It took nearly a century for this very large department to start making its mark with tourism, both for its greenery and its culture, an activity which now accounts for 25% of its economy. Other prime resources are animal husbandry and agriculture, from which walnuts, strawberries, truffles, foie gras and wine are still the major products.
Renowned world-wide for its gastronomy and its tourist sites, the Dordogne is second only to Paris for the number of its historic buildings. Among the best known sights: the Lascaux caves, the medieval town of Sarlat, the National Prehistory Museum, the Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum and, recently, the International Prehistory Centre. Adding to the department's fame are the two main rivers which cross it, between them offering an exceptional variety of scenery : the Vézère, whose prehistoric valley is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the Dordogne, which is said to have no fewer than 1,001 châteaux in its valley.
For all these reasons, the department has become a favoured spot for film-makers. Among top French films which were shot here: Les Misérables, La Fille de d'Artagnan, Les Visiteurs II, Jeanne d'Arc, Jacquou le Croquant and the La Rivière Espérance series, to name but a few. Upshot: the Dordogne is the fourth location site in France after Paris, the Côte d'Azur and the Rhône-Alpes region. Underscoring this link with the cinema, Sarlat's Film Festival each autumn is now recognised as an important annual event. Close