Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos. Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. It owes its current status on France's Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site to the enthusiasm of writer, resistance fighter and politician André Malraux, who, as Minister of Culture (1960–1969), restored the town and many other sites of historic significance throughout France. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free.
While in this region we canoed on the Dordogne river, visited a goose farm, toured a prehistoric cave and saw the paintings, shopped at the weekly Sarlat market, and enjoyed nightly shows in the town square.
See all the photos from our first 2 days in Sarlat here.
