France Family Travel Guide Logo

Dordogne Towns  There is a rich diversity of towns and villages in the Dordogne with splendid villages perchés and bastide towns such as Domme, delightful riverside villages such as Limeuil and cultural centres such as Sarlat.  But the best must be the spectacular villages built around cliffside troglodyte dwellings such as Rocamadour or La Roque Gageac.  No visit to the Dordogne can be complete without spending at least some time in a street café in one or other of these.

RocamadourRocamadour

Location: In the east Dordogne, about 50km from Sarlat.
General Info: Park in one of the large car parks at the top of the town.  Website. Pilgrimage website.
Description: This is France’s second most visited tourist attraction after Le Mont St-Michel.  A magical town with golden houses clinging to the side of a cliff over the Alzou canyon, it is a holy shrine…..which makes it rather sad in some ways because it is so incredibly overrun by tourists and the paraphenalia that they inevitably attract.  Nevertheless it is a must see attraction due to its unique location / character.
Our recommendations: Try to get there very early before the tourists arrive, or in the evening when the atmosphere is best and the crowds are starting to thin. Stop at L'Hospitalet to take photos of the village.
For the children: Nearby are the Gouffres du Padirac  – more caves with a boat ride through them – also very busy and requiring an early arrival!  Go there first and then to Rocamadour later in the day, or alternatively visit the nearby Corn Maze in Creysse.

Our favourite towns in the Dordogne:

             - Domme
             - La Roque Gageac
             - Limeuil
             - Monpazier
             - Rocamadour
             - St Emilion
             - Sarlat

Also worth a visit are Le Bugue and St Cyprien for their markets, Meyrals for its fascinating scarecrow displays and Bergerac for its wine museum.

External websites offering information on the Dordogne:

- Virtual Guide around Perigord.

You may also be interested in visiting our section on the Lot which is within a day trip's reach from the Dordogne.
Chosen by our children:

     - Top Attractions in the Dordogne
     - Top ten Holiday destinations in France