Page 389 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

on Thursday morning, The town itself was woodland. Start on the minor
just as it has done since founded in 1284 by a D57 towards Besse, turning onto
the Middle Ages. representative of Edward the D60 at St-Pompont, followed
I (king of England and by the D46 to Domme – it’s just
The Drive » The quickest over 33km in all, or 40 minutes.
route to Monpazier heads duke of Aquitaine). It had Parking is tricky in the village, so
22km northwest across quiet a turbulent time during leave your car outside the walls
farmland, following the minor the Wars of Religion and and walk up.
D272. You’ll pass into woodland the Peasant Revolts of
near Vergt-de-Biron, and then the 16th century, but de-
turn right onto the D2 towards spite numerous assaults TRIP HIGHLIGHT
Monpazier. it survived the centuries 4 Domme
remarkably unscathed. For panoramic views,
Most unusually of all, its there’s nowhere in the
2 Monpazier defensive walls are still Dordogne that can top
Monpazier is perhaps the largely intact. Domme. Teetering on
best example of bastide an outcrop high above
architecture in southwest The Drive » Take the D660 the river valley, this
France. It’s crisscrossed east from Monpazier, and hilltop bastide still boasts
follow it for 21km through the
by arrow-straight streets, countryside. most of its 13th-century ATLANTIC COAST 36 DORDOGNE’S FORTIFIED VILLAGES
all of which lead to the ramparts as well as
market square on place three original fortified
Centrale, lined by arcaded 3 Villefranche-du- gateways.
walkways and tall houses Périgord Approached via a tortu-
built from lemon-yellow ous switchback road from
stone. In one corner, The amber town of Ville- the valley below, it’s the
there’s an old lavoir (wash franche-du-Périgord once perfect defensive strong-
house) that was still being occupied an important hold – a fact not lost on
used for washing clothes strategic position on the Philippe III of France,
right up to the end of the frontier between the his- who founded the town in
19th century. toric regions of Agen and 1281 as a bastion against
Quercy. It was founded
in 1261 by Alphonse de the English. The town’s
Poitiers, a brother of the clifftop position is best
French king Louis IX, appreciated from the es-
LINK and still possesses most planade du Belvédère and
YOUR of its medieval layout, the adjacent promenade
TRIP including the original de la Barre, which both
offer an unforgettable
y Gourmet arcaded square, pillared outlook across the valley.
marketplace and fortified
Dordogne
Head north from Domme church, all of which date 54 p391
from the 13th century. It’s
for 14km along the a bit off the beaten track The Drive » The most
D46 to link up with our and a touch neglected in pleasant route to Rocamadour
gastronomic road trip spots, which means its travels southeast via the D46
around the Dordogne. often much quieter than and the towns of St-Martial-
de-Nabirat and Gourdon. From
| The Lot Valley some of the area’s better- here, pick up the twisty D673,
which crosses underneath the
known bastides.
This trip combines A20 motorway. Soon afterwards
well with our route along The Drive » The drive to there’s a wonderful windy
the Lot Valley – just turn Domme is particularly pleasant, section with fine views across
off at Figeac. veering across hilltops and the Ouysse River and the cliffs
passing through oak and beech around Rocamadour. Most of
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