Car hire Sarlat La Caneda

Introduction

Sarlat-la-Canéda is often simply called Sarlat. It's one of the prettiest towns in the southwest of France with a fantastic medieval center around a Benedictine abbey. Here you imagine yourself back in the thirteenth century! Cars don't fit in this image and Sarlat's center is therefore largely a pedestrian zone.

Population

The town has almost 10,000 inhabitants.

Location

Sarlat-la-Canéda is located in the Dordogne in the Aquitaine Region in the southwest of France. The region around Sarlat is known as the Périgord Noir.

Economy

Agriculture has always played an important role in this region. It used to be mainly tobacco growing, but this cultivation is waning. Grains are also cultivated and oil is made from walnuts. There's also some dairy industry (mainly cheese) and wild mushrooms and truffles are harvested in the surroundings. Geese and ducks are held to produce foie gras and pâté. Tourism is important to the city.

Airports

The nearest airport is Brive-Dordogne Valley Airport (in French: Aéroport de Brive-Vallée de la Dordogne). It's situated almost 50 car kilometers southwest of Sarlat and is reachable by rental car via the D60. Périgueux Bassillac Airport lies 65 car kilometers northwest of town and is reachable via the D47. There's also Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport, 75 kilometers west of Sarlat-la-Canéda, reachable by rental car via the D47 and/or D703.

Public Transport

Although the center of the old medieval city is largely a pedestrian zone, a bus runs through the main street. There are also bus connections with several other places in the Dordogne, including Souillac and Périgueux. Sarlat also has a train station with connections to Bergerac and Bordeaux.

Traffic and Parking

The old city is accessible for local traffic only. It would of course be a shame if the medieval character was polluted by cars. You can, however, easily park your rental car; there are several large parking lots along the road around the city center.

Hotels

Sarlat-la-Canéda has a good choice of accommodations. A room or apartment in one of the extremely attractive buildings in the city is of course ideal. They don't come cheap, but are worth it. There are also several bed & breakfasts, basic guesthouses and small hotels (so-called hostelries). There are several campsites nearby Sarlat.

External Sources

For more information about Sarlat-la-Canéda, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Sarlat-la-Canéda
• Official website Sarlat-la-Canéda
• Tourist Information Sarlat-la-Canéda