Enjoy people

Events , festivals and markets

The traditional family getaway during the holidays: market day. Buy something nice, listen to music in an outdoor cafe and look at passing people. Numerous farmers markets(fiorés and marches), exclusively made up of local producers, are held in villages across the Dordogne weekly .
Specialty markets in Périgueux, Sarlat, Thiviers and Excideuil, provide an opportunity to see the very best local products of the Périgord and to participate in  events and activities. These markets are held between December and February and feature local guilds, performances by folklore groups and tastings.

A few wellknown harvest and foodfestivals are:
– Truffle Festival in Sorges (January)
– Walnut Festival in Nailhac, near Hautefort (third Sunday in August)
– Strawberry Festival in Vergt (August)
In the autumn
– “Grain d’Automne” Festival at the heart of the Bergerac vineyards
– “L’Automne Gourmand” in the Parc Naturel Régional Périgord-Limousin
– Chestnut and Cep Mushroom Festival in Villefranche du Périgord (October)
– Turkey Festival in Varaignes (November)

Famous are the Marché nocturne or Marché gourmand, markets held in the summer at the end of the day. Bring your own cutlery ,plate and glass. Be surprised by the local butcher with his delicious piece of meat from the grill, a salad, fries or pommes sarladiënnes ,a piece of cheese or just a nice piece of bread and a glass of wine. Then take a seat at one of the arranged long  tables. And afterwards, of course, dessert. Usually there is an artist or band wich only increases the atmosphere and there is ballroom dancing. 
There are also vibrant cultural events. The summer season in the Dordogne is featured with a thirty festivals, ranging from classical and baroque music to techno, blues, jazz, flamenco and world music.
Obviously July 14th, the national holiday in France can not be missing as a large cultural event that happens every year.

In high season, every place has its own party with music, fantastic Fireworks and often a repas (meal with each other)

Artists and Artisans : the Dordogne, one of the cradles of mankind, whose rock walls provided the canvas for the earliest artists, remains a hugely popular and welcoming region for myriad artists and craftspeople. Sculptors, copper- and wrought-iron workers and cabinet-makers are among the sixty or so artists and artisans who have signed up to a quality charter and whose workshops can be found along a specially created Arts and Crafts Route. This “route of artisans and artists’ leads past the studios and workshops of about 60 artists and craftsmen, including sculptors, coppersmiths, blacksmiths and carpenters, whose work meets strict quality requirements. Visit the charming village of Meyrals between Sarlat and Saint Cyprien and wander around many fabulous art studios. Browse or buy and take away a piece of the Dordogne and  it’s memories with you.

Finally, for the lovers of antique and flea markets, the so called Vide grenier(literally attic cleanups) are held from late March to early December every weekend.