Périgueux is the capital of the Dordogne department, a mid-sized town on the Isle river with a Roman amphitheatre, a Byzantine-style cathedral, and a medieval old quarter that's been handsomely restored. The Wednesday and Saturday markets are among the best in southwest France, and the truffle and foie gras traditions here are deeply rooted. We'd recommend it for visitors who want a proper French town with culture, food, and services, rather than the smaller (and more expensive) tourist villages along the Dordogne river itself.
Why Stay in Périgueux
- Cathedral of Saint-Front: The domed cathedral, modelled on St Mark's in Venice, dominates the skyline. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and genuinely impressive. The restoration in the 19th century was heavy-handed, but the scale and the domes are remarkable.
- Markets and food: Wednesday and Saturday markets in Place du Coderc and Place de la Clautre sell foie gras, truffles (winter), walnuts, cheese, and local wine. The food culture here is serious.
- Real town facilities: Supermarkets, cinema, hospital, train station. More practical than the small tourist villages.
- Not a beauty: Parts of Périgueux are functional rather than attractive. The outskirts are commercial. The medieval quarter is the draw; the rest is a normal French town.
Things to Do in Périgueux
Walk the medieval quarter. Rue Limogeanne and the streets around the cathedral have half-timbered houses, Renaissance mansions, and good food shops. The Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum (designed by Jean Nouvel) covers a Roman domus with intact mosaics. Entry around €6.
Visit the Roman amphitheatre remains in the Jardin des Arènes. Not much stands above ground, but the scale is evident. The Tour de Vésone, a ruined Roman temple tower, is nearby.
Day trips to Brantôme (25 minutes north, the Venice of the Périgord), Les Eyzies (30 minutes southeast, the capital of prehistory with the National Museum of Prehistory and multiple cave sites), and Sarlat (45 minutes southeast) are all straightforward. The Lascaux IV replica cave (50 minutes) is a remarkable reconstruction. Book ahead.
