Dordogne schedule for May

I hope to go to a market on Sunday morning.

There are no markets on Sunday mornings in May in the small part of the Dordogne where you will be staying.

Sunday is generally not market day, however, there are sometimes "Vides Greniers" (kind of flea markets) organized in the villages with individuals or professionals selling all sorts of things.

If you are looking for other food markets, I made this map which includes a section showing almost all the markets and the days of the week they take place. It also includes some castles to visit (not all of them; there are 661 in the Dordogne, plus 67 fortified castles) and all the caves, with or without paintings, and some other places/activities.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1OdPOg8AgsNn0Jlv1cNHkujaWv9p_Jpc&usp=sharing

If you're interested, a flea market, strawberry festival, and gourmet market are being held in the village of Vergt on Sunday, May 17.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xNh8daxwTuddV4Ey6

thanks! I saw a list of markets and saw one listed in St Cyprien on Sun AM--is that not until summer? I will check out the strawberry festival for sure!

We visited the market on a Sunday in St Cyprien in October 2024, I don't know if it is open in May. It was busy but not crowded. There are a couple of good parking lots below the market street.

That's right, I forgot the one in Saint Cyprien, which I think is the only one on Sundays in this area. The irony is, it's listed on my map. Sorry.

There are some "vides greniers" on Sundays in May; they're listed in the last section "Event 2026".
I'll try to add more as they're announced.

What would be the best to do on Saturday and Sunday afternoons( I hope
to go to a market on Sun AM)

Since you'll be in St Cyprien on Sunday morning, Beynac is a short drive away.

If you enjoy gardens, and especially bamboo, you can visit the "Jardins de Plan Buisson" in Le Buisson de Cadouin, 15 minutes from Saint Cyprien (some road signs point to "Buisson").

https://planbuisson.com/

Google Maps:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/uRwzYhmkZzmkhNiC7

I don't think you specified which Sunday in May. There's also a Vide Grenier in Le Buisson de Cadouin, in the village center, on Sunday 10.

We have been to the Dordogne region a few times. Here are my suggestions in a rather random order: For your Pech Merle day, there is a pleasant little outdoor cafe at the site which had surprisingly good food. That would also be a good day to visit nearby Saint Cirq Lapopie, a very beautiful village. Use parking lot 4 unless you REALLY enjoy long hot uphill walks. You could also stop at Domme. 140 mile loop........For Font de Gaume day you might also enjoy visiting nearby Chateau de Commarque, a large ruined castle. Check out Brantome, a charming village with some canals. It is northwest of Font de Gaume and Rouffignac, might fit into one of those days. About a 140 mile loop......The eastern part of the Dordogne is very scenic and less crowded. We really enjoyed Martel and Collognes de Rouge. About an 80 mile loop.......Any of those loops work in either direction.....For Lascaux IV you don't need an English tour. The audio guide (in English or lots of other languages) is excellent and lets you move at your own pace.......The huge Saturday market in Sarlat is very interesting, but probably doesn't fit into your schedule and parking would be a PITA.....Wandering around medieval Sarlat on a warm evening is magical.

Thanks Cynthia, helpful info! I was wondering about Lascauex special Prestige tours, but they are all in French only. Have you done any of those?

JoLui, thanks for the map!

You seem to be including the Lot in your planning, since you mention Pech Merle (which is absolutely mind-blowing). So I thought I would suggest some other places nearby besides the justly famous St Cirq Lapopie.

One has to be the town of Figeac, a bit to the east. If you climb up to the church of Notre Dame du Puy, will will be treated to a wonderful view of the town. And there are loads of charming narrow streets that will transport you back hundreds of years. More modern but with an ancient quarter and a famous bridgé, the pont Valentre, built in the fourteenth century, is Cahors.

Other villages well worth a visit are Carennac, Autoire, Martel, and, just over the border in the Corrèze, Turenne. There are many others, but obviously you can’t do everything. And there’s Rocamadour, best visited early before the hordes descend ( I know, I’m part of the horde), and the cave at the Gouffre de Padirac, which was fun if not unmissable.

We spent two weeks in the Lot a few years back, thinking we’d have time to revisit old favorites in the neighboring Dordogne Valley, but we never did get there!

If you like to cook I suggest Cook Dordogne at Le Chevrefeuille. It's a lot of fun. We've done it several times. It is near Saint-Cyprien.