Posted by Marian Vasilescu on July 5, 2019 in Travel
Sarlat, France is an amazing historical travel destination. What can you see in Sarlat and Dordogne area? La Roque Saint-Christophe, Peyzac-le-Moustier : These long terraces in the cliffs on the south bank of the Vezere provided a home for humans from 57,000 years ago until the 16th century. The site stands 80 metres above ground and stretches out for almost a kilometre. The earliest troglodytes merely dwelled in the natural cavities cut by the river, but over time human hands started to modify the spaces, boring into the soft limestone. This activity gathered pace from the 5th century onwards when the caves became a fortified shelter during conflict such as Viking raids and events during the Hundred Years’ War. Reconstructions show how people survived here, and how supplies were hoisted up to the caves with a pulley system in medieval times.
House-hunters to Sarlat should stroll along Rue des Consuls, which has a number of impressive mansion houses that are testament to Sarlat’s growth during the Middle Ages. From being a small community controlled by the church, it had, by the mid-1500s, evolved into a prosperous market town popular with wealthy merchants. Further on you’ll see elegant buildings including the 16th-century Hotel de Mirandol with its imposing doorway; the 14th-century Hotel Plamon with its mullion windows; and the 15th-century Hotel de Vassal with its double turret.
Of no relation to the Parisian 17th-century writer Cyrano de Bergerac with his misshapen nose (or the 1980s BBC detective series), this medieval river port means wine. Rosette and Monbazillac vineyards rise above the town and Pecharmant reds age in oak barrels on family-run estates on its northern fringe. In Bergerac you can taste the region’s 13 different appellations and meet local producers at the House of Wines (vins-bergerac.fr), 1 rue des Recollets. Lazing between sun-baked clearings and chestnut forests in the southern Dordogne, this town, an hour from Bergerac, was founded in 1284 for King Edward I of England. Much to the joy of flaneurs today who revel in the medieval symmetry of central place des Cornieres and its surrounding grid of streets, the bastide was built in a quadrilateral, 500 yards long and 250 yards wide. You can’t get lost.
Searching for hotel rooms in Sarlat France? The place de la Liberte is the epicenter of the town, which is also where the weekly farmer’s market is held and where the many regional specialties are offered for sale: black truffles, the world famous “foie gras” (duck liver pate), figs, nuts and more. Many movies and television series have been filmed in Sarlat as the town features one of the most pristine medieval architectural heritage in the world. Expatriates from around the world flock to this medieval jewel of a city, in the search of sunlight, culture, food and overall lifestyle. The proximity of the Dordogne River, along with its many outdoor activities (canoeing, rafting, fishing, biking, hiking, etc) is a huge draw for people of all ages and from all walks of life. You’ll therefore routinely hear English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, German and of course French, spoken in the streets of Sarlat as well as in the surrounding towns and villages of Carsac, Cenac, La Roque Gageac, Beynac, etc. Read more details on https://sarlathotel.com/.