Sarlat-la-Canéda lies in the region known as the Périgord Noir, in the Dordogne department of France. This beautiful medieval town is known for, amongst other things, foie gras, walnuts, and great markets! This walled city has many surprises, including Jean Nouvel architecture and great value restaurants. If you get a chance to discover Sarlat France, take it!
Getting to Sarlat
It is easy to drive to Sarlat, however in summer there is very little parking (due to the limited space in the old town). I recommend renting a gîte with parking if you are planning to drive. If you visit in the off season, many of the parking areas are free. However, once you are in Sarlat, it is small enough to walk around the town centre. You can reach Sarlat by train from Bergerac or Bordeaux also. Bergerac is the closest airport.
Where to stay in Sarlat, France
Like any good popular tourist town, there are many accommodation options in Sarlat. We stayed at Appartement Aux Armoiries de Sarlat – a self contained apartment, which was great because it was right at the edge of the old town. If you are visiting Sarlat with a group, you could hire one of the many villas in the area, such as Sarlat-la-Caneda Villa. There is even an Ibis in Sarlat, which is a great dog-friendly hotel chain.
The Sarlat Markets
Markets in Sarlat have been running since the middle ages. The modern markets of Sarlat still utilise the squares and long streets of the medieval old town to showcase both food and wares.
Saturday is the big market day in Sarlat. Rue de la Républic is lined with stalls of clothes, baskets, shoes, music, hats, and art. This is also the main shopping street in Sarlat, so there are many interesting shops open too. This is definitely the place to come if you have a gift shopping to do!
The Food Markets
The main square, Place de la Liberté hosts the gastronomic side of things from 8:30am-1pm on Saturdays. Walnuts and foie gras are on offer from local producers, as well as fresh vegetables, cured meats, and specialty mushrooms. Cèpe mushrooms are grown around Sarlat, as are Truffles, so it really is a dream foodie destination!
Covered Markets
The former Sainte-Marie church on Place de la Liberté had not been used as a place of worship for some time. Therefore it was decided that it would be turned into a covered market and the bell tower converted into an observation tower. The famed architect Jean Nouvel was invited to carry out this redesign and he has achieved something wonderful. The steel market stalls contrast with the gothic stonework inside the church. And the glass elevator in the bell tower offers incredible views over Sarlat.
The covered markets in the Sainte-Marie church are open every day (except Thursday) in off season from 8.30 am to 1 pm. In high season, they are open every day from 8:30-2pm (Fridays 9:30-8pm).
Sarlat Christmas Markets
Every year Sarlat hosts a cute Christmas village, with market stalls and an ice-rink. The Rigaudie parking lot (in front of the courthouse) gets transformed into a winter wonderland of arts and crafts. And you can also find delicious warming food, and vin chaud (hot wine) for sale!
We have lots of adventures around France,
read about our recent trip to Beaune, Burgundy.
Christmas Illuminations
Be sure to look up (and down) for the Christmas Illuminations in Sarlat if you visit in December. They are project onto buildings, the cathedral, and even onto the ground along some of the cobbled streets! We were constantly surprised by the creativity of the illuminations. They definitely are like icing on top of an already beautiful cake.
Check out the Sarlat Tourism website for more information on specific Christmas events each year.
Things to do in Sarlat
- Take a Market & Food Tour – Sarlat is perfect for foodies, why not take a food tour and taste the local delicacies
- Visit Lascaux – The Lascaux IV International Center of Parietal Art takes a look at Palaeolithic rock art
- Visit a Walnut or Goose Farm – There are walnut and goose farms all around the Périgord Noir – I recommend visiting a few – the locals are very proud of their produce
- Take a Wine Tour – There’s nothing better than tasting the local wine varietals on a wine tour. These include walnut wines and liquors, which are unlike anything I have ever tried before!
- Day Trip to some Castles – The Dordogne is full of castles, why not visit the Valley of the Five Châteaux not far from Sarlat.
Visiting Sarlat France
Whether you visit in December for the Christmas markets, or during the rest of the year, Sarlat-la-Canéda is one of the cutest medieval towns in the Dordogne. Sarlat is a food-lovers paradise – you will be delighted by the local delicacies, restaurants and produce. We savoured lots of walnut wine, foie gras, and duck with cèpe (mushroom) sauce. If you like indulgent food and crafts goods, then the gorgeous town of Sarlat is for you.
Sarlat also made my list of the
most beautiful cities & towns in France!
Explore more of France at my niche site!
All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 III; and an iPhoneX.
I have never heard of Sarlat in France so this was an informative and interesting read for me. I love the look of the village – the streets, the markets, especially the christmas village. So cool that the sarlat market has been there since the medieval ages! even the food market looks so lovely, i’d love to rent a car and drive to this place if i ever find myself in bordeaux.
A good friend of mine stayed in Sarlat this summer. I had not heard of this town before. And then I saw you had visited! Visiting in the winter for the markets sounds like a much more peaceful time to visit. Especially for the Christmas markets! It sounds like you had a tasty stroll through the food stalls! Merry Christmas guys! Best wishes for the holiday season and a great new year ❤️
It really is a lovely place for a Christmas visit! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I love French markets and this one is so adorable. i love foie gras and can only imagine the options available at the market. I’ve been to many cities in france, but not sarlat. Will definitely check this little gem out the next time i’m in france.
I love going to outdoor and local markets and this is definitely my idea of exploring a new place. Sarlat looks wonderful and would really love to see all these markets when I visit some day.
European Christmas markets are the best. Love the feel of this stone town. The light projections for Christmas are a special touch.
Wow you have done well by exploring this offbeat place of France. The market scenes are so good. I think visitng during festival times makes it more enjoyable.
I have never heard of Sarlat before reading this post. It looks so cute. I prefer to go there by train instead of being worried about the parking lot. I would like to visit it since it has a Market and also a food market.
Never heard of these markets. I would love to see some markets in europe during christmas. I hope to explore more of france soon.
It just shows , that there are so many places to see. I had not even heard of Sarlat until now. Looks quaint and beautiful. I really enjoy walking through Christmas Markets and drinking mulled wine
It’s a dream of mine to visit a European Christmas market and Sarlat looks perfect. Love the idea of the illuminations and how they transform a space. Taking the train sounds like a lovely way to visit.