Villages of Perigord

©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

, just outside the village.

Its shady patio is a peaceful haven!

Another favorite: La Bastide

, 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

Rue Notre Dame

Rue Saint-Martin

Rue Saint-Georges

Rue du Nord

D57

D660

D57

50m

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

, 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

, in 1864.

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