It’s the Most Stunning Medieval Town in the Dordogne, Like Stepping Into the Pages of a History Book

If you love history, specifically French history, this town has it in spades. It’s in southwest France, and there are plenty of castles in the region, too.

Everywhere you turn in the Dordogne, you’ll find historic villages that take your breath away, and then there is Sarlat-la-Canéda. This medieval gem is like walking into a little piece of history. Any minute, you expect to see a knight riding horseback through the streets on his way to do battle.

I live in the Charente, which is very similar to the Dordogne, and Sarlat-la-Canéda was on my ‘must-visit‘ list for a while. From the fantastic weekly market selling the famous black truffles to the stunning old architecture and Episcopal Palace, there are plenty of things to do in Sarlat. Not to mention that Sarlat has played a starring role in a Hollywood movie.

So if you’re planning a trip to the Dordogne region, Sarlat should absolutely be at the top of your list.

Where is Sarlat la Canéda?

Sarlat-la-Canéda sits in the heart of the Dordogne in southwestern France, surrounded by the rolling hills and river valleys of the Périgord Noir. It’s about 500 km from Paris, and while there’s no direct train, the journey is straightforward. Plus, Bergerac airport is only 90 minutes away.

A Potted History of Sarlat

Sarlat-la-Canéda is a town that feels like stepping into a medieval painting. It has one of the highest concentrations of preserved medieval and Renaissance buildings in France, thanks to André Malraux’s 1960s restoration laws. Wander through its honey-colored streets, and you’ll see why filmmakers have been drawn here for decades.

Sarlat grew around a Benedictine abbey founded in the 9th century. The abbey gained power and wealth, shaping the town into a hub of trade and religion. Once the town was able to govern itself and was no longer beholden to the church, its prosperity grew.

During the Hundred Years War it remained loyal to the King, however, the treaty of Bretigny in 1360 sees the entire Périgord region handed over to Edward III of England.

There were many ups and downs over the centuries and the relics of Saint Sacerdos were destroyed during a siege on the town by protestants in the 16th century.

The last big historical event to happen in the town was “La Fronde” when the town was again sieged and pillaged.

However, it got off relatively lightly during the revolution and has maintained its old-world charm for us to enjoy. So much so, that at night it’s lit using traditional gas lit lamps giving it a truly magical feel.

The Geese Statues & Foie Gras Tradition

Sarlat is the epicentre of foie gras country, and the geese statues in Place du Marché aux Oies are a tribute to that. The trio of bronze geese, sculpted by François-Xavier Lalanne, represents the town’s long history of goose farming.

Every Wednesday and Saturday, the market is filled with local producers selling foie gras, duck confit, and cheeses. And if you visit in March, you’ll catch La Fête de l’Oie, a festival dedicated to everything goose-related, from live demonstrations to giant communal meals.

Truffle Capital of the Périgord

Sarlat is also synonymous with another French delicacy, the Périgord black truffle. The marché aux truffes (truffle market) is held in winter, attracting chefs and gourmands looking for the prized diamant noir.

Truffle hunting is serious business here, often done with trained dogs or pigs. It’s an age-old practice, passed down through generations, where the trufficulteur and their faithful companion, venture into the woods in search of the truffles.

In honor of this little black gastronomic delight, they hold a festival in the third week of January, every year.

The French love a good festival and they have numerous ones celebrating strawberries, garlic, turkeys, omelettes and more.

If you want to experience it firsthand, local farms offer truffle-hunting experiences where you can join the search.

Sarlat on the Big Screen

With its perfectly preserved medieval streets, Sarlat has been a backdrop for numerous films. One of my daughter’s favorite movies with Drew Barrymore was shot here, The 1998 Les Misérables starring Gérard Depardieu was also filmed here, as was The Last Duel (2021) by Ridley Scott.

The town’s golden facades and winding alleys create a setting so authentic that no CGI is needed. If you visit in November, the Festival du Film de Sarlat celebrates this cinematic history, drawing actors, directors, and film lovers from all over France.

11 Things To Do in Sarlat-la-Canéda

This medieval village is the capital of the Périgord Noir and is famous for its culinary delights including truffles, cheese and walnut wine.

Meander around the old streets drinking in the history, take a trip down the river or visit the nearby prehistoric caves.

When you first visit Sarlat it’s almost like stepping onto a movie set. It doesn’t seem possible that you’re in the 21st century anymore.

No 1 – Wander through the streets of the old town of Sarlat

The village is split in half by the Rue de la République, which is now the main shopping street in Sarlat.

Give yourself time to drink in the history, and wonder at the old buildings, some with Rapunzelesque conical towers attached to them.

I think I could quite literally spend a morning just taking pictures of all the buildings as they take your breath away. You get a very real glimpse into what life would have been like 500 years ago.

There are plenty of artisan shops and cafes for you to enjoy full of character and charm.

I’d be surprised if you didn’t fall in love with this town very quickly, I certainly did.

No 2 – Sarlat Panoramic Elevator in Sainte Marie Church

Possibly the pièce de résistance is the panoramic elevator behind the old church of Saint Mary.

Now the church, which dates back to the 14th century, was damaged quite extensively during the French Revolution and was completely abandoned in 1794.

Luckily, Jean Nouvel, an architect living in Sarlat came to the rescue and renovated it. And now, it’s not only home to a covered market but also a wonderful elevator, that transports you to the top of the church for you to look out over the countryside.

Going up 35 metres you have a 360° panoramic view which quite literally takes your breath away.

It’s open from April 1 – November 1, weather permitting, and there’s a guide to point out all the attractions you can see from the top.

No 3 – Canoe on the Dordogne River

There’s nothing like a leisurely punt down the river for taking in the scenery and making you feel relaxed.

You can take it at your own pace and enjoy seeing the chateaux as you pass by.

Click here to hire a canoe or kayak and cruise down the Dordogne >>>

No 4 – The Lantern of the Dead

This unusual looking monument was built back in 1147 to commemorate the visit of Saint Bernard, a founder of the Cistercian order of monks. It looks a bit like a rocket, which is strange considering how long it’s stood there for.

It was during this visit, after returning from the Crusades, that he performed the famous miracle, “loaves which cured”, convincing the townspeople that God existed.

No 5 – Discover the bike paths

Sarlat is the perfect starting point for following the many bike paths there are in the region. You have about 50 km of trails to choose from which sit on what were the original train tracks.

And of course, you don’t need to worry about the traffic either as it’s a completely car-free zone.

There’s nothing better than taking in the breathtaking scenery on a leisurely bike ride. Just don’t forget to pack a picnic.

You can hire bikes from Liberty Cycles.

No 6 – Saint-Sarcedos Cathedral | église Sarlat

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos, the revered bishop of Limoges, whose relics were brought to Sarlat-la-Canéda by Benedictine monks in the 12th century.

It’s a blend of Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles with its biggest feature being the bell tower standing at around 66 metres.

Like many historical monuments in France, it’s undergone a lot of renovation and updating.

It’s an imposing building, worth a look both inside and out.

No 7 – Manoir de Gisson

Recently opened to the public, you’ll find it on Place du Marché aux Oies, the Goose market square.

This square was once a hive of activity with lots of trading taking place. Now, you’ll see a statue of three geese in the middle of the square.

If you enjoy visiting a place and transporting yourself back in time then Manoir de Gisson should be top of your list.

As you go in you’ll enter via the vaulted basement where you’ll find a collection of curiosities. The society in the Renaissance period were keen collectors and loved to collect things traveller bought back from their trips overseas.

The private apartments in the building offer you a glimpse into the life of the Gisson family going as far back as the Middle Ages.

The Great Drawing Room has some lovely period pieces of furniture and has featured in a few film sets, along with many of the streets in Sarlat.

Other rooms you’ll see include “Boudoire de Madame“, a room where the lady of the house would receive her guests. Also the maids’ room, kitchen and smoking room

No 8 – The Episcopal Palace

Originally the bishop’s palace, which replaced the Abbot’s house in the 14th century, this building is a real mixture of styles.

It’s had many uses over the years including a covered market, theatre and town hall. Now the tourist office is located there.

No 9 – Présidial de Sarlat

Now a lovely restaurant this building used to house the 17th-century court and prior to the French Revolution operated as a prison.

The prisoners would be held in cells in the basement waiting for transfer to whatever fate awaited them.

The building itself has a lantern structure on the roof and you can see how imposing it would have been all those years ago.

No 10 – Marché de Sarlat

One of the biggest and most popular food markets in the region you’d be advised to get there early to avoid the crowds.

Held on a Wednesday and Saturday between 8 am – 1 pm you’ll find the Sarlat market on Place de la Liberté.

The Wednesday market is smaller and features more local produce but the Saturday market is the one that draws in the crowds.

Depending on what’s in season you’ll find truffles, foie gras, nuts, duck confit and mushrooms, amongst other things.

There is also the covered market in Old Sainte Marie Church on Place de la Liberté which is held all year round, a bio night market held every Thursday and the truffle market December – February.

Sarlat Christmas Market is also worth a visit as one of the largest in Aquitaine with over 70 stalls. It brings a whole different meaning to Medieval Christmas.

No 11 – Marqueyssac Gardens

Currently the most visited garden in the South West of France the Marqueyssac Gardens transports you to Italy, the country that inspired the design.

The gardens surround an 18th-century chateau which was built on the eve of the French Revolution.

The uniformity of the boxwood hedges is just lovely and you can follow them around letting them take you on their path of discovery.

There are over 6 km of pathways lined with greenery, rockeries and water fountains.

The whole thing sits on top of a rocky spur giving fantastic views of the Dordogne.

For opening times click here >>>

Where to stay in Sarlat

La Petite Borie

Sarlat’s oldest restaurant. This is where the locals go and it’s a hidden gem that isn’t easy to find down one of the back streets near the town hall on Rue Tourny.

📍 LOCATION: 4 Rue Tourny, 24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda | TripAdvisor Reviews

Le Présidial

A little pricier but the food is excellent and of course, you have all the history that goes with this building to accompany your food. You can sit outside in the lovely garden terraces.

📍 LOCATION: 6 Rue Landry, 24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda | TripAdvisor Reviews

Auberge Le Mirandol

We had a great meal here and to my delight, they have a cave at the back of the restaurant you can visit after you’ve eaten.  Find out more >>>

📍 LOCATION: 7 Rue des Consuls, 24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda | TripAdvisor Reviews

The Best Local Food in Sarlat

This region is full of gastronomic delights from truffles to walnuts and a trip to Sarlat is not complete without trying at least some of what’s on offer.

Périgord Black Truffles

Known as “the black diamond” these truffles have a very earthy taste reminiscent of the undergrowth and can be as big as an apple. Dogs are used to dig up the truffles, although it used to be pigs.

Fraise du Périgord

There are six different varieties of Périgord strawberries and to be classed as such they have to meet pretty strict criteria regarding size, shape, colour and more.

Noix du Périgord

The Dordogne is a big producer of walnuts in France and it has been a huge part of the farming history in this region. There are four main varieties grown and harvested here.

Périgord Foie Gras

The best type of foie gras is “foie gras entier” which you’ll find at one of the many Marchés au gras, duck or goose markets, in the Dordogne.

Cabécou of Périgord

This soft goat’s milk cheese is synonymous with this region. In order to be classed as Cabécou of Périgord the cheese must be produced in Périgord using goat’s milk from a Périgord goat.

What To Drink in Sarlat – the Best Local Produce

The French love Apéro time and I’ve certainly taken very well to the tradition. It’s a time of the day when you down tools and enjoy a tipple of something you fancy.

An apéro that is widely celebrated in this region is walnut wine.

It’s a liqueur-style wine made by macerating green walnuts in alcohol, typically a neutral spirit such as brandy, along with various herbs, spices, and sugar. The mixture is then aged for several weeks or months to allow the flavours to develop.

Walnut Wine

La Trappe distillery in Sarlat produces Walnut wine and you can find out more here >>>

Lapouge Pastis

Pastis is another popular French drink and Distillerie du Périgord, founded in 1860 by Émile Lapouge, has its own brand, Lapouge Pastis.

The distillery is in Sarlat and if you fancy a visit to try some for yourself then find out more here >>>

Sarlat Brewed Beer

If you’re more of a beer kinda person then you’re in luck. Sarlat has its own brewery, Roc Mol Brewery where the beer is 100% artisanal. Find out more here >>>

You’re spoilt for choice in Sarlat for places to stay. It really comes down to whether you prefer to stay in full luxury with everything taken care of, or if you prefer a more relaxed approach where you cater for yourself and eat out at the many wonderful restaurants on offer.

Getting to Sarlat-la-canéda, France

By Air

You have four airports within easy reach of Sarlat with the biggest being Bordeaux. However, it’s worth trying the smaller airports such as Bergerac, Périgueux, and Brive–Souillac. They have regular flights and are often quite cheap.

By Train

Sarlat has its own train station and you connect from the more major stations such as Limoges, Bergerac and Bordeaux.

By Car

If you’re planning to visit surrounding towns in the region then hiring a car and driving is a good option. We recommend Discover Cars.

• From Bergerac, it’s approx 80 km
• From Bordeaux, it’s approx 210 km

FAQS on Things to do in Sarlat

Conclusion: Spending A Weekend in Sarlat la Caneda

Sarlat-la-Caneda has everything you could possibly need to experience a true French village aesthetic. I think one of my favorite things is the caves. There are many caves around the world that are natural wonders, such as Emerald Cave Las Vegas, but these are on another level.

There is so much to do and see from history to gastronomy Sarlat France really does have it all. A picture book place that is easily the most Instagram-worthy village I’ve ever been to.