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.

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

Vineyards were planted around this old town in Roman times and whilst most people associate the name with the wine, the town itself is worth a visit for its ramparted old centre with interesting Romanesque churches and an incredible underground monolithic church.

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. 

A small but beautiful medieval village built around the Cadoudin Abbey, constructed by the Cistercians in the 12th century. It's situated very close to the neighbouring larger town of Le Buisson de Cadouin

The main town of the area between 1800 and 1926, it was all but destroyed during the floods of 1930, which caused devastation across the entire south west of France and counted as a 100 year flood.

Picturesque village typical of Quercy. The traditional houses have corbelled fronts, brown-tiled roofs and pigeon lofts built into their walls.

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.

The pretty old town of Montignac serves as a good base for visiting the nearby prehistoric caves.

The village of Beynac-et-Cazenac is thought to date back to the 12th century when its imposing cliff top château was constructed.

A base for exploring the region, Souillac has a medieval past and is filled with Romanesque-style sculptures. 

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.

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

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

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. 

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. 

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.