La Roque-Gageac, Medieval commune in Dordogne, France
The village extends along limestone cliffs on the northern bank of the Dordogne River, with yellow stone houses rising in tiers against the rock face.
The defensive fort carved into the cliff forty meters above the village demonstrates the strategic importance of this settlement during the Middle Ages.
The exotic garden next to the church grows Mediterranean plants like palm trees and bamboo, protected from cold winds by the natural rock formation.
Visitors can explore the village through guided tours from March to September, including boat trips on traditional wooden vessels called gabares.
The Renaissance Manoir de Tarde features a distinctive round tower and decorative mullioned windows positioned just below the ancient troglodyte fortification.
Location: Dordogne
Location: arrondissement of Sarlat-la-Canéda
Elevation above the sea: 105 m
Shares border with: Vitrac, Domme, Cénac-et-Saint-Julien, Vézac
Address: 24250 La Roque-Gageac, France 24250 La Roque-Gageac
Phone: +33553295152
Email: mairie-la-roque-gageac@wanadoo.fr
Website: http://laroquegageac.fr
GPS coordinates: 44.82639,1.18250
Latest update: May 27, 2025 09:54
French medieval locations feature architecture from the 11th to 15th centuries. Fortified walls, castles, churches and stone-paved streets define the historical urban structure. Residents maintain traditional crafts, regional cuisine and local customs. Many of these UNESCO heritage sites document important periods of French history.
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region contains historic and natural sites often overlooked by traditional tourist routes. The area features military castles such as Bonaguil with its seven 13th-century towers, underground churches carved into limestone in Saint-Émilion and Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, as well as caves decorated with Paleolithic paintings like that of Villars. Medieval villages such as Talmont-sur-Gironde preserve their original layout and overlook the Gironde estuary. From Dordogne to the Pyrenean foothills, the region presents rock-hewn forts like Maison Forte de Reignac, Benedictine abbeys established since the 8th century in Brantôme, and Romanesque churches like the Collegiate Church of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat. The Vayres and Roquetaillade castles demonstrate the evolution of fortified architecture from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. These sites reflect the military, religious, and cultural history of the region and provide diverse examples of southwestern France's architectural heritage.
In France, each region hides villages that seem out of time. These places are made of stone, wood, and light, where history is written on facades and in paved streets. Some are nestled in valleys, others cling to cliffs or overlook vineyards. There are old houses, squares lined with arcades, castles, Romanesque churches, and sometimes a river winding between gardens. These villages have retained the charm of their era, the slow pace of residents, and the sound of wind in shutters. From Breton granite to Alsatian half-timbered houses, from southern golden limestone to Alpine shingle roofs, each tells a way of life, a color, an accent. They form the deep face of the country, one that is only visible when taking the time to stop.
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