The charm of traditional houses
When we talk about "maison périgourdine", we are talking about a traditional rural style of housing in the south of the department: it is the house made of blond or ochre stone, covered with a very steep roof with two or more slopes, pierced with "lucarnous" to let light into the attic. The lauze, a roof made of heavy flat limestone slabs, traditionally added charm to these houses. But the Perigordian house does not have only this face. If you travel through the valley of the Isle (white Périgord like the stone) and the north of the Dordogne (green Périgord which is close to the Limousin), you will fall under the charm of the white stone or granite longères. Depending on the needs of the family, and according to the reversal of fortune, they were extended by one or two more rooms, juxtaposed to the first ones, sometimes by a barn. In this mineral landscape, the Double is an exception with the use of wood in the construction of beautiful half-timbered farms and bricks. This material is also abundant in urban architecture to lighten the masonry, in the Bergerac region for example. As you walk around, you will notice these tiny andrônes, these spaces left between two adjoining houses to prevent the spread of fires, which were once real urban scourges. Their management in terms of property, rainwater and wastewater collection, could be a real headache! The urban centres obviously include magnificent private mansions, flanked by the remarkable features of their type of residence: carved stone lacework, mullioned windows, monumental doors, etc. Most of the time, they were used for residential purposes, but sometimes they were also used for military purposes as a garrison. You will find some very fine examples in Périgueux, Sarlat and Thiviers, to name but a few.
The castles
It is impossible to pass through the Périgord without visiting a castle! They are scattered all over the territory, with a high concentration in the Périgord Noir. Built in the High Middle Ages in place of ancient feudal mounds, medieval castles have a double function. The first is to provide a viewpoint to watch for the arrival of intruders. The second is defensive, the castle protects from enemy attacks by elaborate fortification systems and high perched locations deemed impregnable. Of all the conflicts suffered by the Périgord, it is the Hundred Years' War that has had the greatest impact on the region. Let's go back to 1137, when Eleanor of Aquitaine married the heir to the English crown, Henry II Plantagenet, and gave part of the Périgord to the English. The Dordogne River symbolized the border between the two enemy kingdoms. The castle of Beynac on the French side was facing the English fortress of Castelnaud... Imagine the atmosphere! In rage, the lord of Beynac had Marqueyssac built as an outpost to watch his rival. The lord of Castelnaud responded by building the Château de Fayrac. It was not until the Battle of Castillon in the 15th century that the conflict in the region came to an end. As time went on, the conflicts moved to more open ground, so the heavy, thick walls lost some of their interest. After the Hundred Years' War, the architecture of the castles evolved and they became places of residence. Barnyards were transformed into ornamental gardens, curtain walls were cut down to make terraces, and windows were opened to let in light.
Caves and troglodytes
In the Périgord, caves have been inhabited since the dawn of time and have been used throughout the ages according to the problems of their time: to shelter, to hide, to defend themselves, to store, to pray, etc. If they are located at the foot of their limestone cliffs, you will have no trouble accessing them; however, they are sometimes perched on the side of the wall. Everywhere in the Périgord, it was customary to build the houses against the cliffs, which avoided building a face and was a considerable saving of materials. These atypical dwellings often offer vast surfaces, because to the one that was built, one must add the one that was in the cave, natural or dug. As a bonus in this kind of housing, a natural air conditioning and a wonderful cellar for your wine! A visit to the Roque Saint-Christophe near Les Eyzies will allow you to understand the way of life and the organization of these people of the cliffs over the centuries and you will be able to marvel at their resourcefulness. The troglodyte village of La Madeleine is also worth a visit. It is a concentration of 17,000 years of human occupation of the stone.
The charm of the bastides
Contrary to popular belief, bastides are found throughout the department, although there is a high concentration of this type of architecture in the south of the Dordogne. They are the architectural emblem of the Franco-English rivalries and surprisingly were built by both sides, often on very similar plans. "Batisda" simply means "construction" in Occitan. You will note the regular absence of ramparts around these urban constructions, as their purpose was mainly commercial. The aim was to facilitate trade by building villages with perpendicular streets in a grid pattern and houses of identical dimensions. The main thoroughfares gave access to the central square with its covered alleys under the angle legs and to the central market hall. Smaller streets called carreyrous allowed the heart of the small town to be reached. In the Dordogne, the oldest is that of Villefranche-du-Périgord founded in 1261; the best known and most photographed is that of Montpazier. The lesser known ones are not in the Périgord Noir. Let's mention those of Saint-Aulaye, remarkable, or those of Tocane and Vergt. Let's finish on a favorite. The one of Molières, unfinished, has a particular charm. It has only one corner house (house with jambs) placed timidly around an oversized square. The folly of grandeur!
