Instagram

Villages of the Dordogne: Domme

-

Domme is one of the prettiest villages in France. Perched on a breathtakingly high cliff overlooking the Dordogne, this Medieval “bastide” or fortified village, is a perfect combination of architectural, natural and gastronomic heritage, typical of the Périgord Noir. 

Domme
Domme

It was the French king Philippe III, called the Bold, who had the idea to found Domme in 1283, in order to gain a strategic position over the Dordogne valley and to thwart the English inclinations. 

Endowed with important privileges (it had for example its own currency), Domme played a major role during the Franco-English wars and was the seat of the Sénéchaussée of Périgord Quercy since the 14th century. Still very prosperous, going through the troubles of the reform, Domme resisted the Huguenots and it was not until 1588 that the bastide fell into the hands of Geoffroi de Vivans. The latter will not leave it, driven out by the Catholics, until 1592!

Unusually for a bastide town, the village retains its medieval walls and thick ramparts with its three main entrances: the Porte del Bos and the Porte de la Combe (linked by a protected footbridge behind the ramparts), and the Porte des Tours, the more imposing of the three. 

Within the walls, an orderly array of charming narrow streets are lined with a series of houses and cottages, all in the beautiful honey-colored stone and with the traditional lauze roofs characteristic of this region. 

Domme
Domme

Domme
Domme

Domme
Domme

Domme
Domme

Domme
Domme

On one side of the town is the elegant Couvent des Augustins (the old convent) and the Maison du Batteur de Monnaie du Roy where the local currency was minted during the Middle Ages.

Domme
Domme, Couvent des Augustins

Wandering through the alleys is a pure pleasure, the perfect way to enjoy interesting architecture details including colombage (half-timber) buildings, medieval bifora windows and small turrets. 

The main square (Place de la Halle) is occupied by the 13th century Maison du Gouverneur. Underneath the square sits a 400m cave system filled of beautiful stalactites, used in the past to shelter the town’s inhabitants during the Hundred Years’ War.

But the highlight of the visit is the magnificent, breathtaking view from the belvedere, behind the main square, a stunning panorama over the Dordogne valley and the neighboring villages of La Roque-Gageac and Beynac-et-Cazenac. 

Domme, belvedere
Domme, belvedere

For more info about the Dordogne region, check out our posts. 

If you are planning a visit in the Dordogne Valley here are our suggestions for a 3 or 5 days itinerary
Location: 24250 Domme, France

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Italy off the beaten path: Donnafugata Castle

-
Image
The Donnafugata Castle is a sumptuous noble residence located 15 kilometers from Ragusa .  Donnafugata Castle The name of this castle probably derives from the Arabic "ayn as-jafaiat" which means source of health, referring to the presence of a source of pure water. Donnafugata Castle According to others, however, the title Donnafugata is linked to the legend of Bianca of Navarre, widow of the king of Sicily, that was imprisoned within the walls of the castle by the perfidious Bernardo Cabrera, lord of the County of Modica. The queen managed to escape through the tunnels, thus becoming the escaped woman (literally translated as 'donna fugata') for all. Donnafugata Castle Originally the fiefdom included a hunting estate, and an ancient Arab-Norman watchtower, but it was the baron of Donnafugata Corrado Arezzo de Spuches, who gave the structure its present appearance: a unique mix of sumptuous halls, elegant bedrooms and playful and original architectural details. Donna...
Read more

Your perfect 3-days travel itinerary in the Dordogne Valley

-
Image
The Dordogne is the quintessential French destination offering the perfect blend of culture, nature, typical stone villages, busy farmers markets, plenty of good food and wine ....basically a dream coming through. It is also the area where the ancient Cro-Magnon men left their traces many centuries ago creating the most peculiar examples of rock art in the world. With such a rich heritage, and so many things to do and see, it may be difficult to organise your visit and fit everything in, so we decided to put together a few suggested itineraries to give you some ideas and inspiration depending on the time you have available. This is our recommendations for a 3 days itinerary. 3 DAYS IN THE DORDOGNE (we have to admit that it's not much but you can still have a taste of this beautiful region). Day One No doubt that your first day in the Dordogne should start with the exploration of the medieval city centre of Sarlat . Possibly choose to do it on a Wednesday ...
Read more

Morocco by train

-
Image
Traveling around Morocco by train is an excellent option. Although the railway network is not extremely developed and some destinations may be impossible to reach, the main cities are well connected and trains are frequent, reliable and comfortable. Our baggages in Fes train station. To avoid too much driving we have decided to move by train during this trip and we found this was the perfect choice for us. Indeed, while visiting the biggest towns, most distances can be covered on foot or by taxi (a cheap transport method in Morocco), so we would definitely recommend to avoid renting a car as this will save you money and the stress of driving in the local traffic and looking for parking. The railway system covers the connections between the most important cities. We traveled from Fes to Meknès , then to Rabat and last but not least, to Marrakech . Casablanca and Tangier are also well connected with the first high speed train introduced in Morocco in 2018. Marrakech tr...
Read more