One of the pleasures of staying at Le Petit Capelier is that you don’t need to travel far to find some of southwest France’s loveliest medieval towns.
The countryside around Issigeac sits among the bastides of the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne — towns created largely during the 13th and 14th centuries around remarkably ordered streets and central squares.
They’re places for markets, coffee under the arcades, old stone, lunch that lasts longer than intended and an aimless wander before heading home for a swim.
Here are five we particularly enjoy.
Eymet
Eymet is one of the easiest bastides to visit from Le Petit Capelier.
Its arcaded central square is still very much the heart of the town, surrounded by cafés, restaurants and shops. There’s enough going on to make it lively without losing the feeling of a small French town.
Go for the market, stop for coffee, wander the old streets and don’t feel obliged to make an itinerary of it.
Villeréal
Villeréal is built around its magnificent timber market hall.
The Saturday morning market has been held here since 1269, and the square and surrounding arcades make it somewhere worth visiting even when you don’t particularly need to buy anything. Tourisme Lot-et-Garonne
It’s particularly good for combining a market morning with lunch and a wander through the bastide afterwards.
Monpazier
If you want to understand what a bastide actually is, go to Monpazier.
Founded in the 13th century, its remarkably intact grid of streets leads to the Place des Cornières, surrounded by stone arcades. It’s one of those places where the architecture does most of the talking.
Monpazier is further from Le Petit Capelier than Eymet or Villeréal, so we’d make a proper day of it rather than rush there and back.
Monflanquin
Across the departmental border in Lot-et-Garonne, hilltop Monflanquin is another beautiful bastide, with arcades surrounding its central square and views over the countryside beyond.
It makes a lovely pairing with Villeréal: visit one for the market, the other for a wander and lunch, and you’ve got a very easy day out from the house.
Castillonnès
Castillonnès is closer to home and perhaps less polished than some of the headline Dordogne destinations — which is part of its appeal.
Its old arcades and distinctive covered market building sit at the centre of a town that still feels useful and lived-in rather than preserved purely for visitors.
It’s also handy for everyday shopping from Le Petit Capelier, so guests often discover it without deliberately setting out on a sightseeing trip.
Bastides en Fête — 24 & 25 October 2026
This autumn is an especially good excuse to explore them.
Bastides en Fête returns on 24 and 25 October 2026, when 26 bastides across the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne host two days of markets, guided visits, performances, games, walks, food and family activities. bastidesenfete.com
Eymet is taking part, while Villeréal has its traditional Saturday market followed by games beneath the historic hall; Sunday brings classic cars, a concert and a countryside walk. bastidesenfete.com
Tèrra Aventura is also running special bastide challenges from 17 October to 11 November, which makes this particularly good with children. bastidesenfete.com
From Le Petit Capelier
The nicest thing about the bastides around us is that they don’t need to become a sightseeing exercise.
Choose one. Go to the market. Have lunch. Sit under an arcade. Buy something unnecessary. Come home.
Le Petit Capelier is a three-bedroom country house with a private 12m × 5m pool near Issigeac, positioned between the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne and surrounded by exactly this sort of place.
Explore our local guides and events, or check availability and book Le Petit Capelier directly.