Towns & Villages North Of The Dordogne in France You Must Visit

The Dordogne region of France is arguably one of the most beautiful and well-preserved parts of the country. It would be easy to spend many peaceful days exploring the entire region and not grow bored of the breathtaking scenery and views.

For my most recent house-sit I was fortunate to have the opportunity to spend 10 days North of the Dordogne in the south-west of France.

My French House-Sit!

The region is spacious and green with open fields, rustling trees and hilltops nestled against the rivers of both the Dordogne and the Vezere. The buildings are predominantly honey-coloured stone and preserved from previous generations. The people are incredibly welcoming and warm.

During my visit I explored as much as I could. If you have the opportunity to visit this region, don't hesitate in accepting it!

To help you prepare for when you do visit I will share with you here a handful of the towns and villages the region offers that must not be missed!

Towns and Villages North of the Dordogne in France You Must Visit:

- LE BUGUE

Le Bugue, France

The house-sit I was undertaking during my trip was an incredible property on the outskirts of the town of Le Bugue.

Le Bugue is a moderate sized town nestled along the banks of the Vezere River. The winding streets of the main town are pretty with some traditional old buildings. There are a selection of small shops offering local produce and a good range of bars and restaurants.

A market town, Le Bugue has a bustling market on a Tuesday morning. This winds from the town hall next to the river, up the main 'high street' and offers satellite stalls beyond this.

From the bridge which crosses the Vezere in the centre of the town it is possible to walk down to the river and stroll along the footpath adjacent to it.

A short distance from the centre of the town are also a selection of attractions to visit, including:

- The Aquarium du Perigord Noir - said to be the largest freshwater aquarium in Europe and popular with children and adults alike!

- Parc le Bournat - an 'eco-museum' with interactive displays and activities that show what Le Bugue was like in generations gone by.

- The Grotte de Bara Bahau - a prehistoric cave with stalactites and original artwork and engravings.

- Canoeing - In the summer months, Le Bugue offers canoe hire facilities (including kayaks!) on the river.

Perhaps I am biased as Le Bugue is where I spent the majority of my time on this trip but I did fall in love with the town. It was easy to spend time relaxing here and I would recommend it to anyone.

- LIMEUIL

Limeuil, France

A short drive from Le Bugue is the village of Limeuil.

Voted one of the, 'most beautiful villages of France', it is easy to see why.

Set upon a hill, it is at Limeuil that the Vezere and Dordogne rivers join.

The village offers peaceful spots to eat, drink and admire the scenery alongside the river, with pretty cobbled streets winding up the hill behind. The houses can only be described as 'quaint' with sloping roofs and well tendered window boxes.

At the top of the hill is a panoramic park, Les Jardins de Limeuil, which offers further incredible views and is worth exploring for this reason alone.

When visiting Limeuil take the time to also cross the river and appreciate the full postcard-ready, hill-top spectacle as you look back at the whole village.

- SARLAT LE CANEDA

Sarlat, France

Sarlat is one of the larger and better known towns of the region. It is also one of the most popular with tourists!

Walking around the 'old town' of Sarlat you will discover plenty of gems from the medieval and renaissance times. The town has been carefully and beautifully preserved.

Not surprisingly, there is much to keep the tourist to Sarlat occupied!

Strolling around the town from the pedestrianised main street, Rue de la Republique, are many narrow lanes either side to explore.

Tourist attractions include the Cathedral, the Convent of Ste Claire and the Manoir de Gisson. Several of the high end hotels within the town are historical buildings of interest and worth visiting externally at least!

The town also offers a wide selection of shops, selling everything from typical souvenirs to high end local crafts.

The main market day is a Wednesday morning in Sarlat when the town will be busier than usual. In addition, an indoor market in the old town opens daily.

Foie Gras is a local speciality and this is widely available in the shops, the market and in the local eateries.

Gastronomically, Sarlat will not disappoint with a large selection of cafes and restaurants to suit most budgets!

Sarlat is also one of the few towns in the region that offers a larger hypermarket, found on the outskirts of the town.

- ST CYPRIEN

St Cyprien, France

Another stunning village set on a hill, St Cyprien needs to be included on your travelling itinerary!

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My visit to St Cyprien was perhaps made even more special by the fact that at the time I was there the entire town was decorated with hand-made floral decorations for an annual festival (see my earlier post about life lessons we can learn in France for more about this).

The decorations were spectacular and made walking the many winding paths of St Cyprien even more breath-taking.

Regardless, St Cyprien is a beautiful spot.

The town is dominated at the top of the hill by a 12th century bell tower and abbey church. At the bottom of the hill lies the main high street of the town with the information centre, shops, bars and restaurants.

Have a wander around these but then take the climb up the medieval lanes behind and absorb the architecture and the atmosphere, while stopping to admire the views across the Dordogne valley below.

Market day in St Cyprien is a Sunday!

- TREMOLAT

Tremolat, France

The village of Tremolat is smaller than the others in this list but still worthy of its place.

Tremolat was the setting of the thriller by Claude Chabrol, 'Le Boucher'. Despite this, Tremolat is a quiet village but with an affluent feel to it.

This is perhaps due to the main hotel in Tremolat offering a well-reputed Michelin starred restaurant frequented by those with deeper pockets!

Within the main square of the town there are a few other restaurants and a handful of boutiques.

Running through the outskirts of the town is a small stream with pretty stone bridge crossings.

Of course, no dwelling in the region would be complete without a church and Tremolat is no exception. The 12th century Saint Nicholas church is a narrow building found in the village centre. At one time the church was part of a larger monastery, destroyed in the Hundred Years War but small sections of the original cloisters are still to be found adjacent to the church itself.

- BEYNAC

Beynac, France

Another village often quoted as one of the most beautiful in France is Beynac.

Lying alongside the Dordogne river, Beynac stretches up a hill, with the castle, Chateau de Beynac, poised at the top.

The narrow lanes of the village wind up from the river to the castle and are in the traditional stone, common to this region of France.

The beauty of this village is not to be missed by day or night. There are spectacular views with plenty of places to stop for refreshment and to enjoy the surroundings.

The village has also been featured in Hollywood films, including, Chocolat and The Joan of Arc Story.

Chateau de Beynac at the top of the village is open to the public and worth a visit if you have the time.

- LE VILLAGE DE LA MADELEINE

Le Village de la Madeleine, France

This entire region of France is made up of ancient, pre-historic caves and many can be visited.

Le Village de la Madeleine is not actually an inhabited village any longer but it is a fascinating place and I felt it was worthy of mention...

Nestled along the Vezere River, this historical site dates back 17000 years.

Above the river are the remains of a village dug into the stone cliffs, with a later Gothic chapel built onto the edge of the cliff face.

Artwork and carvings have been found at this site, providing evidence of human dwelling from pre-historic times.

An incredible site and worth driving out to. Wear sensible shoes though as, not surprisingly, the ground is very unlevel in places!

It would be possible to write plenty more about towns and villages of this region of the Dordogne in France that are worth exploring. Here are just a selection of those that I recommend as they stood out for me.

Have you visited this beautiful part of France?

Where would you recommend?

Please comment below to help others find the best spots!

**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**