Building your house in the Dordogne means taking advantage of all the riches of Périgord and its 4 colors (black, green, white and purple). Centered on nature and on a strong heritage (the building has witnessed the imprint of man since prehistoric times), this department is ideal for those who dream of calm, beautiful traditions, pretty villages and dynamic cities. Builders of new homes for 50 years, Maisons SIC present you all the advantages of the different territories of the Dordogne.
Build a house in the Dordogne to take advantage of the 4 colors of Périgord
Périgord is the “historic” name of the Dordogne. It was at the time of the French Revolution that the Dordogne department was created. It is built on part of the old provinces, mainly Périgord, but also Agenais, Angoumois and Limousin. The Dordogne was so named because of the name of the main river that crosses the department. But, carrier of values and traditions, the name of "Périgord" has never disappeared and the department of Dordogne is often called by its old name of Périgord.
We can also distinguish, in the heart of the Dordogne, 4 Périgords, designated by their “colours”.
The Périgord Noir, natural region, very touristy
The Périgord Noir is also called “le Salardais” as the city of Sarlat radiates throughout the territory. If we often think, wrongly, that its name is linked to the black truffle of Périgord, it is initially linked to the important forests of very dark holm oaks found there.
If these landscapes are of great beauty, between the cliffs, the forests and the edges of the Dordogne and the Vézère, it is on the side of its villages that we must see the explanation of its great tourist attraction. Indeed, the Périgord Noir allows you to discover no less than 9 of the most beautiful villages in France: La Roque-Gageac, Beynac-et-Cazenac, Castelnaud, Saint-Amand de Coly, Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, Belves, Domme, Limeuil and Monpazier.
Green Périgord in the north of the department, for ever more nature
Lung of the department, in the North of the Dordogne, the Périgord Vert hosts the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park but also many plains. There are also the urban centers of Nontron, the sub-prefecture, Ribérac and Thiviers.
Still on the natural side, it is possible to sail on the rivers of the Côle, the Isle. And for those who prefer thrills, head for the rapids and waterfalls of the Gorges de l'Auvézère.
And the Périgord Vert also has its share of very pretty villages to visit or to set up a new house: Brantôme, the famous "Venice of Périgord", the medieval village of Saint-Jean-de-Côle and Excideuil and its mansions dating from the XVII and XVIII centuries.
The Périgord Blanc, economic and administrative heart
Central territory of the Dordogne, this is where its capital is located: Périgueux. It owes its name to the white color of the limestone which was used to build many monuments such as the Saint Front Cathedral in Périgueux.
The Périgord Blanc is a bit like a vast clearing watered by the Auvézère, the Isle, the Double and the Dronne, even if there are also forests like those of the “Double” and the “Landais”.
Gourmets will be seduced by its Foie Gras du Périgord route. And history fans can admire the Château de Hautefort, the Château des Bories, the village of Montpon-Ménestérol, the "capital of the organ in Aquitaine", the priory of Merlande or the Abbey of Chancelade.
The Périgord Pourpre and its vineyards
In reference to the color of its beautiful vineyards, the Périgord Pourpre, in the south of the department, is the territory of Bergerac wines. The sub-prefecture which is located within the Périgord Pourpre contributes greatly to its dynamism.
On the natural side, we discover the forests of Landais and Bessède and the summit of the Cingles de Limeuil and Trémola. it is also the country of bastides of English origin such as Monpazier or Beaumont-du-Périgord but also French with Eymet and history specialists will gladly push the doors of the abbeys of Cadouin and Saint-Avit-Sénieur.
The cities of Périgord: where to build your new house?
Périgueux, 2000 years of history and strong economic dynamism for your home in the Dordogne
The Dordogne Prefecture is a City of Art and History. It has 44 buildings listed or classified as Historic Monuments, testimonies of the ancient Gallo-Roman city Vesunna as well as the medieval Renaissance city that it was also.
But Périgueux is not at all a city turned towards the past. A city teeming with shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants, it is a city where life is good. The Périgourdins particularly appreciate the large markets which take place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, on the places of la Clautre, Coderc, the Old Town Hall and Saint-Silain and which offer to see, to taste and to smell all the gastronomic riches of the region: strawberries, walnuts, truffles, cabécou, foie gras, confit, duck breast...
Many companies are located in Périgueux and its surroundings and the economic fabric is very dynamic. From an economic point of view, agriculture, the timber industry and the agri-food industry hold a preponderant place in the Dordogne. The leading industrial establishment in terms of number of jobs is the SNCF (Périgueux maintenance center), followed by Condat (stationery), Polyrey (rubber, plastics), KSB (machine tools), Grégoire carpentry, stamp printing. In agri-food, the Dordogne is home to Martine specialties (biscuits), Fromarsac, Fromagerie des Chaumes, etc.
Bergerac, wines and old port
Another city of Art and History, Bergerac pleases for its charming architecture, with its narrow streets running along half-timbered houses, ogival windows and doors with a historical past and dotted with small squares. Between vineyards and small picturesque villages, Bergerac is a city where the sweetness of life does not hide.
An unmissable stopover for bon vivants, the Quai Cyrano, an area dedicated to Bergerac and Duras wines as well as tourism, allows you to discover the old port entirely paved in the traditional way. The city is also all about its national hero, the great Cyrano, with, in particular, a beautiful statue located on the small Place Pélissière, surrounded by pretty atypical alleys.
Here too, gastronomy is celebrated on market days, on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Place Louis de la Bardonnie and around the Notre-Dame church, then on Fridays in Place de la Madeleine, but also from Tuesday to Saturday, under the covered market.
Sarlat-la-Canéda, Capital of the Périgord Noir
The medieval city has become a high place of tourism in the region because now known to hold the highest density of historic monuments classified the first protected area in France to have been restored thanks to the Malraux law of 1962, the City of Art and of History allows you to visit the Manor of Gisson, the Saint-Sacerdos Cathedral, the house of the boétie but especially all its historic center which seems frozen in history.
You can also take advantage, all year round, of many cultural or gastronomic events such as the Truffle Festival or the Goose Festival in winter, the film festival in November or the Theater Games Festival in summer.
Nontron, your home in the Dordogne, in the heart of the Périgord Limousin regional natural park
Much less known than the other sub-prefectures of the Dordogne, Nontron is nevertheless an ideal city to build your new house in the Dordogne in the greatest calm. Surrounded by nature, it is indeed in the heart of the Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park. Formerly quite landlocked, the capital of Périgord Vert is now easily accessible by main roads and is almost equidistant from Périgueux, Limoges and Angoulême.
On the banks of the Bandiat, the city is organized on several levels in terraces and we discover at the top of the 13th century ramparts which dominate the whole.
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