Towns & Villages in Dordogne

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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. 

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

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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

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