Sarlat-le-Canéda, France

We drove to Sarlat in the Dordogne from our base in Bournel.   We let the GPS take us on little roads - scenic but not the fastest way.

On the way we were startled by a little red deer bounding across the road right in front of us!  We had seen leaping deer signs all over the place and had been joking that the deer must be mythical creatures because there was no sign of them.

On arrival in Sarlat, we drove on weeny back streets until we found some parking - free. Sarlat is a very touristy town. Street performers, lots of restaurants, inadequate public toilets. Sarlat doesn't have a particularly impressive setting but the medieval town is interesting - although it does feel spruced up to an inch of its life.

Sarlat was developed around a large Benedictine Abbey. Fortunately it was untouched largely by the wars and so the old town was not destroyed. It is said to be the best representative town of 14th Century France.

We started our exploration by the Square du 8 Mai 1945 – a nice little park with nice cherry/plum? trees.

The main road through the old town is Rue de la République (clearly they haven't retained the medieval street names). 

We wandered around and found the cathedral (typically we went in the side entrance and out the front)

There was a brass sculpture of geese – I guess because of the foie gras in the area.

We found a covered market – which was in the old Église Sainte-Marie (St Mary's Church).  I was taken by some great marzipan fruit/vegetables.  The market also had foie gras and cheese.

A jazz septet was playing in the street.