Domme - guide touristique for the Dordogne

Visitez Domme gites : hotels location des voitures | Explore Dordogne

Domme guide

Domme is a bastide town next to the Dordogne River, in a magnificent vantage point.

Domme is one of our absolute favourite Dordogne towns with the medieval buildings in honey-coloured stone leading up to the central square and viewpoint. The perfect restoration over-commercialisation of the town reduces the feeling of authenticity that is found in, say, Monpazier, but it is still unmissable.

Domme is larger than many of the bastide towns in the region, and is found perched high above the Dordogne River, with  magnificent views over the river and surrounding countryside.

Domme has retained much of its ancient ramparts, including  three ancient gates. The best preserved of these is the Porte des Tours, flanked by two guard towers (you pass through it to enter the town from the parking below). These towers were converted into prisons in 1307 when the Knights Templars were arrested by the king, and the engraved crucifixes they carved whilst they were imprisoned in the tower can still be seen.  The two other gates are called Porte de la Combe and Port del Bos.

You can escape from the heat in Domme - there are some very good caves accessed from in the centre of the town. The caves, the Grottes de Domme, were used in the middle ages to shelter the town's inhabitants during the Hundred Years' War, though the upper part of the Domme cave system was only discovered in 1954. There are more than 400m of stalactite filled galleries and a glass lift takes you back up to the surface.

The town is listed as 'one of the most beautiful villages in France'

Domme: tourisme, carte, guide de voyage et gites