Sarlat, a medieval town nesting in the Dordogne. (Sarlat (France))

Member Name: paulhanton

Product:	Sarlat (France)
Date:	12/08/09 (170 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful, interesting.

Disadvantages: Hot and busy in high season.

Sarlat La Caneda

SW France.

This has to be one of my favourite towns in the Dordogne/Perigod Region of South West France. I am surprised that this is the first review as it is one of the most touristy towns in the Dordogne, but I suppose, a little 'deep' into the countryside for many.


Where exactly?

About 6 miles North of the Dordogne river itself, to the East of Bergerac and easily accessible from the motorway network, though a good tip is to ensure that the satnav is programmed correctly as there are a few 'Sarlat's' in France.

If you approach from the North or West (as is likely) you will see some fantastic views from the hillsides as you drop steeply into the town.


~~When to Go~~

Where do I start? Well, for me, the best day to visit is a Saturday, preferably in June or September as July and August are two things, busy and hot. The first Saturday in August is an absolute no, no to visit as the French start their summer holidays then and flock to the quaint medieval street and busy street market, of which I shall tell you more shortly.

The other thing I should mention is that parking is pretty much free on the approach roads and car parks outside the centre, however, go after 10 am on a Saturday and you have no chance of parking, other days are generally okay though Wednesdays are quite busy due to the food market.


~~What to see~~

The Saturday market is a must, one of the longest street markets in Europe it starts from one end of the town centre and goes straight down the main shopping street and spills over into the surrounding streets. The market has lots of local produce both food and clothes, leather being a speciality. There are a lot of tourist stalls selling fossils and items related to Neanderthal and cro magnon man as Sarlat is not far from the caves that propagate the area.

If you are buying food from the market, a good tip is that the stalls furthest from the centre are cheapest, by sometimes 50%. If you are buying leather goods, haggle, they don't mind, and if they do they let you know quickly.

I would not buy wine here, it is overpriced and a bit naff, when you can travel an hour and a half West and get the best wines at the best prices from St Emilion.

Do buy trinkets and oddities, they are really quite unique, fossils and the like are quite cheap.

The shops in the medieval streets are not always obvious as they are set back in walls and down small alleyways, but they are well worth exploring as they sell all manner of local items, anything to do with duck is de rigueur here!

The medieval streets and buildings are a wonder, the majority of which are built with light yellow, almost orange stone and date from the 15th century, as do the numerous small churches that are to be found here too. The streets are cobbled for the most part and seem to wind to nowhere, but inevitably lead back to the main street (where the market is).

There are reasonably priced guided tours that are worthwhile if you have time and the inclination, personally I prefer to self explore and in 6 or 7 visits I have found new things, such as stumbling on a stage set up outside a church that had a classical cello recital going on.


~~Where to eat and drink~~

The whole town is littered with cafes, bars and restaurants, it is easy to just stop for a coffee and pay a reasonable price, be warned though, beer is very expensive, with a half litre lager coming in between 5 and 8 Euros.

Eating is Sarlat, like many French towns, is an art of organisation and to some extent, risk taking. If you arrive at a restaurant before 12 noon you will not get served food until 12, if you get to a restaurant (especially on a Saturday) at 10 past 12, you wont get a table...and from 2pm until 7pm, a snack is the best you can hope to order, from a café type place.

My big tip is to look at the menus's outside the restaurants, earlier than 12, decide where you are going and head back there for 11.55. The Plat de Jour (plate of the day) is generally good value and is often set at two or three different prices dependent on how many courses you want, to order the same dishes from a menu is considerably more expensive.

Take a bottle of water for walking around, it is expensive in town.


Any downfalls?

It is incredibly busy in the summer, I mean, shoulder to shoulder busy and in the 40 degree heat that can be bothersome. The waiters in many of the restaurants are a bit snooty as Sarlat has an air of culture about it that translates into snobbery sometimes.

Oh, and do not be taken in by any of the cheap medieval armour, clothing and replica weaponry, it really is not worth it.

Parking can be an issue.


~~~Finally~~~

Sarlat is an absolute must for a visit and I guarantee you will fall in love with it's quirky streets and architecture, spend a good 5 or 6 hours there, taking in lunch and finding nice quiet places to relax after all the shopping that you are bound to get from the market.

Wear comfy shoes, cobbled streets start to have an effect after a few hours.

One of the good things about the tourists in Sarlat is for the most part they are French, followed by Dutch and British, though there was not a loutish Brit to be seen, lots of families.

Finally, on the way in or out, stop at a vantage point and check out the view over glorious, green French countryside. Or even better, stop at one of the many prehistoric sites that sorround the town.

Summary: Sarlat la Caneda.