Your excursion today starts in Sarlat, an incredibly picturesque
town in the heart of the Dordogne. The medieval Old Town, with its
labyrinth of alleyways and buildings built in warm honey-coloured
stone, is virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages. Developed
around an ancient Benedictine monastery, Sarlat is a favourite
location for film directors as modernity has largely excluded the
area from its grasp which leaves it as one of the most
representative towns of 14th century France.
Enjoy a stroll, perhaps visiting the Cathedrale Saint Sacerdos,
a pretty cathedral that is one of the National Monuments of France.
The cathedral's belfry dates back as far as the 9th century, though
a whole range of architecture is on display, thanks to extensive
redevelopments in the 16th and 18th centuries. Today is also market
day, giving you the chance to peruse the stalls for fresh produce
and local crafts.
Continue this afternoon with a visit to the Lascaux II, a
carefully-constructed replica of the off-limits World Heritage
listed Lascaux cave system in the Vézère Valley. Discovered in
1940, the original caves are home to a collection of fascinating
palaeolithic cave paintings, believed to date back almost 20,000
years and depicting creatures that roamed the landscape here all
those years ago. As the original caves are closed to the public,
Lascaux II was created to provide an authentic experience, without
risking damage to the ancient caves. Afterwards, continue to Les
Eyzies-de- Tayac-Sireuil this afternoon where entrance is included
to the National Museum of Pre-History. Here you can wander through
exhibits that tell the story of how life here as we know it
originated.
Includes