What to see and do in Sarlat (France), a beautiful town in Périgord

One of the objectives of the recent trip to the department of Dordogne in the great region of New Aquitaine al south west france was to visit some nice medieval village.

And if one place must be highlighted in this regard, that is Sarlat, which is located in the region of Black Perigord, and one of the most visited corners of it.

At the outset you should know that, from an administrative point of view, Sarlat-la-Caneda, which is its full name, is a city, since that is how towns with more than 10.000 inhabitants are considered in France.

But so that you have a first impression of what you are going to find when you travel to Sarlat, I will tell you that it is a small city with barely 11.000 inhabitants and with a medieval historic center with great charm.

What's more, if you access Sarlat To the north, as was my case, practically as soon as you arrive at the town you will find yourself on the main street and in the square that is the heart of the historic center.

On the other hand, if you enter from the south, before reaching the historical Center You will pass through a service area with some large commercial establishment, which is common in a city.

During the medieval period Sarlat It was already a booming town, with about 5.000 inhabitants, and now it is a highly visited city and a central hub for tourists traveling through the area. Perigord.

What to see and do when visiting Sarlat

In this way in Sarlat During the holiday season you find a great atmosphere, even more so if you also arrive, as was my case, on a day when the market occupies the main axes of the historic center.

On your walk through salad you will be able to see a varied architecture, from houses of the Middle Ages with half-timbered facades, to buildings from the 17th century with Renaissance style, or from the 18th century with classical style.

This great architectural variety has its explanation in the fire that Sarlat It suffered at the beginning of the 18th century, which led to the renovation of buildings in certain areas.

In any case, the common characteristic of all the architecture that will surely catch your attention is the ocher color of the stone facades, which is due to the iron rust that is common to see in the areas with rocky gorges that surround the city.

Tower of Saint Mary's church in Sarlat

The best way to start Sarlat visit is to climb to the top of the ancient tower church of Santa Maria, which you will do in a curious panoramic elevator where, once up, you can enjoy splendid Panoramic views of the population.

Of ancient bliss gothic church a part of the central nave remains, which was renovated by the famous architect Jean Nouvel, who lived in Sarlat, and inside which a market is now located.

Of the building, you will undoubtedly be surprised by the enormous metal door that opens in the area where the apse was located, which was destroyed in its day.

Tu Sarlat visit It will be a walk through alleys where you will see interesting buildings from different periods, always with ocher color on their facades, and beautiful corners ideal for photography fans.

Lantern Tower of the Dead in Sarlat

To point out the one known as Lantern of the Dead a cylindrical tower Located in the area of ​​the old cemetery of the Romanesque Benedictine Abbey of Sarlat.

From the 12th century and also known as the Saint Bernard's Tower, in the Middle Ages it fulfilled the function of facilitating the transit of the souls of the dead towards heaven.

Another corner that you will also find curious is the 12th century fountain, which you find in an open space under a Romanesque vault.

Finally, from a gastronomic point of view, among the wide range of tourist establishments I want to highlight the restaurant Aux 3 Sens run by the young Argentinian chef Christian.

Former resident of Madrid, Sarlat now offers a menu with interesting elaborate cuisine, which is appreciated, for example, for evening parties.

Photos of Sarlat in France

Here you have more photos of Sarlat, small medieval town that you can visit in Pèrigord in the region of Dordogne southwest of France.

Map: where it is and how to get to Sarlat

The small and charming town of Sarlat It is located two and a half hours by car, east of Bordeaux, south of France.