Domme and La Roque-Gageac

In a region where each village seems to surpass the last one, these two jewels of the Dordogne valley are not to be missed.

Just 14 kilometres south of Sarlat, all roads lead to Domme. Perched high on a cliff overlooking the River Dordogne, there's nowhere else to go. It's a fortified walled bastide village difficult to attack from every direction. Few medieval communities are so well preserved.

Church Eglise in Domme Dordogne Photo: The church of Notre Dame de l'Assomption in Domme

Domme is listed amongst the most beautiful villages in France “Plus Beaux Villages de France” and is visually stunning, even by Dordogne standards. There's hardly a building less than three centuries old and they're lovingly cared for.

Restaurant in Domme Dordogne Photo: Almost a film set come to life with a restaurant on almost every corner

Philip the Bold founded a settlement here in 1281 during the campaign against the Cathars. Indeed, one of the attractions is the graffiti scrawled on the walls of the village tower by imprisoned Cathar knights.

The English and French took turns at running the place during the Hundred Years War when Domme changed hands repeatedly between 1347 and 1437. In those days England's upper crust spoke French so they had no need to shout slowly at the inhabitants in the language of Shakespeare.

Imagine how a medieval community is supposed to look. Domme is it. Period film makers have only to change a few signs to transport an audience back to another time.

1 Epicerie in Domme Photo: No visit to the Dordogne is complete without foie gras and other local products

There's a picturesque market, restaurants and shops offering crafts and delicacies including the staple of the region, foie gras. Sites to see include the church of Notre Dame de l'Assomption and the Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires.

The Tourist Office offers accompanied tours with guides who bring Domme's place in history to life. Its views over the Dordogne valley are to die for.

In an area awash with history, beautiful landscapes where everyone who was anyone seemed to live in a riverside château, La Roque-Gageac stands out above the rest. Only 6km downstream from Domme and 8km from Sarlat, this village squeezes between the river and and a limestone cliff.

Cliff village of La Roque Gageac in Dordogne Photo:La Roque-Gageac threads between a cliff and the river Dordogne

There are troglodyte dwellings in the cliff face and the village clings desperately to the steep hillside. As elsewhere on this stretch of the Dordogne, this is a place to sample canoeing on the river.

Chateau de La Roque Gageac Photo:Everyone should have one - a château

What makes it special, though, is the chance to take a trip on a Gabarre. These flat-bottomed boats facilitated trade on the river, ferrying local goods downstream as far as Bordeaux. The village was founded by fisher-folk and the gabriers, who sailed these craft.

What could be better than a cruise on the Dordogne, and then dinner in a riverside restaurant?

As usual, we include useful links below to Domme and La Roque-Gageac as well as a selection of Pure France homes close by. We have a wide variety of properties in the Dordogne and Perigord area from which to explore this stunning countryside.

Domme and La Roque-Gageac

In a region where each village seems to surpass the last one, these two jewels of the Dordogne valley are not to be missed.

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