Tourist attractions Dordogne Berry Limousin

A Gothic masterpiece begun in 1195 and consecrated in 1324; the immense west front has 5 portals (the central of which depicts the Last Judgement), leading into a nave and four aisles. The windows (12C-17C) are among France’s finest, and the crypt ..

This museum was designed by architect Jean Nouvel on the site of an elaborate Gallo-Roman house (4,000m 2 ). A model presents the layout of the city of Vesunna in the 2C with the house located near the church and double forum. The original house (1C)..

These verdant gardens laid out in the 18C have belonged to the same family for five generations. Thanks to the many evergreen species planted here, the gardens are an oasis of greenery throughout the year. Admire the paths lined with beautifully prun..

Built around 1540 in the Renaissance style (inspired by Chambord), Valençay is a fine example of a Loire valley château making early use of the neo-Classical style: pilasters and domes instead of pepperpot roofs. Gallery dedicated to the Talleyrand-..

Divided in two by the rue de la République, known as the “traverse”, Sarlat consists of two distinct quarters, one of which was more aristocratic in nature than the other. This town so typical of the Périgord is renowned for its architecture, with fi..

Discovered in the early 20C by two teenagers, Pech-Merle caves have been described as “an art gallery within a natural palace”. The caves have been open to the public since 1926 and are a listed historic monument. Follow a 2km circuit to discover mag..

Leave Sarlat heading southwest towards Beynac-et-Cazenac . Beynac, listed as “one of the most beautiful villages in France”, boasts a charming location with a castle perched on the cliff above the village. Further east, on the left bank of the r..

In order to create this 4ha park, inspired by 18C English examples, it was necessary to dam a valley for water features, transform a former quarry into a waterfall and meadows into lawns and woods, necessitating bulldozers to plant mature trees weigh..

Vividly brought back to life using illuminated manuscripts of the period for guidance, these superb walled gardens at the heart of a 12C priory are the ideal setting for gentle aesthetic contemplation. In this meditative haven of peace, visitors will..

The Corrèze has its very own Niagara! The River Montane squeezes through a tight gorge, carving a rocky path before dropping from a height of 143m. The first waterfall, called Grande Cascade or Grand Saut, drops 45m and is closely followed by the sec..

From the orientation table at a height of 908m, the panoramic view encompasses the Limousin landscape and the Millevaches plateau. The Monédières massif rises in the foreground, a series of humps and gentle depressions. On a good day, the distinctive..

Standing proudly atop a rocky outcrop, this old frontier post between the duchy of Aquitaine and county of Auvergne emerges amidst abundant vegetation. In bygone days, the lords of La Xiantrie each had a château-refuge on this very rock, very useful ..

Surrounded by Berry, Touraine, Poitou and the Limousin, this region of legends covers some 166 000ha, a mosaic of wild and mysterious landscapes which have long inspired poets and artists. Characterised by the juxtaposition of lakes and forests, moor..

In 1759, Count Charles Le Blanc de Marnaval, owner of the Clavières forges and director of the Châteauroux Royal fabric manufactory, acquired the Bouges estate and began building this Louis XV residence, subsequently owned by Talleyrand between 1818 ..

In a verdant landscape of wooded hills, this artificial lake covers 1 000ha, the result of the construction of the Vassiviere Dam on the River Maulde. Each year this is the venue for major sailing events, and one of its islands (bridged access on foo..

Le Dorat has one of the Limousin’s most majestic and sober works of architecture. The collegiate church’s facade has a lobed doorway showing mozarabic influence perhaps attributable to Compostela pilgrims. Above the crossing is an elegant three-story..

On 10 June 1944, four days after the D-Day landings, an entire village of 642 people was wiped out by German troops of the Das Reich division. Whitewashed walls, a memorial, and a cemetery where lie these victims of Nazism comprise this “martyr vil..

Aldo Rossi and Xavier Fabre created this duo of buildings, a rectilinear art gallery and a lighthouse tower, in harmony with nature. In brick and granite, these two structures host temporary exhibitions by artists interested in experimentation, chang..

This simple 12C church with a late-15C chancel has two exceptional objects. The first is the imposing reliquary of St Étienne (1189) in hammered and inlaid brass embellished with enamels, precious stones and intaglios. The second is the dalmatic said..

Cliffs, prehistoric caves, and castles overlooking the valleys of the Dordogne and the Vézère : this is the essence of Périgord. The countryside is dotted with tile-roofed farmhouses, little Romanesque churches, leafy forests that are full of mush..