Monpazier, Dordogne

Description:  Monpazier is the best preserved bastide town in the region. Its origins date from the 13th Century and with over 30 buildings designated as national monuments, clustered especially around the arcades of the central square, it really is a town of some beauty. Here also can be found the original market hall.

Location: On D660, approx 25 kms as the crow flies south of Tremolat and the Dordogne River.

General Info: Classed as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

Our Recommendations: Walk the streets and get a feel for the place and then sit in one of the cafés in the main square and watch the world go by while enjoying a cup of coffee yourself or an ice cream for the children. For the ladies there is a wonderful fabric shop – Intermede opposite the Hotel Anglais at the northern approaches to the town.

For the children: Just outside the northern walls is a glass-blowing workshop (Souffleur de Verre at Rue St André) worth popping into. A visit on market day on a Thursday morning is also great fun and for children with a couple of euros to spend there is a wonderful wood shop selling children’s wooden toys on the main square.

 

Here’s more information to make the most of your visit to the Dordogne: