A little history
The Dordogne has a rich history dating back over 400,00 years and is defined by historic cave art (Lascaux is a Unesco World Heritage site), Roman occupation and fierce Anglo-French conflicts during the Middle Ages. Add the Dordogne River, and this area provides a wide range of activities to keep you busy across a few days, or even a few weeks!

Much of modern tourism centres around the Dordogne of the Middle Ages, when ‘Bastide Towns’ were built mainly in the 13th century by Kings of France and England. These served key local needs like trade, hence most held weekly markets, many of which still exist today.

As the area became more sought after, these towns developed for times of conflict (the 100 year war raged from 1337-1453). As a consequence, they became fortified with city walls, moats and other defences added for protection.

Nearby Bastide Towns / Villages
Bastide towns are traditionally contructed in a grid system on higher ground, and have a central marketplace. Les Pignons sits perfectly between six of the prettiest towns / villages in the Dordogne, 4 of them being Bastide towns, with the others tied to the Santaiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. All are within a 15 minute drive.

Beaumont du Périgord, (14km) to the west of us, is a typical example, and is well worth a visit. It has a couple of nice restaurants, an excellent bakery, and is host to markets on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. The markets are modest (Tuesday is bigger) and sell fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, wine and also baskets, some clothes and sometimes local china and earthenware. During the summer months there are weekly Monday night food markets, which are great fun. Just outside Beaumont you will also find the nearest good sized supermarket – it’s an Intermarché and as well as not closing for lunch, it also opens on Sunday mornings!

The Area

Monpazier (12km) to the south is often seen as the prettiest bastide town, and has a host of artisan shops, and a fabulous, substantial market each Thursday morning. With a larger selection of restaurants, shops, cafés and a small Spar supermarket, it has everything you need! The Central square is quite breathtaking in its beauty and is certainly a nice spot to have an evening drink. It’s so typical of the region that Ridley Scott chose it as a key location for his 2021 film The Last Duel.

Belvès, (14km) to the east, with its fabulous views, lovely medieval streets and square is often overlooked but has a nice market, a pizzeria, a good selection of restaurants and a fabulous air show in the summer! Again, there are plenty of local restaurants, shops and bars to attract tourists at all times of the year. Just before you get to Belves there’s our closest “mid sized” supermarket – also a Spar.

Molières (11km), to the North is the smallest of all the Bastide towns. Set on a lovely square it also hosts a modest market with local produce on a Wednesday evening. There’s also a nice church and ruins of an old castle. Le Poquelin is a new (2024) restaurant on the square. It has a small local menu, but offers great food and good value.

Other local Towns
Saint-Avit Sénieur (10km) is a short drive to the west and is one of 2 towns close by that, while not Bastide towns, are older. Both have churches and abbeys that, as well as being tied to the Santaiago de Compostela pilgrimage route, have also been classified Unesco World Heritage Sites. Although very tranquile, St-Avit has a lively bar that does decent, basic food (kids will love it) as well as a fantastic new restaurant, La Table des Copains. Very good for steak, but they have lighter options, too.

And finally to, the north of us, is Cadouin (6km). Cadouin Abbey was founded in 1115 and is listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. This is more of a tourist destination than a village, with very few regular shops but never-the-less has some really great cafés and restaurants. The Abbey is well worth a look too with its gothic cloisters and the high street and market square are exceptionally picturesque. The main restaurant in the square is great value and good for local dishes as well as pasta and pizzas. Large groups are easily accommodated outside, too. There’s a small but decent market on Wednesday morning and Café Des Moines is the nearest place to get a morning coffee, bread and pastries.