Domme

The bastide of Domme, Périgord

On the left bank of the Dordogne River, the site of Domme is one of the most visited in the region and is often nicknamed “the Acropolis of Périgord” in reference to that of Athens.

How to get to Domme and the Dordogne Valley...

The Dordogne Valley is easily accessible by car from Paris, Bordeaux and Toulouse, via the A20 and A89 autoroutes (French for motorways).

If you travel from Australia you could take a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle, and travel by TGV from the airport station straight to Bordeaux and rent a car from there.

The TGV from Paris-Gare de Montparnasse takes 3 hours to Bordeaux. A SNCF coach links Sarlat to the train station of Libourne which has direct trains to Bordeaux.

Visit Périgord Noir

Aquitaine Regional Tourism Committee:

http://www.tourisme-aquitaine.fr/

Périgord Tourist Guide:

http://www.dordogne-perigord-tourisme.fr/

Périgord Noir Tourist Guide:

http://www.perigordnoir.com/

Tourist information Centre of Sarlat-la-Canéda:

http://www.sarlat-tourisme.com/

Get travel advice about Périgord!

If you live in Sydney and are planning a trip to Périgord and want to know more about its popular attractions, we can advise you. More details...

La Roque-Gageac - one of France’s most beautiful villages built against a towering limestone cliff.

Marqueyssac Gardens - the beautiful and charming gardens of Marqueyssac between Beynac and La Roque-Gageac.

Sarlat-la-Canéda - the medieval little headcity of Périgord Noir is one of France’s most visited sites which will take you back into past.

The bastide of Domme

Beynac-et-Cazenac - the impregnable fortress towers over the village of Beynac.

The village is an old bastide (fortified town) from the 13th century, built on a hill 150 metres above the Dordogne River. Contrary to old walled towns (such as Carcassonne or Provins), a bastide usually had a rectangular layout. However, that of Domme is actually trapezoidal in shape, due to the natural abruptness of the site of the village, and is an excellent example of medieval military architecture. The streets are consistent with the geometrical layout of Domme and its ramparts are right at the edge of the cliff. Since its foundation by King Philippe III (le Hardi) in 1281 during the Albigensian Crusade, the fortified royal bastide has been well-preserved over the years and boasts a fine view over the Dordogne Valley.

Three principal entrances to the town still remain: the Porte del Bos (often the first gate through which visitors come to Domme), and the Porte de la Combe (from the 13th century). The two gates are linked by a protected walkway behind the ramparts. The third one, the Porte des Tours, dates back to the end of the 13th century and stands as the most imposing and best preserved of the ramparts. It served as a prison for 70 Templar knights between 1307 and 1318. Large amounts of graffiti were carved into the stone by the prisoners, remaining faithful to their Catholic beliefs in spite of persecution. In 1970, studies were conducted on these carvings, which discovered other inscriptions that were invisible to the naked eye.

In the Middle-Ages, Domme obtained the King’s permission to make coins. During the Hundred Years’ War, the bastide became a coveted site by the English, who successfully seized Domme in 1347.

On several occasions, the bastide changed hands between the two rival sides until 1437 when it became French once and for all. During the Wars of Religion, Domme was still not spared either.

In 1588, it was taken thanks to a cunning strategy by Geoffroy de Vivans, the Protestant captain of the Castelnaud garrison who climbed the cliffs of Domme at night with his men, in order to open the gates of the bastide to the rest of his army.

Four years later, in 1592, he was forced to surrender the place to the mightier Catholic troop assembled outside the ramparts.

In 1594 and in 1637, Domme was again the stage for a popular revolt by a local peasant known as “Jacquerie des Croquants”. This rebellion was sparked by the excessive taxes imposed on peasants in south-western France. As a result, they refused to pay tithes, land taxes (tailles) and rent, and organised resistance against tax collectors and their agents.

In the 17th century, the bastide enjoyed great prosperity thanks to the quality of its vines, its markets and the boat traffic on the Dordogne River.

Many medieval houses can be spotted when walking around inside the ramparts: the house of the coin maker with its gothic windows, the 13th century Town Hall (the former Justice House of the Seneschal), and the 15th century House of the Governor, flanked by a small bartizan, or watch tower.

On Rue des Consuls, the “grottes de Domme” (caves of Domme) are an interesting cave, which includes stalactites, water mirrors and lighting effects. The cave was used as shelter for Domme’s inhabitants during the many wars which affected the bastide. It contains 450 metres of galleries laid out as a series of rooms sometimes linked by a low-ceilinged passageway. The skeletal remains of a prehistoric rhinoceros and several bison were discovered when work was done on the cave and remain on display.

Vistors can enjoy one of the nicest views over the Dordogne Valley from the “Belvédère de la Barre”, near the 17th century church rebuilt after the Wars of Religion. This spectacular panorama includes views of the Dordogne Valley and stretches from the Montfort Meander to the castle of Beynac.

You can also turn left and follow the “Promenade des Falaises” (Cliff Walk) that leads to the “Jardins Publics du Jubilé” where an orientation table will help you understand the significance of Domme’s famous neighbouring sites. The path continues, passing by the “Moulin du Roi” (King’s Windmill), leading to the site of the former fortress of Domme-Vieille, dismantled in 1214 by Simon de Montfort. However the ruins of the fortress are not open to the public.

For more information about the bastide of Domme, visit: http://www.ot-domme.com/

Castelnaud-la-Chapelle - the village of Castelnaud is famous for its medieval castle.

Périgord is referred to as the ‘Land of 1001 Castles’. The construction of castles began in the 11th and 12th centuries and most were later enhanced with better defensive mechanisms during the medieval battle of the Hundred Years’ War between the kingdoms of France and England. Castles are generally located on very inaccessible sites, such as rocky outcrops or hillocks encircled by bogs. In addition, the proximity of main access roads along the Dordogne River to the castles was strategically efficient to grant or deny right of way.

After the war, and from the 16th century onwards, the Renaissance influence brought light, comfort and a certain extravagance to some of the castles, which makes visitors think of the chateaux of the Loire Valley.

Forty-two of the one thousand castles built in Périgord are open to the public today.

The castles of the Dordogne Valley