Each area of the Dordogne has its own characteristics and nowhere is this more clear than in the towns and villages that you will discover as you explore the countryside.
Principal towns and villages
The department can perhaps best be considered as having three 'principal towns' - Bergerac in the south-west, Sarlat in the south-east, and Perigueux further north. Although Sarlat is undoubtedly the 'jewel in the crown' for the Dordogne, both Bergerac and Perigueux also have extensive medieval centres and visits are highly recommended.
Some of our favourite towns and villages are shown above. Some of these are quite sizable, some little more than a cluster of houses around a church, so spend some time exploring! You can alse refer to the individual place details for a location map and list of places to visit nearby.
As well as the larger towns in the Dordogne region, there are dozens of small villages to discover and explore that don't take long to explore but add substantially to the pleasure of a visit. You can see some of these at 'Dordogne villages'.
I recommend you try and use the smaller routes where possible, passing through the quieter countryside and hamlets, where many small villages will have just a few houses but will be every bit as beautiful as the larger, more well known towns.
