The Perigord Noir

I had visited the Martyr’s Memorial at Oradour Sur Glane. As moving as it was, I needed something to perk me up. I found it in Brantôme, “the Venice of the Perigord.”  We departed from Nontron, a few miles north of our destination, content that we had found adequate accommodations at the Grand Hotel Nontron, which proved not to be so grand but provided a very good dining room and Bergerac house wine. I had no idea what was waiting for me. When I discovered Brantôme, a charming old city built on an island in the middle of the Dronne River, it was only the beginning of a series of historical, visual, and charming towns fit for the gourmand.  Only an aerial view of Brantôme would do it justice. Here, on this small piece of land surrounded by water, I discovered the first of a series of peaceful villages that looked exactly like the French towns of my dreams. There seemed to be one way in and one way out. Imagine: two bridges to serve all traffic. We walked through narrow streets and found ourselves in front of a huge and elegant abbey. Here, at the tourist office, I was told about the 19th century Moulin de L’Abbaye that had been converted into a hotel. We settled into our sumptuous rooms and went out onto the riverside terrace to enjoy a truffle omelette, truffles being a speciality of the area. We walked the entire perimeter and took a short hike to a place where ancient Dolmen stood, a town charged with history and pleasing to the eye. An afternoon at the pool, a plate of pâté de foie, and a bottle of St. Emillion Le Chatelet later, Grand Cru Classé proved to be the perfect fare. I soon would find out that the entire region was an eater’s paradise. We bought nut oils, fruit, truffles, and pâté preserved for transportation.  After a sleep in our Relais de Silence, we headed south through Perigueux, a much busier town, and headed towards the Dordogne River. Our trip took us through towns with Gallic stone burial huts (Bories), Roman ruins, round towers, and Romanesque churches. Here, we saw rock shelters (cluzeaux), fortified towns, and reminders of the shelters once occupied by cavemen. We knew the area had been inhabited for centuries, as we were very close to the ancient caves at Lascaux.  A tour of the caves would wait for another day, but I recommend them as one of the great finds of France.  At Les Eyzies, on the winding Veyzere River, we visited the prehistoric museum and descended, with guide, into one of the wonderful old caves replete with stalagmites and stalactites. There, we saw how pottery is left to harden near the dripping waters, only to emerge with sparkles and colors that one couldn’t manufacture by hand. This is an archeological delight filled with ancient wonders, upscale shops, great food, and hospitality. And, it’s all set in natural surroundings that take your breath away.  It’s only a short ride to the great Dordogne River at the tiny village of Trémolat. Here, at the edge of the water, we enjoyed the comforts of the local Relais & Château. The activity here is kayaking, which we enjoyed on the calming river.  We drove west along the river to the exiting town of Domme, high above the river valley, and then headed past the château where Josephine Baker once lived in the nearby town of Sarlat –La-Caneda. This bustling town warrants an article of its own. Suffice it to say that the old village has been rebuilt so visitors can roam the narrow streets of one of the loveliest towns in all of France.  Luckily for us, we arrived on a Friday with a hotel reservation, as suggested by the innkeeper at Tremolat. Saturdays, it seems, are market days, when the city is totally converted into one of the largest most exciting street markets that I have ever visited. The restaurant recommended by the Hotel de Selves was an ancient building complete with wooden beams and walls that seemed to bend under the weight of the convoluted structure. On a picturesque lane, “Cricketamousse” was the perfect place to feast on canard and other local specialties, including nut cake. But, after a long day at the market, our meal at Les Délices de Lauralice proved to be the highlight of our dining experience. Again, the local dishes with goose pâté and local wines were a pleasure hard to duplicate. If you stay at Hotel de Selves, they’ll show you the way or just ask any shopkeeper. Day tours in the area were highly rewarding, including a drive southeast to Rocamadour. This village, perched on the side of a cliff, is a photographer’s dream. It is the second most popular tourist site in all of France. A view from the approach says it all. I did find the town a bit touristy but well worth the trip if only to view the site.  The trip north to Montignac, near Lascaux, was pleasant, but the hotel we discovered was just what we needed. The Relais de Soleil d’Or, on the main street, looked plain enough from the outside, but the charming old inn opened onto a pool sitting in a spacious park. Again, a Relais de Silence is worth finding. We enjoyed a special meal of grilled goose on an open fire and truffle crepes in the main dining room looking through a hedge of calla lilies onto the floodlit pool. A walk around the town and a souvenir picture on the stone bridge over the Veysere River were well worth taking. We rose later than usual and walked in a circle, over two bridges back to our hotel. On the way, we discovered a lovely restaurant, Les Pilotis, tucked away on the edge of the river. An obliging lady, whose husband served as chef, served our farewell lunch. They and their restaurant were charming. We were the first…