Domme, Dordogne, France

Unusually among the bastide towns, Domme retains part of its original fortified walls and the gateways into the town.  The ramparts are extremely thick and there remain three of the original doors The Porte des Tours is perhaps the most impressive, with its round towers but the Porte de la Combe and the Porte del Bos are both very pretty and are reached by walking down really lovely streets lined with a mixed array of houses and cottages all in the lovely honey-coloured stone distinctive to this region.

The towers of the Porte des Tours were converted into prisons in 1307 when the Knights Templers were arrested by the king, and it is still possible to see the engraved crucifixes they carved whilst they were imprisoned. The prison is open throughout the year.

You can walk round the ramparts on the south side of the town between the Port del Bos and the Porte de la Combe. There are some great views across the countryside (and glimpses of some very impressive houses and gardens built just inside the ramparts).

The tourist office of Domme can be found at the other end of town on the Place de la Halle. I have to say they were not very helpful and their town map whilst it locates various buildings in the town it provides no information about them whatsoever!

The tourist office and Mairie are located in the very impressive Maison du Gouverneur on the Place de la Halle. This is the main part of the town and as well as admiring the beautiful 13th century buildings (the bastide was founded in 1281 by Philip the Bold) you can find the entrance to the Grottes de Domme.

The caves (grottes) have been used in the  past to shelter the town's inhabitants during the Hundred Years' War, though the upper part was only discovered in 1954. There are more than 400m of stalactite filled galleries and a glass lift takes you back up to the surface.

Just above the Place de la Halle is the Belvedere de la Barre, a great viewpoint and the start of the Promenade des Falaises  - a short walk leading to a public park. The walk is all high up above the River Dordogne and so the views are splendid. The Jardin Public at the end is a good place for a picnic. A little further along is the Moulin du Roy.

view from the belvedere

In the town look out for the old convent, the Couvent des Augustins (though this can only really be seen in summer) and the Maison du batteur de monnaie du Roy where money was minted in the Middle Ages.

Domme has a little tourist 'train', the Domme Express which is very popular with children.

Domme is larger than many of the bastide towns in the region, and  because it is found perched high above the Dordogne River, with  magnificent views over the river and surrounding countryside it  is a 'must' if you are exploring the Dordogne region

Despite excessive numbers of tourists Domme is one of our absolute favourite Dordogne towns (even if you do have to pay to park, even in the middle of winter!).

Note that the town is classified as 'one of the most beautiful villages in France'

see more photos of Domme

Museums in Domme

The Towers of the Porte des Tours - see the engravings made by the imprisoned Knight Templars

Musée d'Arts et Traditions Populaires - museum of Art and Tradition, reconstructions of jobs from the old days, archeology and agriculture.