The royal bastide town of Villeréal, located in the Haut Agenais region in the Dropt valley, was founded in 1267 by Alphonse of Poitiers, the brother of St Louis. From its past as a medieval new town, Villeréal has preserved a superb arcaded square with a 14th-century covered market, and a 13th-century fortified church featuring arrow slits and a crenellated rampart walk.

A local produce market is held every Saturday morning in Place de la Halle.

Situated in the Purple Périgord on the Dordogne, the town of Bergerac is famous for its vineyards. Highlights include, in the medieval old town, Pelissière square and its restaurant terraces, Récollets Cloister and the Maison des Vins wine rooms, the Tobacco Museum of National Interest located in Peyrarède house, and the old port with its jetty, where barge trips are offered.

Founded in the 13th century by Edward I of England, the fortified town of Monpazier possesses a magnificent arcaded square and a beautiful wooden covered market hall. The square's houses covered in climbing roses add real charm.

The bastide town of Monflanquin, which overlooks the Haut Agenais region and Lède valley from its hilltop position, was founded in 1256 by Alphonse, Count of Poitiers and Toulouse and brother of St Louis and today enjoys "One of France's Most Beautiful Villages" status.

The town features a magnificent central square bordered by arcades. Note the interesting gemel windowed facade of the elegant 14th-century Maison du Prince Noir.

This medieval bastide town is traversed by a network of carrerots – picturesque, narrow pedestrian streets crossed by little house-to-house bridges. It is also home to a Gothic cathedral.

Worth a visit is the Musée des Bastides, a fun, interactive museum all about the medieval new towns built in southwest France in the 13th and 14th centuries.

A market has taken place every Thursday morning in the Place des Arcades (arcaded main square) since 1256! A local producers' market is also held on Thursday evenings in July and August.

On 15 August, the Médiévales de Monflanquin festival takes inhabitants and tourists back to the Middle Ages with entertainment, shows, processions, a market and a medieval banquet.

The 11th- and 13th-century Château de Gavaudun fortress perches on a rocky spur like a proud sentry. Of interest during the visit is its imposing 70m-high keep, curtain walls and entrance via a natural cave, as well as the fantastic view over the Lède valley and Gavaudun village rooftops from the top of its tower.

Old Tayac Castle in the municipality of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, at the heart of the Vézère Valley and near the Lascaux cave, is home to the National Prehistoric Museum in Dordogne, which has one of France's most extensive Palaeolithic collections with over 12,000 exhibits.

In a resolutely contemporary building, you can see all the oldest traces left by humankind: stone tools, art objects, and life-sized reconstructions of prehistoric people and extinct animals, from the first hunter-gatherers living in Aquitaine, circa - 500 000, to the end of the Ice Age, circa - 10 000.

The lower gallery is about the big cultural and environmental changes linked to Homo sapiens and Neanderthal man. The upper gallery is dedicated to their ways of life: gathering, hunting, fishing, raw material processing, habitat, burial, etc.

A specific programme of activities, updated every 6 months, enables the museum to diversify its approach, while also teaming up with big cultural events like the Heritage Days to offer special themed activities.

There are dedicated activities for families, such as tours on the theme of Neanderthal man, or drawing workshops where visitors can "sketch" the museum in real life.

The Romanesque church in Allemans-du-Dropt is noteworthy for its fantastic group of 15th- and 16th-century frescoes. Listed as a historic monument, they depict scenes from the Passion of Christ, the Last Judgement and Hell.

While you are there, make a point of exploring the surrounding half-timbered houses, two covered markets, castle tower, 12th-century bridge over the Dropt and 17th-century dovecote on stilts located at the end of the village.

The village of Beynac-et-Cazenac is really photogenic, with its hilltop castle dominating the Dordogne river and its beautiful flower-decked houses. It is a delightful village to walk around! In the summer, the village hosts the Musical Nights of Beynac, a festival offering classical music concerts.

The Bonaguil castle is a marvel of medieval architecture situated between Périgord and Quercy in the village of Saint-Front-sur-Lémance near Fumel. It is one of France's most beautiful fortified castles.

Built in the 13th century then modified and extended in the late 15th and early 16th centuries by Baron Bérenger de Roquefeuil, this fortress was never once the target of a military attack, thanks to its impressive defence system. A perfect illustration of the development of military architecture and techniques from the Middle Ages via the Renaissance to the early days of the Vauban fortifications, the Bonaguil castle takes adults and children on a journey back to the time of the knights. Witness the keep, towers and turrets, barbican, gunpowder store, casemates with embrasures, drawbridge and moats.

The top of the keep boasts a panoramic terrace with a wonderful view over the whole fortress and lush surrounding scenery.

Bonaguil-Fumel theatre festival is held at the Bonaguil castle and Théâtre de la Nature in Fumel every first week of August.

Today serving as the mayor's office, the originally medieval Château de Fumel was remodelled in the 18th century. Its splendid terraced gardens overlooking the Lot valley offer a wonderful panoramic view of the river and surroundings. It also boasts a French-style formal garden on the upper terrace and a landscaped garden below planted with a variety of tree species, such as cedars of Lebanon, chestnut trees and plane trees.

There's nothing like a trip on a traditional flat-bottomed boat (gabarre) to continue exploring Fumel and the Lot valley. During the summer, take one of the cruises with commentary (approx. 1hr15) from the foot of Fumel bridge.

Overhanging the Dordogne River, these gardens are lovely to walk around: peaceful, scented paths meander through hand-clipped box hedges and offer a magnificent view of the Dordogne valley and the charming village of La Roque-Gageac.

Villeneuve-sur-Lot was founded in 1253 by Alphonse of Poitiers, the brother of St Louis. Enjoying a favourable location straddling the Lot river, it was once an important trading town and one of the most powerful bastides in southwest France.

The town has preserved a number of architectural reminders of its rich past, including the 13th-century Pont Vieux (old bridge), which forms a picturesque scene with Notre-Dame du Bout du Pont chapel; Place Lafayette, a central square edged with arcades (cornières); and Pujols and Paris gates, remains of the ancient fortifications. More recent in style is the beautiful Sainte-Catherine church, which was consecrated in 1937. This brick- and stone-built Byzantine-Romanesque-style building boasts magnificent 14th- and 15th-century stained glass windows taken from the old church.

Stock up on fruit and vegetables at the traditional market every Tuesday and Saturday morning in Place Lafayette!

Crossing the Black Périgord and the Purple Périgord, the Dordogne River is lined with an unusually high number of important places of interest. The famous Castelnaud castle, a true medieval fortress, the Beynac-et-Cazenac castle, the Milandes castle, the Montfort castle, and the Fénelon castle, are magnificent stopping points along the route. The charming villages of Beynac-et-Cazenac and La Roque-Gageac, with their exceptional riverside settings, are an absolute must. The loops of the Dordogne River – the Trémolat, Montfort and Limeuil meanders – can be observed from viewpoints along the river. There's nothing like a barge trip to discover the Dordogne valley from a different angle!

Situated at the foot of a cliff along the Dordogne River, the village of La Roque-Gageac offers visitors a network of narrow streets, a troglodyte fort, tropical vegetation and a small church that dominates the valley.

An impregnable fortress in the Middle Ages, then a country retreat during the Age of Enlightenment, the Château de Duras (built 12th to 18th centuries) is today a listed historic monument.

Towering over the Dropt valley, this former residence of the Dukes of Duras contains some 30 rooms showcasing the building's history and past splendour. The visit takes in the Salle des Trois Maréchaux, the dining room with terrace, the Salle aux Secrets, kitchen, bakery, dungeons, wells and Salle de la Charpente.

The basement contains a museum about the archaeology and ethnology of the Pays de Duras area.

Don't miss the superb 360° panoramic view from the top of the tower!

A busy programme of cultural events takes place there throughout the year, including symphonic concerts, plays, art exhibitions and night-time visits.

The medieval town and former stronghold of Penne-d'Agenais, whose castle was fortified by Richard the Lionheart, is today an approved "Station Verte" (nature-orientated holiday destination) combining architectural charm, a gentle way of life and a pretty location on the banks of the Lot.

Dominated by the Byzantine-Romanesque-style Notre-Dame de Peyragude basilica, recognisable from afar by its silver dome, Penne-d'Agenais's old quarter is a charming place for a stroll, with narrow sloping streets lined with pretty houses, Place Paul Froment – a pleasant square to stop in for a drink – and many arts and crafts workshops.

There's a fantastic view over the Lot valley from the viewpoint indicator near the basilica!

Tributary of the River Garonne, the Lot runs through unspoiled green countryside. In the Quercy, this gentle valley is particularly renowned for its vines, and especially those of the Cahors vineyards. Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, a magnificent cliffside village; Puy-l'Évêque, a medieval town situated in the heart of the vineyards; the Cénevières castle, a Renaissance fortified castle and palace; Cahors and Figeac, two cities of Art and History in the Quercy... All wonderful places in the Lot valley not to be missed! A boat cruise on the Lot waters is also an excellent way to discover the numerous treasures of this valley.

Situated on the edge of the Vézère river, the village of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère is really charming with its beautiful Romanesque church, its houses, its beautiful narrow streets and its river banks for strolling along.

Pujols, one of France's "Most Beautiful Villages", is a former stronghold perched on a hill near Villeneuve-sur-Lot. This small fortified town is a charming place to wander around with narrow flower-bedecked streets overlooked by beautiful houses, an old well, fortified gates, Saint-Nicolas and Sainte-Foy churches, a covered market hall where a local produce market takes place on Sunday mornings from May to September, and a panoramic view of the Lot valley.

As well as being home to some listed 15th-century frescoes, Sainte-Foy church holds regular art exhibitions.

Perched on a cliff, the fortified town of Domme overhangs magnificently the Dordogne valley. Its fortifications, its 17th-century covered market hall, its caves, its promenade running alongside the cliff and its viewpoint offering an exceptional view of the Dordogne valley will enchant the walkers.

Situated in the heart of the Black Périgord, Sarlat-la-Canéda is an essential place to visit for the architecture fans. Its medieval old town is the perfect place to wander around with its maze of picturesque narrow streets and Gothic and Renaissance mansions, such as the Plamon mansion, the Magnanat mansion, and the Vassal mansion. The Saturday market is particularly lively and should not be missed!

The water lily garden in the village of Le Temple-sur-Lot (open May to end September) boasts "Remarkable Garden" status and is the oldest and most prestigious water plant nursery in the world. Established in 1875 by botanist Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac, this magical place is today home to over 250 species of water lily! It was his hybrid water lilies that provided famous Impressionist painter Claude Monet with the inspiration for his Water Lily series.

The garden is a wonderful place for a walk and will delight fans of water gardens with its collections of tropical and hardy lotuses and water lilies, its historic pools, exotic greenhouse, growing pools, rose garden, bamboo garden and natural pond crossed by a Japanese bridge!

The Vesunna Museum was created on a site where Gallo-Roman relics were discovered by chance. These include the painted walls of a house that was inhabited from the 1st to the 3rd century.

The museum is located in the southern quarter of Périgueux, formerly the Roman capital of the Gaulish "Pétrocore" people who worshipped the goddess "Vesunna", and was designed by the architect Jean Nouvel.

An amazing testimony to the Gallo-Roman era and the Pétrocores' daily life, it invites you on a journey to the time of the Roman occupation by reconstructing the way people lived back then, from forum to temple, from water supply issues to funeral rites, from meals to body care…

The architecture of the site respects the remains of the "Domus of Vesunna", a listed Historic Monument since 1963: the ancient walls are protected by a vast umbrella.

From the high glass walls, there is a spectacular view of the landscaped park around the Vesunna Tower (Tour de Vésone), and the remains of the 4th-century ramparts.

Capital of the Périgord, Périgueux is a City of Art and History possessing an important historic heritage, with its ancient Gallo-Roman town and its medieval and Renaissance old town. Situated on the Way of St James (Santiago de Compostela pilgrim route), the Saint-Front cathedral of Byzantine style is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Périgord museum offers visitors prehistoric, Gallo-Roman, medieval and Renaissance collections, but also its section dedicated to Fine art. The markets in the old town are authentic and bursting with local produce that will delight fine food fans.

The royal bastide town of Tournon-d'Agenais stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the peaceful Agenais countryside. Founded in the 13th century by Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse, it boasts some fine heritage, including Place des Cornières and its old well, a bell tower with a moon clock, the ancient house of the Agen bishops and ramparts.

A viewpoint indicator in the municipal garden gives information about the Boudouyssou valley below.

Foodies mustn't miss the La Foire à la Tourtière every 15 August, a festive event honouring the village speciality: a delicious pie consisting of thin layers of pastry and rum-doused apples!

The Lascaux Cave, in Montignac, Dordogne, was discovered by chance in 1940 by four teenagers, one of whom had seen his dog slip into a nearby hole. He went after it and inadvertently uncovered one of the most important decorated caves of the Palaeolithic. This incredible cave, known as "the Sistine Chapel of Prehistory", was closed to the public in 1963 for its own protection, then became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Open to visitors since 1983, Lascaux II, the first replica of the original cave, presents the two most famous galleries: the Hall of Bulls and the Axial Diverticulum, where you can admire 90% of the paintings. The two museum areas tell the fascinating story of human evolution and tools, with recreations of prehistoric Lascaux. Step back in time on the same hill as the original cave, in the authentic natural setting of the Vézère Valley.

Not far from here, the International Centre for Cave Art - Lascaux IV, at the foot of Lascaux hill, is a complete replica of the famous cave. Since 2016, visitors have been invited to step inside the surprising architecture of its huge, semi-underground building, where they can contemplate, understand and really gain a feeling for cave art. New technology offers a unique experience by immersing you in this exceptional world in a very original way. Trained guides, digital tablets, themed rooms, games, and films on a big screen will all help you travel back in time to be immersed in the captivating atmosphere of early humans' underground world!

To complete your visit, Le Thot Park in Thonac offers a chance to discover cave art by exploring various areas on the theme of humans' relationship with animals in Prehistory. Just 9 kilometres from Lascaux, the exhibition area, animal park and various workshops invite you on an unforgettable journey through time and space. You can explore the daily life, gestures and techniques of Cro-Magnon man. The interactive time mirror experience will show you the species that he lived alongside, hunted and painted in his cave galleries, and the animal park offers an educational walk amid the living descendants of animals from that time. Plenty for visitors of all ages to enjoy!

In the municipality of Montignac, at the foot of the Lascaux hill, which contains the original cave whose interior was closed to the public in 1983 for conservation reasons, the International Centre for Cave Art - Lascaux IV presents a complete replica of the decorated cave classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In this latest replica, open to the public since 2016, new techniques are used to showcase this important prehistoric site. Behind the glass doors of a huge, modern, semi-underground building spanning 8,000 m², none of whose walls are straight, originally-shaped rooms welcome visitors for an unusual experience.

The centre uses its preferred medium of digital technology to show off and enhance the cave art. From the heights of the belvedere, equipped with your digital tablet, you can leap back 20,000 years to admire the Vézère Valley and the wildlife of the time. Then in the shelter, take a trip to 1940 and follow the four teenagers who started this fabulous adventure, contemplating their amazing discovery as if you were there yourself.

In the Lascaux Studio (Atelier de Lascaux), discover eight big walls in a huge room, displaying the cave's main works of art. Several scenographic exhibits are on offer: swipe your tablet screen to discover the various works in virtual reality, share the tactile experience of the first humans by using their tools and techniques, become aware of the fragile balance of the cave through an immersive experience, and handle objects from the archaeological excavations carried out in Lascaux.

The Theatre of Cave Art will take you into a series of small rooms where a play in three chronological acts is staged. Topics covered include 19th-century doubts about the authenticity of the decorated caves, the working practices of two famous Prehistory specialists, and the techniques used by contemporary archaeologists.

With your 3D glasses on, in front of two giant screens, continue your journey in the underground realm by watching the film "Lascaux and the World", to admire Lascaux and other decorated caves around the world. Finally, in the Imaginary Gallery, you can explore the ties that have been formed between cave art and contemporary art by admiring images and artworks exhibited on a wall of 90 screens.

At Lascaux IV, you will find a unique experience that will shake up your temporal reference points, combining the mystery of an ancestral art form and the contribution of technology. An in-depth exploration for all ages that puts Lascaux back on the world cave art stage.