THE
DORDOGNE
Innumerable books
exist on this most beautiful part of southwest France
but they are no substitute for experiencing its delights
yourself. The region is incomparably rich in all the ingredients
for a good holiday - uncluttered landscapes, quiet roads,
gorgeous views at every turn, good regional food and a
wealth of sites to visit as well as numerous activities
for the energetic young and old alike.
So far as prehistory is concerned, the Vézère
valley in particular has such exceptional sites as Lascaux,
Le Roc St Christophe, Le Moustier and La Madeleine. If
archaeology is any guide, this region has been continuously
inhabited by mankind for tens of thousands of years and
the evidence is there to discover for yourself in the
great cave sites, the castles, bastides, massive churches
and ancient towns and villages built of honey-coloured
stone.
What follows is a snapshot of some of the most lovely,
not to be missed, parts of the Périgord.
PERIGUEUX is the
capital city of the department. The oldest traces of settlement
here date back to prehistoric times but it was the Romans
who overlaid their own structure and organisation on the
ancient land previously dominated by Gallic tribes. During
the Roman period of relative peace and prosperity beautiful
villas were constructed and an amphitheatre which could
probably seat 20,000 people. All that remains of it now
are a few walls preserved in a lovely park. The Gallo-Roman
museum displays the remains of frescoes, mosaic floors,
colonnades and the hypocaust heating system. After the
Romans the city experienced turbulent times, in common
with the rest of Europe and went through centures of wars
in one name or another. However even through this upheaval
some splendid edifices were constructed such as the Cathedral
St Front and in fact the St Front district, being well
protected behind its ramparts has preserved its mediaeval
buildings and it is a must to wander into the maze of
streets to find wonderful stone carved facades, gothic
arches and massive ancient studded wooden doors. The City
now is rather sophisticated and has managed to combine
the mediaeval magnificence with a modern boulevard well
endowed with designer shops and wonderful cafés
and restaurants spilling out into a series of intimate
squares.
SARLAT
is a most remarkable town. It is amazing that so many
buildings and monuments are still intact considering the
violent times it has witnessed since a Benedictine Abbey
was founded here in 830AD. The town boasts the highest
concentration of mediaeval, renaissance and 17th century
facades of any town in France; A stroll through the narrow
lanes behind the modern main street, transports you to
another era. It is effectively an open air museum and
every Saturday has an enormous, colourful and very lively
market which is concentrated in the main square and then
straggles its way through the winding cobbled streets.
The local produce on sale such as foie gras, truffles,
walnuts, cheeses and wines provides a good slice of the
town’s revenue in exactly the same way as it would
have done at the height of its prosperity during the 13th
and 14th centuries. Add to that the fact that the town
centre features in many a period film or television drama
and you’ll not be surprised if occasionally you
bump into a musketeer! Whilst it is great fun to visit
the market and sample the local specialities, the town
warrants a second visit not on a market day so that you
can explore the lanes and courtyards in a more leisurely
manner.
BERGERAC
lies on the banks of the river Dordogne in the middle
of a small alluvial plain. The town was first built in
the Middle Ages and during the 12th century a bridge was
constructed spanning the Dordogne and turning Bergerac
into an important commercial port. The river, in those
days, was the most important trade thoroughfare and even
as late as the 18th and 19th centuries, Bergerac was considered
to be one of France’s major ports. It’s prosperity
was built on the transportation of tobacco, wooden barrels
and wine. There are some very acceptable red wines, notably
Pécharmant and perhaps the most celebrated white
wine is the sweet Monbazillac, produced just a few kilometres
away and which provides an excellent accompaniement to
the foie gras just as much as the dessert. The original
old town of course is situated on the edge of the embankment
where the ancient cobbled streets weave back up the hill
towards the modern day centre. Although the centre is
naturally where the shops are, don’t miss wandering
through the old part where the streets are lined with
half-timbered houses and the squares are graced by the
old Récollets monastery which houses the Wine Board
of the Bergerac Region and the Museum of Wine, Lighterage
and Coopery occupies both floors of a half-timbered house
at one end the Place de la Myrpe.
So much for the three main cities of the region but on
gentle trips around the countryside you will find such
gems as Beynac, La Roque Gageac, Trémolat, Limeuil,
Cadouin and too many more to list here. Each with it’s
own treasures to discover and all of which had some important
part to play in the long and often turbulent history of
this most gorgeous part of France.