Sarlat-la-Canéda, or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordognedepartment in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Sarlat and La Canéda were distinct towns until merged into one commune in 1965.
Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictineabbey of Carolingian origin. The medieval Sarlat Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Sacerdos. This abbey appears in records as early as 1081 and was one of the few in the region that was not raided by the Vikings. The name for the abbey church was Saint Sacerdos by 1318; in the 20th century, it would become a cathedral under Pope John XXII. Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. Its historic centre, with 77 protected monuments, was added to France's Tentative List for future nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002. The excellent state of preservation owed a debt to writer, resistance fighter and politician André Malraux, who, as Minister of Culture, 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.
Population
Economy
Agriculture: Agriculture has long been of importance in the Dordogne area around Sarlat. Tobacco has been grown around Sarlat since 1857 and has historically been a major commodity for the area, although it is on the wane. Other agricultural commodities include corn, hay, walnuts, walnut oil, cheeses, wine, cèpes and truffles.
Tourism: Numerous visitors—especially from northern Europe —come on holiday to Sarlat and the region surrounding it and some have settled there permanently. The months of July and August are traditionally the haute saison for visitors, as is true in much of France outside Paris.
Foie gras: There are several large foie grasfactories including Rougié, and many small producers of foie gras in the area; other farms raise geese and ducks to produce products from these birds. The commune holds an annual three day festival, "Fest'oie", in honour of this significant part of its economy which also attracts numerous tourists.
A film festival has been held in the commune every November since 1991. Other events include the Truffle Festival, Christmas Market and Fest’oie in winter, the Ringueta of traditional games, and the Theatre Games Festival.
Transport
offers train services to Bergerac, Bordeaux and Périgueux. The commune is also served by Brive Vallée de la Dordogne airport, Bergerac Roumanière airport and two bus lines.
André Malraux, a square and a gallery of paintings bear the name of the former Minister of Culture. This is explained by the fact that he is considered by many Sarladais as the saviour of the historical district of the city. While visiting Sarlat, he realised that the city was in danger of ruins in certain neighbourhoods and that some monuments were being destroyed. The Saved Areas Act was drafted to save the city.
The town and region have featured in two major Hollywood films: Ridley Scott's The Duellists based on Joseph Conrad's Napoleonic tale; and more recently Timeline adapted from Michael Crichton's time-travel novel, set in 14th century France. In the cemetery of Sarlat one can admire the pyramid or rests François Fournier-Sarlovèze Other movies partly shot in Sarlat include:
The city also appears in the first instalments of French author Robert Merle's saga Fortune de France, which tells the story of a fictitious Huguenot, Pierre de Siorac, during the 16th and 17th century in France.
