Sarlat, France is a fabulous historical place. What can you see in Sarlat and Dordogne area? Before you enter this 12th-century byzantine romanesque cathedral you have to approach it from Pont des Barris, and look across to see its crowd of domes and towers almost competing with each other. It’s no shock that this magnificent church is a UNESCO site, and with its byzantine-style Greek cross plan and many cupolas it hardly looks like few other churches in France – except, of course, for the Sacre-Coeur in Paris, which borrowed several design cues. Under each of these five domes is a set of chandeliers that were used in the marriage of Napoleon III and Eugenie de Montijo, and later brought here.
Another market well worth a visit is the indoor market at Eglise Sainte-Marie. Enter through the gigantic steel doors, and you’ll see stalls piled high with everything from spicy saucisson to local St-Nectaire cheese. Don’t forget to look out for the church’s main attraction; a glass lift that rises up through bell tower to reveal breathtaking views over the rooftops of Sarlat and beyond.
La Roque-Gageac: Part of the Dordogne’s spell is its drop-dead gorgeous villages, as this waterfront huddle of medieval stone on the Dordogne River testifies. The sheer golden cliffs sheltering a 12th-century troglodyte fort are awe-inspiring. Down on the river, traditional gabarres (barges), used to transport barrels of wine and salt downstream in the 19th century, plough the water. Hop aboard! Or gorge on bird’s eye views of the village and its grey, lauze-tiled rooftops from a hot-air balloon; Montgolfiere du Perigord (montgolfiere-du-perigord.com), a mile up the road, arranges flights.
Looking for hotels in Sarlat France? Sarlat-la-Caneda – by its full name – is a gorgeous medieval town located in the Dordogne Valley in southwestern France, within the greater region known as “la Nouvelle-Aquitaine.” As of the last census dating back to 2016, the city had a total population of 9127 people known as “sarladais(es).” Sarlat is also the capital of a region known to locals as the “Perigord noir” (Black Perigord). It is a town with rich history and a major tourist destination that attracts between 2-3 million tourists from around the world on an annual basis. The town center, in particular, is composed of countless picturesque streets dating back to the medieval ages, countless boutique hotels and restaurants with stone rooftops, the most famous of which are the “maison de La Boetie”, the “hotel du Barry”, the “hotel de Savignac” or the famous “presidial.” Read extra info on hotel rooms in Sarlat France.