Towns & Villages in Dordogne

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.

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

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

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

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

The relaxed town of Le Bugue sits on the river Vézère where it's joined by the Doux. A more tranquil base for exploring the region, it has some pretty, narrow streets and a bustling market twice a week.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 riverside town of Saint-Céré is a lovely place to base yourself for excursions in the region. The La Bave river winds its way through the centre of the town and its old buildings have been carefully restored, retaining their timber vaulting or Renaissance stonework. 

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.

This bastide town, sitting high above the Dordogne river, has an impressive number of its 13th century fortifications still intact, including three of its original gates.

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.