The Dordogne — Sol du Mazel | Sarlat, canoeing, food, wine near Saint-Pompont

Saint-Pompont

Rural, but not remote.

Sol du Mazel sits in the commune of Saint-Pompont — a proper Périgord village with a boulangerie, a Romanesque church and a supermarket, fifteen minutes on foot down the old footpath. The kind of village most visitors drive past without stopping, which is exactly why it's worth staying in.

Everything larger is close. Domme, the cliff-top bastide with extraordinary views over the river valley, is eight kilometres north. Sarlat — the finest medieval town in France, most people think — is twenty kilometres and twenty-five minutes. The Dordogne river itself, with its canoe hire points and its sweep of medieval castles, is fifteen minutes by car.

Bergerac Airport is 55km. Bordeaux is 140km. The Channel Tunnel drive is about eight hours and worth it.

Days out

Six things to do from Sol du Mazel

Sarlat Saturday market — local produce, foie gras, walnut wine

Sarlat market

Wednesday and Saturday, Sarlat's entire medieval centre becomes a market. Foie gras, walnut wine, charcuterie, cheese from producers who've been selling in the same spot for thirty years. The Saturday market is one of the best in France. 20km, 25 minutes.

View of the Dordogne river valley near Beynac

Canoeing the river

Hire canoes at La Roque-Gageac and paddle 16km downstream past Castelnaud and Beynac — medieval cliff-top castles on both sides. A shuttle collects you downstream. No experience needed. Around €20 per person. 15km from Sol du Mazel.

Château de Castelnaud above the Dordogne valley

The castles

Castelnaud, Beynac, Les Milandes, Fénelon, Montfort — more medieval castles per kilometre than almost anywhere else in France. Castelnaud has a museum of medieval warfare and the best views from the ramparts. Beynac is the more complete castle.

Hot air balloon over the Dordogne valley at dawn

Balloon flights

Dawn and dusk flights over the valley — castles, river and limestone cliffs below you. Two balloons landed in the Sol du Mazel grounds in 2024; the property sits on a regular flight path. Worth every centime. Book ahead in summer.

Font-de-Gaume prehistoric cave entrance near Les Eyzies

Prehistoric caves

Font-de-Gaume, near Les Eyzies, is one of the last accessible caves in the world with original polychrome prehistoric paintings. Tours limited to 13 people — book weeks ahead at sites-les-eyzies.fr. Lascaux IV at Montignac is the spectacular recreation if Font-de-Gaume is full.

Domme — cliff-top bastide overlooking the Dordogne valley

Domme & the bastides

The cliff-top bastide of Domme is 8km from Sol du Mazel — Tuesday market, the best view in the Périgord. The surrounding countryside is dotted with similar walled towns: Belvès, Monpazier, Villefranche-du-Périgord. Each worth an afternoon.

Restaurants

Where to eat

Information verified May 2026. Call ahead for current hours outside July and August.

1 Michelin star

Le Grand Bleu, Sarlat

The best restaurant within striking distance. Modern French cooking of real ambition. Book well ahead in July and August. 20km.

Bib Gourmand 2025

Ô Moulin, Daglan

Outstanding value — in a converted mill at the edge of Daglan, 15 minutes from Sol du Mazel. Relaxed, genuine, excellent food.

Bib Gourmand 2025

La Belle Étoile, La Roque-Gageac

A terrace directly above the river, the cliffs rising behind you. Traditional Périgord cooking. One of the most memorable settings in the valley.

Local favourite

La Forge, Daglan

Reliable set-menu village restaurant, 12 minutes from Sol du Mazel. Good for a midweek dinner. Evenings only — call ahead to confirm hours.

The Dordogne.