Castles, listed villages, caves, Remarkable gardens, gourmet evening markets ...
Activities in Périgord Noir
Castles
The Hundred Years’ War between the French and the English left us with an invaluable heritage. You are in the heart of the ‘land of a thousand castles’ and will no doubt have time to visit a few during your stay. Here is a selection of castles from different periods — some of my personal favorites.
Its stone‑slate (lauze) roofs and machicolated towers make it a remarkable architectural ensemble, and the view from the small access road is stunning. The castle cannot be visited, but a footpath allows you to walk around it and admire the roofs up close.
Filolie refers to an old oil mill.
Quite literally brought back from the ground thanks to the efforts of Hubert de Commarque since the 1960s. Lost in the middle of nature, the history of this castle is fascinating (a kind of shared living space long before it became a trend). In summer, don’t miss the evening openings. There’s also a great escape game for enthusiasts.
It was the rooms dedicated to Joséphine Baker that first drew me to Les Milandes. The story told there is truly moving. In addition, the estate features beautiful gardens, a lovely recently restored chapel, and a birds‑of‑prey show.
Overlooking the Vézère, Losse is remarkable for the quality of its rooms (including an impressive rammed‑earth floor) and its gardens with neatly trimmed boxwood hedges, which hold the Jardin Remarquable label. And did you know it belonged to a Vietnamese princess for more than 50 years?
Another family restoration! This small château tucked away at the bottom of a valley is a real gem. Listen to its story as told by Florence and Isabelle, the two sisters who own it.
In the very heart of the village, the 12th‑century keep, with its impressive machicolations, leads to a wall‑walk topped by a four‑sided stone‑slate roof. It is the timber structure that will truly amaze you with its craftsmanship and technical mastery.
Gardens
The Dordogne is full of enchanting gardens that beautifully enhance the landscapes they overlook or the historic homes they surround. Here are some of the most beautiful gardens in the Périgord Noir.
Discover seven themed gardens with their plant sculptures spread across ten hectares. During Châteaux en Fête, Patrick Sermadiras himself will guide you through the manor.
Overlooking the Dordogne and offering sweeping views of the castles of Castelnaud and Beynac, as well as the village of La Roque‑Gageac, the Marqueyssac Gardens and their thousands of hand‑pruned boxwoods are simply unmissable. In May 2025, they were ranked among the 25 most beautiful gardens in the world by The New York Times.
Created in 1996 by Pierre Delmon, former mayor of Terrasson, this “Jardin Remarquable” spans more than six hectares and blends the landscapes of the Périgord with strikingly contemporary architectural lines.
Caves
The prehistoric sites and decorated caves of the Vézère Valley form an exceptional ensemble of prehistoric landmarks, spread over roughly forty kilometres between Montignac‑Lascaux and Les Eyzies‑de‑Tayac.
This exact replica of the cave, famous for its painted horses, is an unmissable visit. Yes, it gets busy in summer, but everything is well managed and the guides are highly knowledgeable. You can also discover Lascaux II, an older partial underground reproduction of the cave, whose entrance on the Lascaux hillside lies just a hundred meters from the original site. If you can, opt for the last visit of the day — the torch‑lit tour.
How about setting off to discover one of the most beautiful Palaeolithic sanctuaries in the world? Step inside one of the last decorated caves in France that is still open to the public. If the tours are fully booked, you can try the Combarelles cave located just next door.”.
Unusual and extraordinary. Unusual for the exploration of the cave by little train. Extraordinary for its numerous depictions of mammoths, bison, ibex and other prehistoric horses.
Listed villages
The Périgord Noir is known for its magnificent villages and hamlets built from local stone — here, the warm blond stone of Sarlat. Many of these villages belong to the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Here is a selection of those located near Asplat.
Just a 10‑minute walk from Asplat, Saint‑Amand is one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. The visit revolves around its impressive 12th‑century abbey church. On Tuesday evenings, the night market takes place at the old tobacco barn. And with a bit of luck, you might catch a concert in the abbey or enjoy some open‑air street theatre.
A very pretty village just 15 minutes by car from Asplat. The château‑and‑church ensemble, with its stone‑slate roofs, is magnificent. Go on a Sunday morning — it’s market day.
Following the Vézère downstream, you’ll reach Saint‑Léon, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, with its three châteaux and its jewel‑like Romanesque church. A few boutiques showcase the work of talented local artisans. Several good restaurants (some mentioned on the website) and a café serving Roland Manouvrier’s ice creams are well worth discovering.
Gourmets evening markets
In July and August, every weekday, you can make your way around the gourmet markets. Local producers invite you to enjoy their dishes on site or take them away. It’s always a very convivial atmosphere, with large communal tables where you sit alongside other visitors. The ambiance varies from one village to another — with or without music, more tourists or more locals, quieter or livelier — there’s something for everyone. Each evening, you can choose between several villages.
Here is a day‑by‑day selection:
- Montignac (Monday)
- Saint-Amand-de-Coly (Tuesday)
- Saint-Geniès (Wednesday)
- Auriac (Thursday)
- Valojoulx (Friday)
Other activities
Great fun for families, with canoes for one to three people. I prefer going down the Vézère, as it’s closer and a little less crowded than the Dordogne. Choose your departure base (Montignac, Thonac, Saint‑Léon…) and the duration of your trip. Depending on the stretch, you’ll paddle past either a château or a troglodytic site.
Many companies propose hot‑air balloon flights over the Dordogne, around the Châteaux Valley (south of Sarlat).