The capital of the Black Périgord (Périgord Noir) is the city of Sarlat-la-Canéda. It grew around the Benedictine abbey built during the reign of the Carolingians in the 9th century. This was a time of flourishing monastic construction, later called the “Carolingian Renaissance.”
The abbey housed the relics of Saint Sacerdos, the Bishop of Limoges. The abbots were all-powerful feudal lords until the 13th century, when the abbey fell into decline due to bloody wars. In 1317, Pope John XXII declared Sarlat a bishopric, whose authority extended beyond its borders. A powerful cathedral was erected in the abbey.
The Hundred Years’ War destroyed the city, and after it, reconstruction was carried out; between 1450 and 1500, most of the monuments that today constitute the pride of this city were erected. Sarlat has original architecture. The city is divided into two parts – the eastern part (for common people) and the western part – the quarters of the aristocracy. The houses amaze with their inner courtyards and the quality of the expertly hewn stones, the thickness of the walls. Most of the houses represent the first floor in the Medieval style, the second – Gothic or Renaissance style, and classical roofing.
It is believed that Sarlat has the highest density of ancient buildings in France.
Among the medieval monuments are the Recollets chapel, which houses the Museum of History and Arts, the Cathedral of Saint Sacerdos, ancient mansions including the Hôtel de Maleville and the Hôtel de Vienne. Almost nothing remains of the belt of fortifications, except for perhaps three towers: the Executioner’s Tower (Tour du Bourreau), the Watchtower (Tour du Guet), and the Saint Bernard Tower (Tour Saint-Bernard), with the latter, located on the site of a former cemetery, nicknamed “the lantern of the dead” (La lanterne des morts).
For five centuries, the city of Sarlat flourished, but then it found itself off the trade routes and began to slowly fade away. However, in 1962, in France, at the initiative of Minister of Culture André Malraux, a law was passed that required the state to allocate funds for the restoration of ancient cities. Since then, buildings in the city have been under state protection and classified by UNESCO as treasures of world culture. Together, they form a kind of “open-air museum.” Narrow cobbled streets, entire quarters of medieval houses with cozy inner courtyards, vaulted passages create a picture from an old fairy tale book. One can easily imagine: the sound of hooves on the cobblestone pavement, shadows of people in medieval clothing… The city is infused with sunlight, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the delights of gastronomy.
Tourists arriving in Sarlat must visit the huge food market – one of the best in France. It operates in the city on Wednesdays at Place Liberté. And on Saturdays, a fair is held here, attracting everyone from the surrounding area. The main products of Sarlat are Foie Gras (foie gras – goose liver) in various forms and variations, and walnuts. Both during the city’s prosperity in the 13th-16th centuries and now, these traditional Périgord products bring significant profits to the province’s economy. Local delicacies include black truffles, which are harvested in the forest in January, as well as other mushrooms. At the fair, one can find cheeses of all shapes and colors, and a huge variety of pork delicacies.
