01904 521 936
Tour Search



France

Sarlat

The town of Sarlat lies in a hollow between hills a few miles north of the Dordogne River, and it possesses the highest concentration of medieval, Renaissance and 17th century façades of any town in France. The town originally developed around a large Benedictine abbey in the 8th century. After the Hundred Years' War Sarlat suffered considerable damage, yet it was granted a privileged status in return for the loyalty it had shown to the French Crown.

Sarlat was quickly restored and rebuilt, and re-emerged with the beautiful buildings it has retained to this day. Much of Sarlat's oldest architecture can be found in the lanes at the back of the cathedral. Here, a number of pretty courtyards - such as Cour des Fontaines and Cour des Chanoines - can be found, as can some of the town's original fortifications. All in all, more than 1,000 years of architecture can be seen here: from the 19th century buildings on the Rue de la République to the medieval houses of the Old Town, or Vieille Ville. All have been beautifully maintained or restored.

Excellent4.5 stars9,118 reviews on

Find out more with a free brochure and enjoy weekly travel inspiration and offers in our e-newsletter.

0 results matching: Escorted Rail Tours to Sarlat

Filters
Filter by
Clear All
Holiday type
Reset
Price range
Reset
Holiday length
Reset
Departure date
Reset
Mobility rating
Reset
Theme
Reset
Transport type
Reset
Additional options
Reset
See results

Sarlat's abundance of historic architecture - the city boasts at least 250 listed buildings, more per square metre than any other European city - its natural beauty and its arts and cultural have created a destination that is immensely popular with visitors. Besides the obvious appeal of its medieval heritage, Sarlat also offers many delightful independent shops to explore and inviting cafes from which to sit back with a coffee and watch the world go by. Wednesday and Saturday are Sarlat's market days and these provides the perfect opportunity to rub shoulders with the locals among colourful stalls which sell a variety of outstanding fresh local produce including cheeses, sausages, fruit and vegetables and the foie gras d'oies for which the region is famous.

Cathedral of Saint-Sacerdos

Sarlat's historic cathedral can be found in the heart of the old town. The entrance is the oldest part of the cathedral; a Romanesque bell-tower which dates back to the twelfth century. The rearmost part of the building is the original cathedral dating from the fourteenth century, whilst the central section is of seventeenth-century origin.

Manoir de Gisson

On one side of Sarlat's Place du Marche aux Oies (Goose Market Square), the Manoir de Gisson is a meticulously-restored and preserved thirteenth-century townhouse with traditional mullioned windows and a central, hexagonal tower. The cellars of the house have been turned into a fascinating museum of curios and artefacts collected by seventeenth and eighteenth century explorers and adventurers on their travels around the world.

Lanterne des Morts

In the gardens behind Sarlat's cathedral, the elevated Lanterne des Morts is a curious circular building with a conical roof and dates from the twelfth century. Its original purpose was to indicate the position of a cemetery - Lanterne des Morts means 'lantern of the dead' named for the light which shone from the building's roof. Today, Sarlat's Lanterne des Morts provides excellent views over the city.