France - Sarlat & Dordogne - Travel Story

Written by Dorothy Pan Friday, 29 July 2011 14:02

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Sarlat-la-Canéda & Dordogne, Travel Story

Beautiful Medieval Sarlat

Sarlat is easily one of the most captivating towns in all of France. This medieval village is a UNESCO World Heritage site and because it has eluded most of modern society it has remained one of the best depictions of 14^th century France. It is a region known largely for its gastronomy, as their main commodities are foie gras and truffles.

Getting to this region of France is not an easy task, but if all goes well, you can get away with doing just one transfer in Bordeaux. This was our initial plan, but of course, it was not meant to be.

Dealing with Delayed Trains

We waited at the Avignon train station for our train, only to find out 5 minutes prior to when it was scheduled to arrive that it was delayed by an hour. We had a connecting train to catch so waiting was not an option for us. Luckily, my travel partner is very quick on his feet and before I knew it we had a plan B. Unfortunately, this alternate plan consisted of transferring 4 times in small, middle-of-nowhere towns with no food, and barely any shelter. On any other day this would be fine, but as Murphy’s Law would have it, on this particular day it was cold and raining.

As frustrating as this transportation blunder was the train ride in to Sarlat could not have been more beautiful and peaceful. We felt at ease as we watched the scenery rush by. The luscious green hills were dotted with enchanting castles and the fields with sweet little farmhouses that were the epitome of French country style.

Finally Made It!

When we finally arrived in Sarlat we did not anticipate on it being as small as it was. The train station was nowhere near the main area of town where our hotel was, so we had to hail a taxi…if only there was a taxi to hail.

We waited a little while and finally realized that we were going to have to call for one. We asked the gentleman behind the desk if he could do so for us and he said sure, but that he wasn’t sure if George (the cab driver) would be working. We were confused and asked if there was another taxi company he could call. The gentleman gave us a look and said that there were only 5 taxi drivers in all of Sarlat – not taxi companies, taxi DRIVERS. When I heard that, despite my hunger and exhaustion from the extra long ride, I had to laugh.

First Impressions of Sarlat

When we arrived at the centre of town the cab driver stopped just outside and said that he could not enter, it was pedestrian only during certain hours. It wasn’t easy pulling our luggage through the very rocky and uneven cobblestone streets, and even harder pulling it up the narrow steep street where our hotel was located, but we didn’t mind – the scenery around us took our minds off of all of our troubles immediately. The hotel Villa Les Consuls, like all other buildings in Sarlat, was an old converted medieval structure. We were so excited to see what this enchanting town had to offer so we quickly dropped our bags and headed out.

There are no words for how lovely Sarlat is. To give you a good idea, the movie Ever After was filmed here and if you have ever seen that movie, you would understand the immense beauty this area carries. I felt as though someone had dropped me in the middle of all those fairytales I would read as a little girl and I felt my stomach flutter with excitement as I walked through the cobblestone streets and alleys.

Great Food at Jardin de L'Harmonie

We worked up quite an appetite and stumbled upon a charming little restaurant called Jardin de L’Harmonie in a narrow alleyway. I had a craving for duck, which in this region is a specialty so as soon as I saw the magret with earl grey and port sauce on their menu I was sold. We sat outdoors on their lovely patio so that we could people watch while we enjoyed our meal.

Heading to Rocamadour

The next day we awoke early, eager to get the day started. We had rented a GPS equipped car in advance from the one and only car rental agency in the area and planned to drive ourselves from each destination. The GPS seemed like a great idea at first, but as we learned later (the hard way), you’re much better off not using it unless you are absolutely lost.

Our first stop was to Rocamadour, a community set along the side of a limestone cliff on the banks of the Alzou River. On the way there we had entrusted in our faithful GPS, only to be led through some very precarious and treacherous roads. Had we followed the numerous signs on the nicely paved roads we would have been fine, but in an attempt to save time, our handy GPS decided to lead us off on to some dirt roads that we were not sure were even roads. Either way, they were definitely not built for 2 cars. We felt as though we were driving on a rally course and it didn’t help that these single car lanes (which were meant for 2 cars) wrapped around hills that had virtually nothing to keep us from falling over the edge. I can say now that I’m on solid ground, that this was an interesting way to see some “off the beaten path” (literally) parts of France, but it is by no means recommended.

Relief came over us as we arrived safe and sound and were finally able to enjoy the splendour of this amazing place. The beauty of Rocamadour has attracted numerous tourists over the years, but its true notoriety comes from the illustrious sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, perched high above the River Alzou overlooking the valley. For centuries people have been making pilgrimages to the site including nobles, bishops, and kings. When we arrived we were met with an extraordinary view of the cliff-side town looking out over the gorge. Unfortunately, due to our unforeseen adventure trying to get here, we were left with very little time so we did not pay to walk within the ramparts. We did a quick stroll around the area then headed out to find lunch. If you have the time however, there are several things to see. The Chapelle de Notre-Dame, which was built in 1479, is devoted almost entirely to the statue of Black Madonna is the main attraction here. It is said that this wooden statue was carved by St. Amadour and word spread quickly of the miracles at Rocamadour. Since then people have been making pilgrimages, climbing the 216 stone steps leading up to the church on their knees in penitence. Above the door that leads into the chapel is a sword that, according to legend, belonged to Roland, a hero of early France. Besides the church of Notre-Dame, there is also the town itself, the Basilique St-Saveur, Chapelle St. Michel, and the Chapelle Miraculeuse where the tomb of St. Amadour rests.

Up, Up, Up... to the Chateau de Beynac

We drove in to a small town near Rocamadour for a quick and simple lunch. We decided at this point that we would not have time to visit Saint Cirq Lapopie, which was to be our second stop, and headed for our final destination instead so that we would not have to rush through it.

We arrived at the Chateau de Beynac, one of the most well preserved castles in the region and one of the finest in France. This medieval structure sits 200 meters above the north bank of the Dordogne River atop a limestone cliff. Originally built as a defence system by the barons of Beynac, the castle passed through several proprietors, ultimately ending up in the hands of Lucien Grosso in 1962, who purchased and restored it.

We parked the car in a parking lot at the base of the cliff and made the steep 15-minute climb to the plateau. The sun was beating down on us as we hiked, but the views of the valley and the magnificent Chateau Castelnaud across the river, coupled with the picturesque little town that we were walking through certainly took our minds off of the heat.

Wish We Had More Time

With hundreds of chateaus in the Dordogne region alone one could spend days castle hopping, but we wanted to soak in as much of Sarlat as we could so we quickly headed back just before dinner. We had reservations that night at a gorgeous restaurant called Le Presidial, which is situated in one of Sarlat’s most historic buildings. We had walked by the restaurant the day before and peaked through the large iron gates to see little linen covered tables nestled within a garden of vibrant flowers, lively statuettes, and climbing ivy and we knew we had to go. Noting that this region is known for its foie gras and truffles, I decided it was my duty to try their regional specialties. My appetizer of foie gras, though pricey, was the size of my hand, over half an inch thick and cooked to perfection. My main dish consisted of a tender duck breast served with Perigord sauce (which is their regional sauce of foie gras and truffles) and of course, 2 more fairly large pieces of the fatty duck liver. Needless to say that after this meal the mere mention of foie gras made me queasy.

After dinner we wandered around to see Sarlat by night. We were anticipating a peaceful walk around, but instead this quiet little town kicked it up a notch and came alive with music playing from the restaurants and street performers in the main square. The energy level could rival any major city, except here you have a magnificent historic village as your backdrop.

The next morning was heartbreaking as we prepared to leave wonderful Sarlat for our next destination. It was truly amazing to be immersed in so much history and culture and the experience can only be described as magical and enchanting. We will definitely be visiting again soon.