© Jean-Marc Barrère
© iStock
© Jean-Marc Barrère
© Jean-Marc Barrère
©Jean-MarcB rrère
©Jean-MarcBarrère
rcBar ère
For a taste of the essence of the Peri-
gordian “terroir”, take a seat at the Petite
Auberge
C
, just outside the village.
Its shady patio is a peaceful haven!
Another favorite: La Bastide
D
, a
hotel-restaurant set in a time-honored
stone house. On the menu: expected
pleasures such as ceps and chestnuts
and a feast of seasonal specialities to
tickle your taste buds!
The Best of the Land
from Farm to Table
500m
Rue du Midi
Le Tourtillou
Le Tourtillou
Rue Notre Dame
Rue Saint-Martin
Rue Saint-Georges
Rue du Nord
D57
D660
D57
50m
B
A
C
E
D
5kms
Explore Périgord’s oldest French
Bastide Town
Founded in 1261 for Alphonse de Poitiers, brother of Saint Louis, Villefranche has
retained its checkerboard street-plan characteristic of the urban fabric of the “New
Towns” designed in the southwest in the Middle Ages. The heart of the village, the
market square
A
, is charming with its traditional houses and handsome XIIIth and
XIVth century archways. Proudly sitting in the square the Market Hall, rebuilt in the
XIXth century, stands on powerful stone pillars. Look out for the old grain measures,
reminders that by its location bordering the Périgord, Quercy and Agenais regions,
Villefranche was once a major agricultural and commercial hub. Paul Abadie, architect
of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris, designed its neo-roman church, Notre-Dame-de
l’Assomption
B
, in 1864.
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