| The gare SNCF is just over 1km south of the old town. The tourist office has recently moved to a spacious new home on rue Tourny (Jan–March, Nov & Dec Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–7pm; April–Oct Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 10am–noon & 2–6pm; tel 05.53.31.45.45, www.ot-sarlat-perigord.fr). For a small fee, they'll help find accommodation, though it's almost impossible to find anything cheap in season. You can rent bicycles from Cycles Sarladais, 36 av Thiers (tel 05.53.28.51.87, [email protected]), and Christian Chapoulie, 4 av de Selves (tel 05.53.59.06.11); the latter also has scooters. The nicest and most reasonable place to stay in Sarlat is the Hôtel des Récollets, 4 rue J.-J.-Rousseau (tel 05.53.31.36.00, www.hotel-recollets-sarlat.com; €40–55), on the west side of the old town. If they're full, try the more basic Marcel at 50 av de Selves, the northern extension of rue de la République (tel 05.53.59.21.98, fax 05.53.30.27.77; €40–55; closed mid-Nov to Feb). Three-star comforts are on offer at the Hôtel de la Madeleine, place de la Petite-Rigaudie (tel 05.53.59.10.41, www.hoteldelamadeleine-sarlat.com; €70–85), at the southern end of avenue de Selves, and on the opposite side of town at the newly renovated Le Renoir, 2 rue Abbé Surgié (tel 05.53.59.35.98, [email protected]; €70–85), with a pool, a couple of minutes' walk south of centre. There's a small hostel with dormitory accommodation at 77 av de Selves (tel 05.53.59.47.59; closed mid-Nov to mid-April), a ten-minute walk from the vieille ville. The nearest campsite, Les Périères, on Sarlat's northern outskirts (tel 05.53.59.05.84, www.campings-dordogne.com/les-perieres; closed Oct–Easter), is very well equipped but costs almost as much as a hotel; much better to try Les Terrasses du Périgord, about 2.5km north of Sarlat near Proissans village (tel 05.53.59.02.25; closed Oct–April). Restaurants are generally overpriced in Sarlat. However, La Card at 19 rue de la République (menus from €10), with an eclectic menu covering everything from pizzas and salads to regional dishes, is a good safe bet, as is the fancier Le Bouffon, around the corner in rue Albéric-Cahuet, with a pretty courtyard (tel 05.53.31.03.36; menus from €13), or Criquettamu's, 5 rue des Armes (tel 05.53.59.48.10; closed Mon & Nov–March; menus €13–29), serving up foie gras, magret and morilles mushrooms. But for something a bit special try Le Quatre Saisons, 2 Côte de Toulouse (tel 05.53.29.48.59; closed Wed & lunchtime Thurs; menus €16–28), with an interior courtyard, or splurge at Le Présidial, rue Landry (tel 05.53.28.92.47; closed Sun, lunchtime Mon & Dec–Jan; menus from €19), east of place de la Liberté in a lovely seventeenth-century mansion and its walled garden. Not far away there are a couple of very pleasant alternatives to staying – or eating – in Sarlat. On the banks of the Dordogne at VITRAC, about 7km south of Sarlat, the Hôtel La Treille (tel 05.53.28.33.19, fax 05.53.30.38.54; €30–40; closed Sun eve & Mon, also Jan & Feb) has simple rooms and an excellent restaurant (menus from €15.10). Another good choice is the little hilltop hamlet of MARQUAY about halfway to Les Eyzies, with the Hôtel des Bories (tel 05.53.29.67.02, fax 05.53.29.64.15; €40–55; closed Nov–March), offering a marvellous view, swimming pool and attached restaurant, L'Esterel (closed Wed lunch; from €13) – it's vital to book several months in advance for July and August.
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