This Flamboyant Gothic building (15C-17C) has a fine collection donated by prolific artist Maurice Estève, born at Culan in 1904, a master of colour who oscillated between figurative ( La Toilette verte , 1934) and abstract ( Embarquement pour Cythèr..

The feudal character of this castle can now only be seen in the southern front, surrounded by moats. The east façade is very different, and its rich ornamentation is more akin to the Châteaux of the Loire. Inside, Caesar's Gallery leads directly into..

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne became a pilgrimage centre due to its church, St-Pierre, which was built over a period of two centuries. It is a perfect symbol of architectural influences from the Limousin region and from the Southwest of France. The beauty of..

This vast Byzantine-style basilica resembles St Mark's in Venice, with its Greek cross shape (rare in France) and cupola. It was completed in around 1173. The lovely Romanesque belltower is the only part of the original church that remains. The resto..

This museum boasts a major prehistoric collection, such as engraved objects from the Magdalenian period found in the Dordogne and an ethnographic section with objects from everyday life and sculptures from Africa, Oceania and America. Exhibits includ..

Lascaux caves, the “Sistine Chapel of Prehistory”, contain over 1,500 paintings from the Magdalenian period. Discovered in 1940, the caves were then closed to the public in 1963 because of damage to the walls. A replica, Lascaux II , featuring copie..

The old crafts- and tradespeople’s district is a protected area and has undergone substantial restoration work. Its Renaissance façades, courtyards, staircases, historic houses and workshops have all been renovated and shops have reopened along the p..

Don’t expect information on the harmful effects of smoking at the Musée du Tabac – this is a smoker’s paradise, dedicated to the scents and traditions of tobacco smoking. The interesting exhibits are housed in small rooms, with information on history..

Occupying the fortress built by Jean-Guy de Beynac in 1585, this museum is dedicated to the Palaeolithic era. It houses a superb collection of prehistoric tools and art and presents information on prehistoric man, dating methods, cutting techniques u..

This site is 120 m long and is the last prehistoric site with multicoloured figures still open to the public. Most of the paintings date back to the middle of the Magdalenian age, while some of the wall paintings belong to the same period as Lascaux..

The Château de Castelnaud, a genuine medieval fortress complete with machicolated keep, surrounding wall and main building, offers a panoramic view over the Céou and Dordogne valleys. The English, who owned it for a time, were driven out by Charles..

Old houses with flower-decked balconies and climbing vines are reflected in the clear water along this attractive stretch of the riverbank. The riverside gardens near the abbey exude harmony and serenity.

Built in the 11C on a 12m-high rock, the bell tower of the Eglise Abbatiale (abbey church) is noteworthy because it is the oldest gabled Romanesque bell tower in the Limousin region. Three of its four floors feature round-arched openings and its summ..

This castle looks over the small valley and is surprising due to its atypical nature. It was built over the site of a 9C fortress. It took on its final shape between 16C and 17C. It was during this period that the castle developed its characteristic ..

Of the 13km/8mi that have been explored since the cave was discovered in 1953, only 600m/656yd are open to visitors who can walk along galleries linking chambers dug by an underground river and decorated with amazing and varied concretions: draperies..

This "crystal cathedral", discovered in 1907 following the collapse of its vault, has been open to the public since 1924. Today, visitors standing on a platform can admire the magnificent 52m/171ft high dome which reaches 60m/197ft in its w..

Covering an area of 22ha, Marqueyssac gardens are laid out on a rocky spur overlooking the Dordogne valley. In front of the charming 18C château, the main terrace is arranged in a geometric pattern which evokes the symmetry of the building. The basti..

With its three machicolated towers, crenellated parapets and pointed cutwaters alternating with seven pointed arches, this magnificent bridge is a bold and elegant masterpiece of medieval military architecture and has become a symbol for the city!

The fortified medieval centre of Figeac retains evidence of its thriving past in the architecture of its houses. The local material, beige sandstone, makes the buildings particularly bright. Typical 13C, 14C and 15C architectural elements include lar..

This museum dedicated to Jean-François Champollion occupying the 13C house where he was born has been extended with a new building that triples the exhibition space. Now, as well as focusing on Champollion, his work and Egyptology (sarcophagi, mummie..