Sarlat-la-Canéda Saturday Market
Just 12 kilometres east of La Roque-Gageac, the medieval bastide of Sarlat-la-Canéda hosts one of the most celebrated food markets in southwest France every Saturday morning. The Place de la Liberté and surrounding lanes overflow with foie gras, black truffles (in season), walnut oil, strawberries and rotisserie ducks — a full sensory education in Périgord cuisine.
What to Buy and Eat
The market's truffle stalls are the real draw from November to March, when Tuber melanosporum from the Périgord fields arrives in small wicker baskets and the air carries that unmistakable earthy perfume. Outside truffle season, look for cèpe mushrooms in autumn and plump Mara des Bois strawberries in late spring.
Foie gras — both duck and goose — is sold vacuum-packed for easy transport home. Buy from producers who name their farm on the label; prices are significantly lower than in Paris shops. Walnut oil from the Moulin de la Tour in nearby Sainte-Nathalène is another excellent take-home.
Street food is excellent: grab a warm duck-fat sarladaise potato from a rotisserie stall and eat it standing up with a plastic fork. It is one of the great cheap lunches in France.
Navigating the Market
The market runs from roughly 8 am to 1 pm, but the best produce — especially mushrooms and truffles — sells out by 10 am. Arrive early, walk the whole circuit once before buying, then double back for your choices.
A smaller Wednesday market runs year-round in the same location and is noticeably less crowded; it focuses more on vegetables and less on tourist-oriented foie gras stalls, making it a more authentic local shopping experience.
Parking is available at the Parking des Cordeliers and Parking Gambetta, both a short walk from the market centre. Expect queues to exit after 11 am on Saturdays in July and August.
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