Thiviers, Dordogne: market town and foie gras capital of green Perigord

Visit Thiviers

Thiviers is a pleasant town that falls between the more deeply valleyed landscape to the north and the more gently rolling countryside to the south, and is a good base for exploring this northern part of the Dordogne region.

Explore Thiviers

Thiviers is not one of the main tourist destinations in the Dordogne but it is interesting for being the 'capital of foie gras' and has some interesting buildings. The tourist office can give you a map with the key sites to see.

The church and the Chateau de Vaucocourt are the two main sites. The church, the eglise Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, was built in the 12th century and renovated in the 16th and 19th centuries. Especially, don't miss the devilish carvings on the columns in the church. Next to the church is the attractive 'Château de Vaucocourt' which dates back to the 11th century.

The circular turrets were added in the 15th and 16th centuries but the chateau was destroyed in the late 16th century and completely rebuilt. In the 17th century the facade was remodelled in Classical style and the lookouts, battlements and ramparts added shortly after.

The chateau is private and not open to the public but nontheless you can admire its attractive turrets, mullioned windows and the stone coat of arms carved on its facade.

Further along the Rue des Huiles is another chateau, the Chateau de la Bastardie. This chateau was has two machicolated turrets. It belongs to a former lemonade-maker from Thiviers and it is possible to arrange to see the copper system that was used to make the lemonade. Ask at the tourist office.

Near to here on the Place du Marché aux Truffes is Hautefort House which is a former leper-hospital created in the 14th century. Another nearby square, the Place Jean Paul Sartre is named for the house on the square (house with white shutters) which was the childhood home of Sartre.

On the other side of the church head for Rue Rochefort and here there is a 14th century half-timber house which is the oldest house in Thiviers. Along the Rue du Pont Fermier are some other medieval buildings.

Above all, Thiviers prides itself on its local speciality - foie gras - and the other local products such as walnuts and truffles. Indeed the town prides itself on being the 'Capital of the foie gras in Green Perigord'. To learn more visit the museum in the town dedicated to foie gras production. The museum is in the tourist office on the edge of the towns main square - the Place Marechal Foch.

The display relating to foie gras is interesting and worth a visit. Amongst the many facts relating to foie gras we can see evidence that the force-feeding (gavage) of geese was carried out even in ancient Egypt!

The town also has an important history of producing pottery (faience) and there is a musée de faience which can be visited on a Saturday morning.

Thiviers has a lively market which takes place on a Saturday morning. There are important foie gras and truffle markets between mid-November and mid-March every year.

Places to visit nearby

Thiviers makes a good base if you want to explore the beautiful countryside of the Parc Naturel Perigord-Limousin. It is officialy one of the six gateway towns into the Natural Park.

While at Thiviers don't miss the nearby village of Saint-Jean-de-Cole, 7 km to the west - an attractive village with a stone bridge over the river, and a well preserved old centre with covered market and church.

If you want to visit a chateau which is similar in style though much larger and open to the public the Chateau de Puyguilhem can be found to the west of Thiviers.