How the magic started in 1995
I’ll never forget the murmur of the gentle laughter bouncing off the medieval sandstone walls. It was 1995 and we had arrived in Sarlat (en.sarlat-tourism.com) one evening on an overnight whimsy while holidaying nearby. We had no idea what to expect, and I don’t think we could ever have imagined something so extraordinary as the magic that reverberated around the square and the enchanting alleys within the walls.
Rediscovering Sarlat twenty years later
Twenty years later I was back in France in a wintery February to find a little bit to call our own. I had driven through all of Aquitaine but everything was closed or lifeless in the dead of winter. I drove into Sarlat, and immediately had chills! Even in the dark night, the restored gas street lighting let a soft warm glow across the sandstone walls welcoming me as a weary traveller.
An historic city, lost to time
Sarlat is an amazing city. It was a historic city lost to time not being on any major routes and with little contemporary values. When in the 1960’s the head of cultural affairs for France, a born Saladaise (someone born in Sarlat), used Sarlat as the first of France’s historic building protection and restoration, and thus preserved the integrity and charm of this stunning location. Sarlat now has more heritage listed buildings per square meter than any other place in France.
The only modern addition to the town is the Rue de la Republique, or La Traverse, as the townsfolk call it. This road is a thoroughfare of shops and cafes and bars. This street separates the tiny narrow laneways of the historic poor side of town. This side the houses have a ramshackle appearance with crevices filled with loose stones and attics and extensions creeping into the narrow alleys. The houses have tiny doors and little windows and so tight are the lanes you could almost touch the house on the other side.
As one wanders through the narrow passageways, archways, hidden gardens and fountains, lit by antique gas lights, with artisan galleries and cafes carved out of the stone, it is easy to know why Sarlat is so special to all those who visit.
On the other side of La Traverse are the houses of the wealthier early Saladais. Here you find wider lanes, and grander houses, the bottom floor of each building traditionally would have had shops and merchants, and the upper floors were the grand homes of these wealthy inhabitants. These homes have high windows and tall ceilings and balconies. On this side of the road you will also find the cathedral and the monks crossing the square to ring the bells. The squares on this side of La Traverse are beautiful cobblestoned public areas, often with built-in benches. It is common to get a little lost amongst the maze of streets, and then find yourself at one of the several fountains dotted throughout Sarlat.
Other little gems are hiding waiting for you to discover them amongst the beautiful golden walls. I once was shown a metal flap attached to a wall behind a restaurant’s outdoor seating, only to discover it was the opening to the original river still flowing under the heart of Sarlat. Another feature of the hidden river is a small covered area with a shallow square stone pool with steps down. These are clothes washing areas in days gone by. To get a good idea of what living in Sarlat in between the 13-15th Century a visit to the Manoir de Glisson.
As one wanders through the narrow passageways, archways, hidden gardens and fountains, lit by antique gas lights, with artisan galleries and cafes carved out of the stone, it is easy to know why Sarlat is so special to all those who visit.
Appreciating the town through the seasons
To really appreciate the town we spend as much time within the walls as possible. Unlike my home country of Australia, French breakfasts are low key and calm, and in the mornings we pop out early to grab pastries from one of the family run boulangeries.
Spring in particular is a glorious time of year in Sarlat, and there is a lovely park above the wall with shady trees and blossom where we often enjoy a picnic lunch. Dinners in summer are delightful at the cafes in the historic square, or enjoy a cosy meal in a rustic bistro or more upmarket restaurant.
Visit our Things To Do page for more recommendations on where to eat when you are in Sarlat.
A little bit of magic
It was in 2015 that we purchased our beautiful apartment in the heart of Sarlat. It seemed to draw me in and reach out with its amazing history, beautiful buildings, surrounding countryside, and real village life of French locals. A few years later we found a photo taken in 1995 when we had our first unplanned visit to Sarlat. There was I, before kids and 20 years younger posing awkwardly in tiny alley, with a sweet balconette above me. Imagine my surprise to see I had my photo taken in front of my own apartment two decades before I bought it. Just a little bit of the magic of Sarlat!