The town also gives its name to Rocamadour, a small goat’s milk cheese that was awarded AOC status in 1996.

The buildings of Rocamadour (from ròca, cliff, and sant Amador) rise in stages up the side of a cliff on the right bank of the Alzou, which here runs between rocky walls 400 ft. in height. Flights of steps ascend from the lower town to the churches, a group of massive buildings half-way up the cliff. The chief of them is the church of Notre Dame (1479), containing a wooden Black Madonna reputed to have been carved by Saint Amator (Amadour). The church opens on to a terrace called the Plateau of St Michel, where there is a broken sword said to be a fragment of Durandal, once wielded by the hero Roland. The interior walls of the church of St Sauveur are covered, with paintings and inscriptions recalling the pilgrimages of celebrated persons. The subterranean church of St Amadour (1166) extends beneath St Sauveur and contains relics of the saint. On the summit of the cliff stands the château built in the Middle Ages to defend the sanctuaries.

A curious legend supposed to explain the origin of this pilgrimage has given rise to controversies between critical and traditional schools, especially in recent times. According to the latter, Rocamadour is named after the founder of the ancient sanctuary, Saint Amator, identified with the Biblical Zacheus, the tax collector of Jericho mentioned in Luke 19:1-10 , and the husband of St. Veronica, who wiped Jesus’ face on the way to Calvary. Driven out of Palestine by persecution, St. Amadour and Veronica embarked in a frail skiff and, guided by an angel, landed on the coast of Aquitaine, where they met Bishop St. Martial, another disciple of Christ who was preaching the Gospel in the south-west of Gaul. After journeying to Rome, where he witnessed the martyrdoms of St. Peter and St. Paul, Amadour, having returned to France, on the death of his spouse, withdrew to a wild spot in Quercy where he built a chapel in honour of the Blessed Virgin, near which he died a little later.

This account, like most other similar legends, unfortunately does not make its first appearance till long after the age in which the chief actors are deemed to have lived. The name of Amadour occurs in no document previous to the compilation of his Acts, which on careful examination and on an application of the rules of the cursus to the text cannot be judged older than the 12th century. It is now well established that St. Martial, Amadour’s contemporary in the legend, lived in the 3rd not the 1st century, and Rome has never included him among the members of the Apostolic College. The mention, therefore, of St. Martial in the Acts of St. Amadour would alone suffice, even if other proof were wanting, to prove them doubtful. The untrustworthiness of the legend has led some recent authors to suggest that Amadour was an unknown hermit or possible St. Amator, Bishop of Auxerre, but this is mere hypothesis, without any historical basis. The origin of the sanctuary of Rocamadour, lost in antiquity, is thus set down along with fabulous traditions which cannot bear up to sound criticism. After the religious manifestations of the Middle Ages, Rocamadour, as a result of war and the French Revolution, had become almost deserted. In more modern times, owing to the zeal and activity of the bishops of Cahors, it seems to have revived and pilgrims and tourists are beginning to crowd there again.

In the St. Lawrence Valley (in present-day Quebec province) in February 1536 the explorer Jacques Cartier prayed to the Blessed Virgin under the title of Our Lady of Rocamadour that he would make a pilgrimage to her shrine “if he should obtain the grace to return to France safely.”

Les Papillons is just 35 minutes drive from Rocamadour.

  
Even if you only have a passing interest in prehistoric times, Les Eyzies would be worth a visit. if only for its site. At the confluence of the Vezere and the Beune. the little village. out of which rises an old castle converted into a museum. clings to the bottom of tall cliffs containing shelters, caves and troglodyte dwellings. crowned with green oaks and juniper trees. Having crossed the Vezere. a little road which winds between the river and the rocks follows the prehistoric “Royal road” an unimaginable succession of caves and shelters in an impressive framework of cliffs.

The chalk uplands which surround Les Eyzies are rich in flint, crisss-crossed with dozens of secret clefts and valleys, dominated by cliffs with hidden caves made fine hunting country for prehistoric man. Solid natural materials abound for making weapons and tools, and the shelter of the rock formations made the Périgord a perfect place to live. 100,000 years ago neanderthal man walked the valley of the Dordogne and left sufficient remains to make it a focal point of prehistory. Although he was named after the small valley in Germany where, in 1856, bines were found that fit his description, it was at Le Moustier, near Les Eyzies, that archaeologists first catalogued his weapons and tools.

The oldest human skeletal remains found in the Dordogne are of Neanderthal Man. The Moustier site yielded three complete skeletons another was found at Le Rigourdou, and at La Ferrassie, near Le Bugue, seven were unearthed, including some young children’s. These skeletons reveal that Neanderthal Man rarely lived to the age of thirty, and had Sophisticated burial rites involving funeral ceremonies. In some cases. the bodies were placed in dug graves and covered with earth, stones or slabs. Such respect for the dead must surely indicate that Neanderthal Man was capable of Philosophical reflection and perhaps a belief in an after life.

Les Papillons is just 20 minutes from Les Eyzies de Tayac

Although it has one of the largest medieval urban areas (13th to 16th centuries) in the world, Sarlat cannot claim a very distant past. The initial Sarlat abbey was most probably founded between 820 and 840 AD by Duke Pepin of Aquitaine. Saint Bernard stopped off in Sarlat in 1147 during his journey through the South of France to spread the gospel to the many Cathars. The plague was predominant at the time. He gave the sick consecrated bread to eat and healed them. This event, this miracle even was commemorated by the building of the strange graveyard lantern which, still today, remains one of the towns symbols.

Lost in the heart of the distant Périgord, Sarlat could have sunk into oblivion if it was not for the Malraux Act of 4th August 1962. Perhaps the minister of culture (Andre Malraux) recalled having taken to the macquis (The name given to some French Resistance groups during World War Two) in the heart of the Sarlat woodlands, when he signed the act of renovation and restoration. The works carried out from 1964 onward have revealed a veritable treasure trove of Medieval and Renaissance art to the public. Tourists and film directors then took charge of bringing this corner of the Earth “which is the closest things to heaven” according to Henry Miller, to the attention of the whole world. The 1978 film version of “Les Miserable” was filmed extensively in Sarlat, but also in nearby Domme, with the stunning Beynac Castle standing in for the famous Toulon Jail. Sarlat’s wonderful architecture and medieval style buildings and stone roofs have made a backdrop for a score of other top motion pictures since, which has added to it’s fame an it’s fortune.

A warren of alleyways, virtually unchanged since the middle ages, lined with warm ochre stone houses, each with its own distinctive facade and ornately sculptured window embrasures, set off by the stone roofs and turrets, make Sarlat a must for any tourist visiting the Dordogne. Sarlat’s Saturday market is excellent, teaming with life, an unforgetable experience from the street artists that throng there, to the wonderful fresh local produce. Sarlat comes to life in summer with its Drama Festival and Film Festival as well as non-stop street shows in the old quarter. Sarlat is an artists paradise with many small galeries including the famous “Herdin”, student of Salvador Dali. Out of season there is also a well packed programme of cultural events, concerts, drama, films (often in the original language), a visit at Christmas is like stepping into a Fairy Tale, with piped christmas carols and Santas scaling buildings everywhere, there truly is something for everyone.

Sarlat Tourist Office

3 Rue Tourny – BP 114
F-24203 Sarlat Cedex

Tél. 33 (0) 5.53.31.45.45
Fax. 33 (0) 5.53.59.19.44
Web http://www.-sarlat-tourisme.com
Email info@sarlat-tourisme.com

⇒To contact the services (direct phone line and e-mail)
General information – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 45 – info
Holiday rentals booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 40 – locations
Individual packages booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 43 – sejoursindividuels
Group packages (seminars..) booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 42 – sejoursgroupes
Guided tours of the Medieval city ,conferences – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 42 – visitesguidees
Walking paths – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 45 – rando

Les Papillons is just 15 minutes drive from Sarlat

Set on a dramatically steep promontory high above the River Dordogne, the unusual trapezium shaped walled village of Domme is one of the most famous bastides in the region. It’s one of the few to have retained most of its 13th-century ramparts, including three fortified gates: porte de la Combe. A one-time base for the Knights Templars (whose religious graffiti can still be seen in the towers by porte des tours, where they were imprisoned in 1307), it was fought over and besieged frequently during the Hundred Years’ War and Wars of Religion. The village is so picturesque it has become very touristy and commercialised, but you can’t beat its stunning panoramas of the River Dordogne and its valley.

INFORMATION

There are two main entrances – southern porte del Bos (the D46/D50 approach from Cenac) or eastern porte des Tours (D46E from Sarlat). At the top of the village’s main street, Grand’Rue, is the central market place, place de la Halle, and the tourist office (Tel: 05 53 31 71 00, Fax: 05 53 31 71 09). It opens 10am to noon and 2pm to 6pm daily (10am to 7pm daily in July and August). It’s closed during January. Car parking inside the walls is metered. There’s a free parking lot just outside porte des Tours.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

The best views are a few steps from place de Halle, from from the cliff-side Esplanade du Belvedere and the adjacent Promenade de la Barre, which streetches west along the forested slope to the Jardin Public. The preciptious bluff below was, amazingly, scaled by Huguenot besiegers during the Wars of Religion, one of the few times the bastide was captured.
Across from the tourist office, the 19th century reconstruction of the 16th century halles ( covered market ) houses the entrance to the grottes ( caves; 0553317100 ) 450 m of stalactite-filled galleries underneath the village that gave the inhabitants a handy refuge during times of attack.
On the far side of the square from the tourist office, the Musee d’ Arts et de Traditions Populaires (0553317100 ) has 9 rooms of clothing, toys, tools and other memorabilia from the past.
Several canoe operators are based in Cenac including Randonee Dordogne.

Les Papillons is just 10 minutes drive from Domme

This Middle Ages construction, with its austere appearance, is perched on top of a limestone cliff, dominating the town and the north bank of the Dordogne River.

HISTORY

The castle was built from the 12th century by the barons of Beynac (one of the four baronies of Périgord) to close the valley. The sheer cliff face being sufficient to discourage any assault from that side, the defences were built up on the plateau: double crenellated walls, double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican.

The oldest part of the castle is a large, square-shaped, Romanesque keep with vertical sides and few openings, held together with attached watch towers and equipped with a narrow spiral staircase terminating on a crenellated terrace. To one side, a residence of the same period is attached; it was remodelled and enlarged in the 16th and 17th centuries. On the other side is a partly 14th century residence side-by-side with a courtyard and a square plan staircase serving the 17th century apartments. The apartments have kept their woodwork and a painted ceiling from the 17th century. The Salle des États (States’ Hall) has a Renaissance sculptured fireplace and leads into a small oratory entirely covered with 15th century frescoes, included a Pietà, a Saint Christopher, and a Last Supper in which Saint Martial (first bishop of Limoges) is the maître d’hôtel.

At the time of the Hundred Years’ War, the fortress at Beynac was in French hands. The Dordogne was the border between France and England. Not far away, on the opposite bank of the river, the Château de Castelnau was held by the English. The Dordogne region was the theatre of numerous struggles for influence, rivalries and occasionally battles between the English and French supporters. However, the castles fell more often through ruse and intrigue rather than by direct assault, because the armies needed to take these castles were extremely costly: only the richest nobles and kings could procure them.

The castle was bought in 1962 by Lucien Grosso who has lovingly restored it.

Visitors to the castle can see sumptuous tapestries showing hunting and other scenes from the lives of the lords of the period. The Château de Beynac has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1944.

Beynac castle has served as a location for several films, including Les Visiteurs by Jean-Marie Poiré, in 1993, La Fille de d’Artagnan by Bertrand Tavernier, in 1994, Ever After by Andy Tennant, in 1998, and Jeanne d’Arc by Luc Besson, in 1999. The village of Beynac below the chateau, also served as a location for the film Chocolat by Lasse Hallström, in 2000.

Barons de Beynac

Les Papillons is just 5 minutes drive from Beynac

The town’s history is tied into that of the abbey. Around 620 AD, a hermit named Cyprien settled in a cave that overlooked the Dordogne valley. Others gathered around him and a monastic community grew up. Barbarian invasions in the mid-9th century made the monks build defensive ramparts, of which the belltower-keep survives.

In 1076 the monastery, now an Augustine body, was doing so well that Bertrand de Got, archbishop of Bordeaux and later Pope Clement V, took it under his wing.

In the Hundred Years’ War, St Cyprien suffered from its exposed border position between Eleanor’s Aquitaine and the Kingdom of France.

In 1568, during the Wars of Religion, Calvinist troops burned the priory to the ground, but the monastery was rebuilt in 1685. Declared a “national asset”, in April 1791 it was sold to the town for 8,125 francs and renamed “Temple of Reason dedicated to the Supreme Being”.

In 1871 the state tobacco monopoly knocked down the cloister, closed off the inner doors, and turned the place into a warehouse.

Every summer the St Cyprien tourist office receives over 10,000 visitors. Located in the village centre, it is open all year round.Place Charles de Gaulle 24220 Saint Cyprien

Opening hours

1 November to 28 Febuary
Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 12:30, 3 to 6pm Except wednesday afternoon

1 March to 31 October
Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 12:30, 3 to 6pm Sunday 10 to 12am

15 May to 30 September
Monday to Friday 9:30 to 12:30, 3 to 6pm Sunday 10 to 12am

Les Papillons is just 10 minutes drive from St. Cyprien

The site has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as witness the many flint axe-heads and other stone tools found in its fields and gardens.
During the Gallo-Roman period the quieter life under the “Pax Romana” encouraged people to set up quite sizeable settlements on the gentler slopes to the east of the village, and even to lay a Roman road. But from the year 850 onwards, the dangers presented by the incursions of Viking longboats, in particular, led the populace to seek shelter and build fortifications on the safest site, between cliff and river.
The Hundred Years War, and then France’s bitter “Wars of Religion”, turned La Roque Gageac into a key stronghold, impregnable and densely populated

Most of its present buildings date from this period, together with its troglodytic forts in the cliff-face (which can be visited) and vestiges of the former summer palaces of the Bishops of Sarlat. The Renaissance period saw the construction of some beautiful homes, such as the Manoir de Tarde, the manor-house of the Tarde family, which dominates the heart of the village to this day.
 
River traffic became increasingly important, with a very busy flow of cargo-carrying.
“gabares” (the Dordogne’s traditional flat-bottomed boats), as well as abundant commercial fishing, which continued right up to the beginning of the 20th century.
The village’s situation turns it virtually into a large natural solarium, and this has made possible the creation of extraordinary “exotic gardens”, alongside the church, halfway up the cliff, with luxuriant sub-tropical and Mediterranean plants.
You will find the warmest of welcomes from La Roque-Gageac and its inhabitants, known as the “Laroquois”, as well as wonderful gastronomic experiences in a region famed for its fine food.

Les Papillons is 5 minutes drive from La Roque Gageac