Sarlat
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Sarlat
Sarlat is a beautifully preserved medieval town in the heart of the Dordogne in South West France .
The town developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin around 840 . The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos the bishop of Limoges .
Before the introduction of trains and a road system Sarlat was very remote and access was difficult . Due to this Sarlat has remained preserved and is one of the towns most representative of 14th century France .
It owes its current status on France ' s Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site to writer , resistance fighter and politician André Malraux , who , as Minister of Culture ( 1960 – 1969 ), restored the town and many other sites of historic significance throughout France .
The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free .
The old town of Sarlat is quite small and very easy to navigate . The town is divided roughly in the middle by Rue de la Republique which was cut through the town in the 19 th century . Rue de la Republique is the main shopping street in the old town with a variety of shops , restaurants and patisseries dotted along it .
The best way to explore Sarlat is to simply start at one end of the town and wander through the labirinth of laneways and tiny streets . There is something to see at every turn .
Sarlat has a number of events and festivals throughout the year . More information can be found on th Everything Dordogne Website or click here .
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