Sarlat, France

Sarlat Building

 I feel like the time that we spent in Sarlat was the heart of our trip.  Originally we planned to spend 2 nights in the town while visiting nearby palaeolithic sites at Rouffignac, Lascaux, and La Chapelle aux Saints, but we just couldn't leave.  We wound up staying 4 nights and even that was just scratching the surface.  The town itself was laid out like a cobble and sandstone maze and every street begged to be explored and every restaurant needed to be enjoyed.

Door knocker

 I really didn't know anything at all about Sarlat before we arrived there, other than it came highly recommended and that it was a medieval city.  A modern town has grown up around the old walled city at its core, but the pedestrian streets, homes, shops and churches in the middle of the town seem little changed since they were built centuries ago.  From what I've read, the first settlement in the area was a Benedictine Monastary founded in 720 A.D. and the city evolved and grew from that seed.

Grotto 

Behind St. Sacredos Cathedral

One of many restaurants

The food was incredible

Lamb

Profiteroles

Window display from our regular bakery

Gargoyles gaurding St. Mary's Church

Lanterne des Morts, behind St. Sacredos Cathedral

Window inside St. Sacredos Cathedral

Le Tourny Restaurant

I hope this man is still walking down the Rue Montaigne the next time I'm in Sarlat.

Photo Credits: Tim Rast