Monpazier is a small 13th century town that centers around a square filled with boutique shops. Around the periphery of the square are streets that shift from shops to residences as well as the local parish. It’s a bit sleepy,…

Mi Desmedt is a painter and etcher from Belgium who also has a studio near Saint Cyprien. Susanne, I thought of you the whole time I was here, as well as the other artist’s studio :-) Mi (on the right)…

We visited two artist’s studios near Saint Cyprien, Guy Weir and Mi Desmedt. As an artist, I was particularly excited to be able to see the studios they worked in. Every artist has their own flavor of environment and these…

I returned to Sarlat, on a sunny day this time, and caught some great imagery. It was much quieter than on market day and I enjoyed the peace of the afternoon.

During our visit to Sarlat, we met some friends for lunch at Le Petit Manoir. It is a favorite of Peter’s and he knows the owner and chef. The meal was amazing. We had salad with liver and pate as…

Sarlat la Caneda, often referred to just as Sarlat, is the largest town near Saint Cyprien. It has a medeival section and a nice Wednesday market. The day was rainy and the market was packed with shoppers. Cathédrale Saint Sacerdos…

We attended Fete de Musique, one of many summer festivals hosted in the town of Saint Cyprien. They laid out a long table in the middle of the street, set for whomever wanted to join (for a price) and served…

Meyrals is yet another ‘beaux village’ in the Perigord region. It’s just a few minutes drive from where we stayed in Sarlat and right next to a favorite restaurant of ours, La Merenda. The town is quiet and more residential…

Beynac Castle, situated on a limestone cliff, towers over a village and the Dordogne River. The stunning view from the castle alone, is worth the visit. It overlooks the valley with the Dordogne River snaking through it. Though tiny in…

A group of us met for lunch at Au Bon Accueil in Limeuil. Limeuil is an old town that sits at the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers. We strolled through town to the restaurant and sat on the…

There are lots of ‘beau villages’ or beautiful villages in the Dordogne area. Old little towns and hamlets with narrow streets and traditional buildings. Baron is one such village just outside of Saint Cyprien where a friend of Mark’s family…

Maison Neuve, a lovely three-story home just minutes from the Saint Cyprien town center, is our home for the length of our stay in the French countryside. It’s a lovely old house with a warm atmosphere, creaky floors, a front…