Sarlat

Sarlat grew around a Benedictine abbey in the wooded hills of the Périgord. The town acquired a commune in 1223, and Pope John XXII made its abbey the seat of a bishop in 1317. When the Hundred Years' War began, the townspeople armed themselves, formed a militia and strengthened their walls. The houses built after the war reflect the ambitions of a society seeking comfort and distinction after a long period of danger.