La Roque-Gageac is one of the most recognizable (and Instagrammed) villages in the Dordogne. Located on the side of a cliff, it seems to have been placed on the edge of the Dordogne by the benevolent hand of a giant.
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| La Roque Gageac |
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| La Roque Gageac |
With its brimming charm, La Roque Gageac, labeled "most beautiful village in France", is bathed in a soft light from dawn to dusk and benefits from a peculiar micro-climate.
On top of the cliff, the troglodyte fort dominates the village: built in the 12th century to resist invaders from northern France, the fort was then dismantled in the early 18th century to serve as a stone quarry.
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| La Roque Gageac |
The riches of La Roque-Gageac date back to the Middle Ages, when the impregnable city became the place of refuge for the bishops of Sarlat. Their residence, as well as other vestiges of the same period, are still there, ready to be discovered. Although, the most imposing of them, the castle and its majestic turret, unfortunately, are not open to visitors.
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| La Roque Gageac |
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| La Roque Gageac |
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| La Roque Gageac |
In the heart of the village stands the Manoir de Tarde, home of Canon Jean Tarde. Built in the 18th century, the house inhabited by someone close to Galileo has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1951. Located on the border of the village, in the commune of Vézac, stands another superb construction, the Château de la Malartrie. Inspired by the local architecture of the 15th century, it takes its name from the word "maladrerie", an old leopard colony attached to the castle.
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| Château de la Malartrie, La Roque Gageac |
And everywhere else, along its winding and cobbled streets, the walls of the city hide charming stone houses covered with vines or wisteria according to the season.
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| La Roque Gageac |
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| La Roque Gageac |
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| La Roque Gageac |
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| La Roque Gageac |
Don't be surprised if, during your walk, your steps will lead you into a tropical garden: thanks to the position of the cliffs acting as greenhouse and natural solarium, it hosts pomegranate, passionflower and banana trees, as well as a bamboo grove!
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La Roque Gageac
For more info about the Dordogne region, check out our posts.
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