Sarlat Property Insight

Sarlat-la-Canéda, generally referred to as simply "Sarlat", is the historical county capital of the Périgord Noir. Sarlat is located at the core of south western France, halfway between the Limousin and Midi-Pyrenees regions, in the north portion of the former province of Quercy. This homely town consequently offers a great choice of Perigord properties for sale, cottages and gites to rent for holidays.

Overview

The easternmost tip of the Dordogne traditionally nicknamed "Perigord Noir" due to its dark oak trees is a real haven for second homes buyers. Holidaymakers would also be easily satisfied as the area has plenty of chambres d'hotes and gîtes on offer.

For a buy-to-let investment, it is common sight to renovate flats and small homes in the medieval quarter, a few steps away from Sarlat street market and shops.

Sarlat Immobilier & Property Market Trends

Although the whole Dordogne department offers the cheapest properties so far, the housing prices in the area of Sarlat la Caneda are slightly rising (about €175,800 for an ancient house).

The so-called Black Perigord remains one of the best regions of France for foreigners' investments. The typical properties are former farmers' dwellings - including several barns and a great piece of land - which remain affordable (compared to British equivalents and other "trendy" southern areas).

To get updated info about housing prices in the Dordogne, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.

5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Sarlat

Sarlat la Caneda is considered to be a real haven by the British expats who have been living an idyllic life there for several years. Due to such a success, the region has been greeting more and more Dutch and German people over the last few years.

Other foreigners prefered to purchase a holiday home with a lovely courtyard, but the appeal remained the same: an relaxing lifestyle, friendly locals, wonderful scenery, lack of pollution, regional produce and Périgourdine cuisine - a perfect combination to escape your bustling daily-life!

• Good transport connections: if you plan a road trip, you can easily pass through Sarlat when travelling southward, from Bordeaux (180 km) or Paris (530 km) to Toulouse (160 km) for example. By plane: regular links from Paris to Périgueux Bassillac Airport and to Bergerac Roumanière Airport, but also direct flights London-Bergerac (with Ryanair) and Southampton-Bergerac (with Flybe & KLM). A regional airport "Brive-Souillac" is planned to be completed by 2010. By train: regular Bordeaux-Sarlat and Paris-Souillac-Sarlat (on the Paris-Toulouse train line).

• The Vezere Valley: dark forests, plants, trees, especially in the area of Terrasson (Cf. Jardins de l'Imaginaire).

• Prehistoric heritage: limestone gorges and cliffs (like at Les Eyzies), caves with original paintings (on the road to Sarlat) and hill-top villages.

• Festivals: Sarlat hosts many cultural events, amongst which the Theatre Festival in July and the Film Festival in November.

• Surrounding picturesque villages: Domme (other nearby bastide), St Cyprien, Souillac (in the Midi-Pyrenees region), Coly & Saint Amand (picturesque manor and church).

Property Styles and Architecture in Sarlat

• Chateaux and Manoirs: castles like the Chateaux at Puymartin and Eyrignac, and manors like the Manoir d'Hautegente (former mill now turned into a luxurious hotel).

• Les Eyzies houses: authentic troglodyte dwellings built into the rock referred to as Roque Saint Christophe - definitely worth the visit!

• Farm buildings: generally built surrounding a main courtyard, the traditional "Maisons du Périgord Noir" often form small hamlets. They feature several barns and houses with steep lauze roofs (special slate), sand-coloured walls, attic rooms for storage and ivy on the façade.

Click here for more info about the Architecture in Aquitaine.