![]() I seem always to arrive on market day, and that is not good for fully appreciating the architecture and the heritage it reflects, but it is a splendid way of getting to know the regional produce, its cheeses, olives, foie gras (of course), truffles and wines.Īt the heart of Périgord Noir, Sarlat lies in a hollow surrounded by a mosaic of wooded hills, a medieval settlement that evolved around a Benedictine abbey of Carolingian roots. The pedigree of this lush and abundant region between the Dordogne and the Vézère rivers finds expression in this appealing old market town, a place of medieval streets and restored houses of Gothic and Renaissance origin. We make our coffee last the best part of an hour, and when finally our entertainers head off to relocate to another corner, another audience, I chat with them briefly and give them all the loose change I had, just three euros as it happens cheaper than buying a CD, but only a fraction of their worth in terms of the atmosphere they brought to this busy market day in Sarlat, or, to be precise, Sarlat-la-Canéda, the capital and major town of the Périgord Noir. It’s all a hubbub of unorchestrated mayhem and delight not ideal for connecting with the Zen-like rhythms of Nature, but perfect for slipping easily into France mode, and a charming chaos that is the very essence of lunchtime in urban France. Some of the smaller dogs are restrained in fashionable carry bags, from which only their eyes and ears protrude smugly. Still, the narrow street is thronged with baguette-wielding ‘Madames’, smart-suited hommes d’affaires, querulous children, yappy, piddling dogs and ever-watchful opportunistic cats. On a corner of the rue de la Liberté, two acoustic guitarists Jacques Fourgèvre and André Bernard, are playing a splendid, toe-tapping rendition of Sweet Georgie Brown in the key of D major…Īll around, enlightened-elite BoBos (bourgeois Bohemians), bewildered and wide-eyed first-time visitors to Sarlat, and thrifty holidaying pensioners munch on labour-intensive but inexpensive salades Sarladaises, babble animatedly on stylish Androids and no doubt ponder the meaning of Life as they effect not to acknowledge the melodious duo – alas, their tapping feet give them away.Īnd I’m probably wrong about the pondering about life bit. A typical day in Sarlat, music, merriment and splendid good looks, friendly people and a gorgeous market, if you’ve ever needed a reason to visit this lovely town in the Dordogne – read on!
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