SARLAT-LA-CANÉDA
, capital of Périgord Noir, is held in a hollow between hills 10km or
so back from the Dordogne valley. You hardly notice the modern town, as
it is the mainly fifteenth- and sixteenth-century houses of the vieille
ville in mellow, honey-coloured stone that draw the attention.
The vieille ville is an excellent example of medieval organic urban growth, violated only by the straight swath of the
rue de la République
, now thankfully pedestrianized, which cuts through its middle. The
west side alone remains relatively un-chic; the east side is where most
people wander. As you approach the old town from the station, turn
right down rue Lakanal which leads to the large and unexciting Cathédrale St-Sacerdos , mostly dating from its seventeenth-century renovation. Opposite stands the town's finest house, the
Maison de La Boétie
once the home of Montaigne's friend Étienne de La Boétie, with its
gabled tiers of windows and characteristic steep roof stacked with
heavy limestone tiles ( lauzes ).
For a better sense of the medieval town, wander through the cool, shady lanes and courtyards -
cour des Fontaines and cour des Chanoines - around the back of the cathedral. Directly behind the cathedral is the curious twelfth-century coned tower, the
Lanterne des Morts
, whose exact function has escaped historians, though the most popular
theory is that it was built to commemorate St Bernard, who performed
various miracles when he visited the town in 1147.
There are more wonderful old houses in the streets to the north, especially
rue des Consuls , and up the slopes to the east. Eventually, though, Sarlat's labyrinthine lanes will lead you back to the central
place de la Liberté , where the big Saturday market
spreads its stands of geese, flowers, foie gras, truffles, walnuts and
mushrooms in season, and where various people try to make a living from
the hordes who hit Sarlat in the summer. The only other sight as such
is the Musée Automobile (May, June & Sept daily
except Tues 2.30-6.30pm; July & Aug daily 10am-noon & 2-6pm;
€5.34), south of the centre on avenue Thiers, which features a
wonderful collection of classic cars, dating from as far back as 1890.
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