© France Tourisme
Eymet, Perigord Pourpre
Bastide to the south of Bergerac in the Perigord
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.
Resting on the banks of the Le Dropt river it has a variety of coffee shops and bars where you can sit and enjoy the views and the atmosphere.
The architecture has the characteristic stone pillars, propping up a second storey, and dark wooden frames which are filled with plaster, typical of a medieval bastide. A pretty place, notable as a popular location for Brits who account for 10% of the local population, it is known as 'Little England'.
Remains of its ruined fortified castle can be visited just outside the bastide walls.
History & Culture in Eymet
Founded in 1270 by Alphonse de Poitiers, Count of Toulouse and brother to Louis IX of France the village of Eymet changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War, until the battle of Castillon and the conquest of the Aquitaine region by Charles VII in 1453. Having retained its architecture and charm since medieval times this is now a well-preserved example of a bastide.
The castle was built in 1320 but was destroyed in 1830. The city walls are all that remains.
Events in Eymet
There is a vibrant market on Thursday, hosted in the village's main square. Throughout July and August they also host an evening market which adds to the atmosphere of this pretty town.
How to get to Eymet
The village is situated at the extreme south of the Department of Dordogne on the CD933 between Bergerac and Marmande, around 20km south of Bergerac, and around 100km east of Bordeaux.
