Scenery
Gorges du Tarn
Head inland from the Languedoc coast, and north into the Lozere department, and you will find one of France’s scenic highlights at the Gorges du Tarn. The gorges run for some 40 kilometres along the course of the Tarn River, starting west of Florac finishing near Les Vignes. There... [Read more...]
Places
South of Sarlat
Sarlat, ‘unofficial’ capital of the Dordogne department and tourist magnet because of its extraordinary number of medieval buildings, is in the centre of a very attractive region. This is not news! Most visitors to the region around Sarlat venture along the Dordogne... [Read more...]
Resorts
Biarritz, a fine southern city
Biarritz is in the south-western corner of France, close to the border with Spain. There are several good reasons to visit this attractive city: - the town itself contains very impressive grand 19th century townhouses with wrought iron balconies and other decoration, and is a... [Read more...]
Featured Cities
Visit Bordeaux, city of the south
Bordeaux is a vibrant city and one of the most beautiful in the South of France. Half of the city, more than 1800 hectares has recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on account of its historic buildings. The dominant architecture is classical and neo-classical and has remained virtually unchanged for 2 centuries and so it is incredibly unspoilt.
Bordeaux used not to have a great reputation but in 1996 Alain Juppé began an urban regeneration project which included a major cleaning of the facades of the buildings revealing their beautiful golden colour. A tram system has been introduced, reducing the traffic and making movement throughout the city incredibly easy. The quays along the river have been turned into trendy eating areas and the river edge includes lots of seating areas. A long, wide path on the river edge is always full of joggers, cyclists, and people rollerblading and is excellent for a riverside stroll.
Featured History
Fortified villages - Larressingle
Most Francophiles have heard of Carcassonne, the incredible fortified city in Languedoc-Roussillon. Incredible for two reasons - the size and quality of the medieval fortifications, and the knowledge that in the 19th century it was scheduled for demolition, and was only saved at the last minute by the newly appointed ‘Inspector of Historic Monuments’.
But head to the west, and in Gascony (now Gers) you will find a ‘baby version’ of Carcassonne which is also a fascinating place to visit.
Larressingle is a very well preserved fortified village, with the defensive walls surrounding a church and a small cluster of medieval houses.
Featured Gardens
Sardy gardens
For most people, when we think of gardens in the Dordogne we think of the formal gardens in the French style, with carefully trimmed box hedges and meticulously planned layouts. There are several of these to enjoy, including the very well known (and popular) gardens at Marqueyssac and Chateau Hautefort.
For something a little different, venture west of Bergerac in the region and visit the Jardins de Sardy near the border with the Gironde department and close to Sainte-Foy-la-Grande.
The garden is very attractive, and in an ‘Italian meets English’ style, much less formal than the gardens at the grand castles.
Featured Buildings
Medieval market halls
One of the more unusual building types that you will come across in southern France - especially in the medieval and bastide towns of the south-west of the country - is the traditional market hall.
These typically date back up to 700 years, and have long served as permanent ‘covered markets’. Because of this role they are usually found in the centre of towns (eg Villereal, Monpazier, Domme and many others), usually in a large open square.
There are various different versions of the structure, even in the unmodified form.
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