Of everywhere I have journeyed on this trip, Sarlat has been my biggest surprise. I had chosen this place only because I wanted to do a tour to Rocamadour and it seemed like the best option… with no idea how amazing it was in itself. My brother Chris had recommended the region of the Dordogne, and particularly Rocamadour, saying how beautiful it was… but in my research, I found without a car it is quite tricky to explore… but so happy that we made the effort to see what was possible anyway. The Dordogne Valley in south-west France is special. It’s the sort of place that you go to once and always long to return. Luscious landscapes… from scenic rolling countryside to rivers and forests, incredible prehistoric landmarks, vineyards, and walnut groves. Centuries ago, the Dordogne Valley was an important battle area during the Hundred Years War and because of this, the area is dotted with hilltop castles and the prettiest of villages and historic medieval towns. What’s more, the food is sensational, based on locally grown ingredients and specialties like duck, walnuts and truffles… with nine Michelin-starred restaurants in the area.

So we left Aix en Provence with our longest travel day of our whole trip ahead of us- four trains and eleven hours on the road (so to speak). The first two trains went smoothly and on time including our longest single train journey of five hours into Ajen. Here we discovered that there was some kind of issue with the trains (not speaking French certainly makes it difficult gathering information) and we would have to get a bus to our next destination, which would take longer than the planned rail leg, meaning we would miss our final connection into Sarlat. Our already long travel day had now turned from eleven hours into thirteen… arriving now at 10.30 pm… certainly too late for dinner. As we would have a nearly two hour wait once we arrive in Siorac we thought we would have dinner here while we waited, but when we arrived, in the dark, we were told it was too far to town for us to walk. Resigned to a long hungry wait, I googled and found it was only a ten minute walk to town..so we left our bags with the lovely young rail attendant (who obviously thought these two sixty something year olds couldn’t walk ten minutes into town 😂) and walked through a very pretty, dark, deserted town and found a little hotel with an open restaurant and had a really delicious meal and much needed wine. Anne put on her google maps (that somehow is determined to lead us astray) and we started to walk back in the dark to the station, using our phone torches to make our way. I questioned when we crossed the railway track as we had not crossed it on our way out… but Anne said , ‘trust me.’ Famous last words! I kept questioning how we would get over to the other side but google was saying there was a way. There wasn’t… and time was getting short. We ended up having to climb a fence, go through a thorny ditch and then walk across the track, all by torch light, to get back to the station. But we did make it onto our last train and finally into Sarlat, where we still had a nearly two km walk dragging our bags to where we were staying. It was certainly a relief when we arrived to our lovely little stone-walled apartment ( which we later realized looked out over the ancient moss-covered rooftops of layered slate)…

… and we were quickly asleep.

I woke earlyish and went out to explore the town- sunrise is now not until 8.00am which means there is no hurry… and even at that time the light had not really touched the town.

But I could immediately see how fantastic the this place was… that we had completely missed as our tired bodies dragged our bags through last night. I was excited! Sarlat is a beautiful medieval stone town that once again, feels like it is straight out of a movie. Apparently the best preserved medieval town in Europe… in fact it has the highest amount of historical buildings per square foot in the whole of France. Time seems to have stopped still here… with so much virtually unchanged since the days of seige and knights galloping over drawbridges. I have written about other places we have visited where history hangs over the narrow and winding cobbled lanes… the medieval plazas and churches… ancient doorways revealing snippets of bygone eras… but this was next level. The past feels wonderfully present here in this authentic medieval town and as I walked in the early morning, Sarlat’s renowned Saturday market was being set up…

…which offers not just local produce but a genuine slice of French history. As I wandered I imagined how these spaces must have witnessed countless market days since the 14th century, and the tradition continues.

I went back to the apartment to get Anne and we continued our exploration… and by this time the morning sunshine had touched the yellow sandstone buildings so they almost seemed to glow… and we strolled around feeling like time travelers who’d been transported straight into the heart of medieval France.

The, by now, very busy market…

… offers a culinary experience that is perhaps unlike any other… where food producers come to sell their culinary delights from delicacies like foie gras to decadent cheeses and breads, pastries and sweets… a gastronomical hub… and what better place than an idyllic and historic setting as the backdrop.

We had a private tour booked today, quite extravagant but all that was available on the weekend, and we were leaving on Monday morning. So we left our exploration of Sarlat and headed off into the countryside towards Rocamadour.

This village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is nothing short of spectacular and is one of those unique places you never forget. A major pilgrimage site, and to this day one the most dramatic. During the Middle Ages, it was the ‘Lourdes of its time’, famed for its healing powers and visited by numerous monarchs. Its ancient towers, churches and oratories seem to spill down a sheer cliff face, clinging tenaciously as they overlook a canyon. The village itself is absolutely breathtaking to see… the streets long, narrow, and lined with medieval houses.

The town also forms part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and many come to see its religious sites.

And then theres the Grand Escalier, a series of 216 monumental steps that pilgrims would once climb on their knees…

… that takes you to La Cité Réligieuse, the main complex.

Once you reach the top, the Basilica Saint-Sauveur and its shadowy interior await, a place that has welcomed pilgrims for centuries. Nearby, the Chapel Notre-Dame (where a wedding was being held) and it’s Miracles chapel, holds the esteemed Black Madonna and child statue, a symbol of devotion since the Middle Ages.

Around the central Parvis des Eglises square, various chapels each tell their own tale. The Chapel Saint John the Baptist, with its historic pilgrim portraits, and the stained-glass adorned Chapel Saint Blaise reveal insights into ancient religious practices. High above, the Chapels of Saint Michael and Saint Louis showcase medieval frescoes and there was even a chapel dedicated to Saint Anne…

… and one, of all things, dedicated to rugby 🤷🏼‍♀️. That’s just weird!

Rocamadour’s stunning castle, used to defend the village in the Middle Ages, balances proudly at the top of the village. The castle’s ramparts are open to visitors and the views are spectacular.

The town brings in over one million tourists and pilgrims a year… and in some ways did feel quite touristy, which I found a little disturbing. Our guide explained that it was always like this… even back to the Middle Ages when the streets were lined with stalls selling religious trinkets to the pilgrims. But despite this there was something so special about this place… something spiritual that goes beyond the obvious stunning physical features of the town… beyond the history… and beyond religion or denomination… so many fascinating stories of miracles… healings and lives saved. This place was steeped in generations of prayer and the presence of God was palpable. I don’t remember ever feeling it so strongly anywhere I have been before and I felt quite overwhelmed and teary… particularly in the Miracles chapel…

… and on the stunning Stations of the Cross walk (which definitely took me back to my Catholic roots… but in a good way).

It absolutely stole my heart… but in a different way to so many of the stunning villages we have visited on this trip.

Leaving, we drove quite silently, both caught up in the atmosphere of what we had left behind. But what an amazing drive the next hour was… with castles, both ruined and restored appearing around every curve (and that is not an exaggeration).

Chateaus straddled vertiginous cave-pocked limestone cliffs attempting to outdo each other in beauty. We drove through destinations that were each more stunning than the last… stunning hilltop vistas… any one of them could have been the highlight of our trip but there was only time for quick photo stops and no time to explore. But the drive itself was simply breathtaking.

The pretty village of Beynac-et Cazenac sits on the northern banks of the Dordogne river, with an imposing and incredibly well preserved castle perched above. Richard the Lionheart, King of England, once walked the halls of the castle, gazing out at his French enemies in Castelnaud. The river’s edge is lined with a stretch of wonderful stone homes, and there are a number of restaurants and bars along the cobbled streets that rise above… another fairytale like village.

We moved onto La Roque-Gageac with its dramatic setting built into almost vertical cliffs rising from the lazily curving river… and it’s castle… again this fairytale like land looks like something out of a story book. Another one of the ‘most beautiful villages’ in France, it features a maze of cobbled streets, a Romanesque church and a troglodyte fort. A line of restaurants runs along the rivers bank and it would have been wonderful to take one of the guided sightseeing trips in the traditional riverboats called a gambarre (that used to be used for trading). You can also paddle down the river on a canoe down one of the most spectacular river passages in the world with a half dozen castles looming in the hilltops high above the caves inhabited since prehistory poking into the cliffs over the water. Sounds like an adventure I would love but for now it will have to be added to that never-ending unachievable bucket list.

Our last stop for the day… another of the ‘most beautiful villages’ of France… Domme- offering a truly magical experience that is straight out of a fairytale. I sound like a broken record… I know… but it’s true. Domme is perched on top of a hill that overlooks Dordogne Valley nearly 250 meters above the flowing Dordogne River and so, offers incredible panoramic views. A naturally fortified village (bastide) built in the 13th century on the steep sided hilltop… it was fought over repeatedly during the Hundred Years’ War between the French and the English and it’s easy to see why when you consider the vantage point.

When you enter the city, you go through a large, double towered gate…

… which leads to the town square. And the main part of the village lies at the very top of the hill along the edge of a sheer cliff commanding sight lines along the entire valley. The market square where locals once gathered to watch public executions, is now home to many artisanal shops, cafes and restaurants full of breathtaking architecture and golden stones.

Tired after such a fantastic and emotional day, we returned to our base at Sarlat, with its honey-coloured buildings glowing in the sunset light.

Sarlat by day is wonderful, but Sarlat by night is an unforgettable experience! The streets come alive with a warm glow from the traditional gaslit lamps, making it feel as if you’ve stepped back in time… perhaps even more so than during the day. It’s almost spooky!

There is no shortage of restaurants in Sarlat… most serving classic french cuisine with a local accent and some even extending into natural caverns… but we sat out on one of the many bistro terraces, eating delicious duck and foie gras, drinking wine under the romantic lighting.

Such an amazing place… hard to leave. But new adventures await in Paris!