Dordogne: Gourmet Périgord

Four days at the table in the Perigord, where truffles, foie gras, walnuts and Bergerac wines shape the whole calendar. The route links Sarlat-la-Caneda with its Saturday truffle market, the panoramic bastide of Domme, Bergerac and the Monbazillac vineyards, Perigueux and its Byzantine cathedral, then Sorges, capital of the black truffle with its dedicated museum, before Brantome, the Venice of the Perigord. This is a trip that follows the seasons: fattened-poultry and truffle markets run from December to February, walnuts in September and October. Markets open in the morning and thin out by midday. Book Sarlat's better-known restaurants several days ahead in summer, and plan farm visits to understand the work behind each product.