a sense of this town's history as soon as you arrive, with are flags and coats of arms lining the roads that lead you to the main square.

Located on an ancient Roman road, the town of Brantôme on the Dronne river is centred around its 8th century Benedictine abbey.

Perched on the side of a cliff, in a gorge above the river Alzou, this medieval town has a breathtaking setting.