What to do around Sarlat
This is Sarlat's great advantage: almost everything the Perigord Noir is known for sits within a short drive. The castles facing each other above the Dordogne, the listed villages, the hanging gardens, the painted caves of the Vezere valley — the essentials all fall within an hour.
This page sorts the options by category to help you build your days without spending the whole stay driving.
How to plan your days
The Perigord Noir is best explored valley by valley rather than site by site. South of Sarlat, the Dordogne valley concentrates the perched villages, the castles and the river activities. To the north-west, the Vezere valley gathers prehistory and the painted caves. Grouping visits by valley avoids pointless back-and-forth and leaves time to wander.
Two major visits a day is plenty. The busiest sites fill up in the middle of the day: arriving at opening time or in the late afternoon changes the experience considerably, especially in July and August.
The castles
The fortresses of the Dordogne valley face one another across the river, a legacy of the Hundred Years' War.
Beynac and Castelnaud castles
Medieval fortresses that once faced off against each other during the Hundred Years' War, perched high above the valley.
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Château des Milandes
The former home of Josephine Baker, with its free-flying birds of prey shows in the Renaissance gardens.
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Château de Puymartin
A furnished, still-inhabited 15th- and 17th-century residence just outside Sarlat, home to the legend of the White Lady.
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Château de Fénelon
A vast fortress with the look of a Loire château, birthplace of the writer Fénelon, overlooking the Dordogne valley.
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Château de Commarque
A medieval fortress under restoration, built above a troglodyte site inhabited since prehistoric times.
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Château de Montfort
Perched on a rocky spur at one of the Dordogne's most beautiful river bends, with a spectacular view over the valley.
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Château de Losse
A Renaissance manor set on a rocky spur above the Vézère river, surrounded by gardens listed as remarkable.
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Château de Biron
A monumental fortress blending eight centuries of architectural styles, from medieval to Renaissance.
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Château de Campagne
A medieval and Renaissance castle surrounded by a vast listed wooded park, on the edge of Les Eyzies.
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Château de Marqueyssac
The 18th-century manor overlooking the famous hanging gardens above the Dordogne valley.
View on Google MapsThe villages
Several rank among the most visited villages in the Dordogne, each with a very distinct character.
La Roque-Gageac
One of the most beautiful villages in France, clinging to the cliffside on the banks of the Dordogne. Explore on foot or aboard a traditional gabare boat.
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Domme, the clifftop village
Listed among the most beautiful villages in France, Domme offers one of the finest panoramas over the valley.
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Beynac-et-Cazenac
A stone village nestled beneath its castle, with steep lanes and a small harbour on the Dordogne.
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Castelnaud-la-Chapelle
A village tucked beneath its fortress, with golden stone houses and views over the Dordogne valley.
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Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère
A Romanesque hamlet on the riverbank, among the most beautiful villages in France, with its 12th-century church.
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Limeuil
A flower-decked village perched at the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, with panoramic gardens.
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Monpazier
One of the finest medieval bastide towns in France, with its arcaded square unchanged since 1284.
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Belvès
A medieval village perched on its promontory, with 14th-century covered market halls and troglodyte dwellings.
View on Google MapsCaves and prehistory
The Vezere valley is one of the largest prehistoric ensembles in Europe. Several caves and chasms can also be visited further south and east.
Lascaux IV
A full-scale replica of the world's most famous prehistoric cave, with paintings 17,000 years old.
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Rouffignac Cave
The "cave of the hundred mammoths," explored aboard a small electric train leading to its prehistoric artwork.
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Grotte du Grand Roc
An extraordinary network of crystalline formations (eccentrics, fistulous stalactites) in the cliffs of Les Eyzies.
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Grotte de Bara-Bahau
A short, easy-to-reach visit, with prehistoric animal engravings just steps from the entrance.
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Maxange Caves
Rare and spectacular formations (eccentrics, fistulous stalactites), discovered in 2000 and still little known.
View on Google MapsGouffre de Proumeyssac
Nicknamed the "crystal cathedral," a huge chasm with spectacular stalactites, viewed by cable car or on foot.
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Domme Cave
Beneath the village's market hall, a network of galleries and formations leads to an exit overlooking the valley.
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Villars Caves
Striking white formations and one of the oldest cave paintings in the Périgord, 45 minutes from Sarlat.
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Cougnac Caves
Two neighbouring caves: sparkling formations in one, exceedingly rare prehistoric paintings in the other.
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Gouffre de Padirac
A dizzying 75-metre-deep chasm, with an underground river to explore by boat.
View on Google MapsGardens, river and activities
Ideal for alternating with monument visits, especially with children or in hot weather.
Gardens of Marqueyssac
Century-old boxwood trimmed along the clifftop and shaded paths, with one of the finest viewpoints over the valley.
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Eyrignac Manor Gardens
Formal French gardens and topiary trimmed with precision since the 18th century, among the finest in France.
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Canoeing on the Dordogne
A canoe trip between cliffs, castles and villages, one of the most beautiful ways to discover the valley.
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Cingle de Trémolat
A vast bend in the Dordogne seen from a lookout point, one of the most photographed views in the region.
View on Google MapsLe Roc de Cazelle
A recreated troglodyte site tracing daily life from prehistoric times through to the early 20th century.
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Village du Bournat
A recreated early-20th-century village with farm, forge, glassworks and rides, ideal for a family day out.
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Aquarium du Périgord Noir
River fish, reptiles and exotic species along a fun trail, ideal for a rainy day.
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Trails and forests of the Périgord
Truffle oaks, chestnut groves and small paths to explore on foot or by bike.
View on Google MapsFrequently asked questions
Do you need a car to explore around Sarlat?
In practice, yes. The castles, villages and caves are scattered across the countryside and public transport is scarce. Sarlat, however, remains the most central starting point: most major sites are under an hour away.
How many sites can you visit in a day?
Two major visits, or one visit plus a village and a stop by the river. Beyond that, days become tiring and you spend more time on the road than at the sites.
Should you book visits in advance?
It is advisable in high season, particularly for the caves, where visitor numbers are strictly capped for conservation reasons. Conditions vary from site to site: check their official websites.
Read next
- The most beautiful villages around SarlatBeynac, Domme, La Roque-Gageac, Castelnaud, Monpazier: the listed villages to visit around Sarlat, how they differ and how to link them up.
- The castles around SarlatBeynac, Castelnaud, Les Milandes, Puymartin, Commarque, Fenelon: a guide to the castles worth visiting around Sarlat and across the Perigord Noir.
- Three days in the Perigord Noir from SarlatA three-day Perigord Noir itinerary from Sarlat: the old town, the Dordogne valley and its castles, then prehistory in the Vezere valley.
- Visiting the Perigord NoirThe Dordogne valley, the Vezere valley, listed villages, castles and painted caves: how to explore the Perigord Noir and where to set up your base.
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