Susan Buchanan and Stephen White’s
BOUTIQUE STYLE LES CORDELIERS
Les Cordeliers de Sarlat is an award-winning, boutique-style bed and breakfast. Located in the historical center of enchanting Sarlat la-Caneda, this 1870’s carved stone mansion is an upscale destination for a luxurious, comfortable, and tranquil stay with a warm, personal touch.
Your hosts, passionate about gastronomy, share their passion for travelling and exploring and take great pleasure in making sure you get the most out of your visit to the Dordogne. A delicious, continental breakfast with local produce, served in our elegant dining room, will have you out of bed and looking forward to the day.
Les Cordeliers is ideally situated to enjoy everything Sarlat has to offer, starting with the gourmet farmers’ markets, just steps away every Wednesday and Saturday.
You will savor the mornings at Les Cordeliers as you contemplate the day’s activities and getting to know the brilliant architecture, history and landscape of Sarlat and its surroundings. And after a full day of sightseeing, why not take in a relaxing massage at the wellness center across the street that will refresh you for an evening at one of the area’s many fine restaurants.
Whether you are here to appreciate the renowned historical monuments, the Truffle Festival, Theatre Festival, Film Festival, Christmas Market, Walnut Festival, cycling the Dordogne Valley, or canoeing on The Dordogne or Vezere rivers, you will find great comfort and relaxation at Les Cordeliers de Sarlat.
Many of the property’s elements are original, including the marble fireplaces, the hardwood floors, the 12-foot ceilings, the louvered shutters, wooden beams, windows and doors.
Les Cordeliers offers exceptionally spacious guest rooms, each with its own ensuite bathroom, all of which feel very open, airy, and sunny. In addition to the dining room on the ground floor, there is a kitchenette stocked with coffe, tea and filtered water for guests to share.
The view from several guest rooms is of the charming Place de la Petite Rigaudie gardens.
Les Cordeliers de Sarlat’s moment of fame came in 2009, with world famous travel writer Rick Steve’s visit. His review caught the attention of many global travelers:
“Les Cordeliers offers four-star comfort at two-star prices. The five, cushy guest rooms are cavernous; all are air-conditioned and beautifully furnished, and a small kitchen is at your disposal with self-serve coffee and tea.”
Les Cordeliers de Sarlat is a classic 1870’s ‘Maison de Maitre’ house and showcases one-meter thick walls of golden ochre stone.
Translated as ‘master’s house’, the maison de maître is an elegant mansion that served as the home of a squire or minor landowner. Its symmetrical facade with central front door, tall sash-style windows, shutters, and gently pitched roof with supporting chimneys make it instantly recognisable. Behind the stately facade, this maison de maître features evenly proportioned interiors with high ceilings.
There are two guest rooms, and a “petit salon” with outdoor terrace for all guests to enjoy on the third floor, three guest rooms on the second floor, and a dining room on the ground floor where breakfast is served. The home’s owner in the 1870’s would have received and entertained guests in this elegant space with grand, floor-to-ceiling windows allowing enchanting views of the village awaiting your discovery.
The house extends approximately 5,000 square feet. All guest rooms have en-suite bathrooms, and are accessible by one central staircase. There is no elevator and no public restroom on the property.
Les Cordeliers de Sarlat has been consistently awarded the winner of Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice and Booking.com’s Traveler Review Award for nearly two decades.
On a brief trip to Sarlat la-Caneda, Susan and Stephen fell in love with the town. They had been planning to relocate abroad after owning and operating their first inn and restaurant in Vermont’s ski country, but never imagined it would happen so quickly or in such a magical place: A vibrant community with easy access to hiking, cycling, water sports, downhill skiing as well as music, art, film and photography. Sarlat la-Caneda has it all.
Having extensively searched the Internet for months, Stephen found the listing for Les Cordeliers de Sarlat and immediately thought it would make the perfect bed and breakfast. Susan instantly agreed, and the acquisition was completed in just six months.
A chef, certified Spanish wine educator, former ski instructor and free-style competitor, Stephen loves imparting his knowledge of geography, history and all things culinary. A baker, near-native French speaker, interior designer, gardener and avid downhill skier, Susan enjoys being of service to guests and creating warm, relaxing environments for them. Together, Susan and Stephen bring their decades-long experience in hospitality, gastronomy, travel, special events, team-building and mentorship to Les Cordeliers.
Convinced that life is for living and learning, Susan and Stephen found the best place to practice the “joie de vivre” is in Sarlat-la-Caneda and the Dordogne region, where an appreciation for village life is high, relationships are profound, food is joyful, art is a necessity, and living an active life is accessible.
Breakfast is served daily from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the dining room on the ground floor which overlooks la Petite Rigaudie gardens.
In an intimate and warm atmosphere, conversations flow with the excitement of the day ahead as plans are made.
The breakfast menu is all locally sourced and fresh: Espresso, juice, natural cereals, seasonally available whole fruit, yogurt, hams, cheeses and jams. Of course, there are viennoiseries and freshly-baked breads from favorite boulangeries. The creations from specialty shops like Chez Piero, Gbs Boucherie, Le Gourmet Perigourdin and Maison Lissajoux regularly grace Les Cordelier’s breakfast table.
Ready and waiting. There is nothing more comforting than knowing that from the moment you wake up, your first and most important meal of the day is ready and waiting!
Looking for a venue for a special birthday, wedding gathering or anniversary, or perhaps a getaway with special friends?
Les Cordeliers de Sarlat could be exclusively yours! Love and romance are ancient traditions here since the 11th century as troubadours piped and sang in the chateaux of Sarlat and surrounding towns.
Sleeping up to 15 adults in our luxury rooms, with a minimum of 5 nights you can book all the available rooms for a special occasion. Pricing is just 895€ per night, including breakfast.
Sarlat is a terrific choice for a memorable wedding in a town that evokes the overwhelming feeling of being in a fairy tale. Planning a wedding from far away isn’t easy but Les Cordeliers is there to accommodate a small, intimate wedding gathering.
Destination weddings usually have a special atmosphere and because everyone travels from far away, there is an abundance of energy and enthusiasm for visiting the region.
In addition to staying at Les Cordeliers de Sarlat, we can tailor design a wedding gown and even write an original score for special wedding music to make your wedding a truly magical day. We have two internationally renowned artists that will work with you to fully design and create the wedding gown or music for an unforgettable experience! Please contact us for further information.
If you are interested to have us organize your wedding or special gathering, please contact us for further information. We can arrange for the florist, photographer, videographer, musicians, restaurants, wedding cake, decorations, and officiants.
While staying in Sarlat for the week, there are a myriad of things to do. The Dordogne region features no less than nine Michelin-starred restaurants and 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
Valerie W12/04/2025vérifié Enjoyed every moment of staying here! We stayed on the 3rd floor and had 3 windows from which to view the medieval city of Sarlat. It was wonderful getting up each morning, opening the curtains, and seeing Sarlat wake up! Our room was very large and beautifully furnished. The bed was super comfortable. The best thing of all was that Susan and Steve were so welcoming, friendly and helpful. They helped make our vacation a truly fun and relaxing time. foodie516212/04/2025vérifié great stay in the house and nice walks in the historical city ! great B&B, perfectly located, within walking distance from the Sarlat historical city center whilst ensuring quiet evenings in large and lovely bedrooms. The new owners Steven and Suzann are very nice and friendly, they clearly love their place and jobs and are very helpful when needed. Plus Steven is a very good chef. Bottom line we had a great stay in the house and nice walks in the city admiring the Middle Ages streets and buildings. No doubt we will come back ! David N18/10/2024vérifié Spacious, clean, with a good location. Very nice guest house is a nice town. Jeffrey was a great host how was always available to answer our questions. Breakfast was very good. Nice location both to see the area and visit the town. Parking is off site, but once you have that figured out it is just a short walk. Hope we make it back to Les Cordeliers. John S12/10/2024vérifié Great hotel in Sarlat Wonderful small hotel. As all the reviews state, Jeff is great. He offers to help with your bags & genuinely takes interest in his guests. The hotel itself is wonderfully located just on the edge of the old town Sarlat. Room number 3 is a huge room! Alison C22/09/2024vérifié Lovely, clean, and well-located We stayed 2 nights in Sarlat and very much enjoyed Les Cordeliers. We had a 3rd floor room and Jeff the owner kindly helped us drag our bags up the stairs. This small boutique hotel is very comfortable - we had a large spotless room, firm king bed, and good pillows. I appreciated the simple but elegant furnishings- no fussy decor. Good Continental breakfast. It is very conveniently located - especially for the Saturday Market Day. Thank you, Jeff, for a lovely stay! Mr Smith09/09/2024vérifié Great stay in Sarlat old town area Great location just 2 mins from old town. We had room on second floor overlooking square. Big and spacious. Really nice continental breakfast. Owner couldn’t have been more helpful with suggestions of places to visit and dinner recommendations which were excellent. Janevd30/08/2024vérifié Beautiful B&B in the heart of Sarlat Beautiful B&B in the lovely French town of Sarlat. The owners Jeffrey & Stella have made this amazing building a warm and comfortable spot in the heart of Sarlat. The breakfast is just the perfect start to your adventures in Sarlat and the Dordogne region. Don’t miss the wonderful restaurants and markets that make Sarlat so special. We also toured the Lascaux caves and many medieval castles in the area. Les Cordeliers is one of my favorite places to stay in Europe. I can’t wait to go back. louise s25/08/2024vérifié A great stay at Les Cordeliers Stayed for a week at this splendid place. The location just wow! The room was magnificent large &very clean.The owner Jeff, a kind gentleman,always made sure his guests where comfortable and gave us some heads up regarding restaurants and places to visit. I'd recommend a stay Les Cordeliers any time! raymond s04/08/2024vérifié PERFECTLY LOCATED, PERIOD ACCOMODATION IN MEDIEVAL SARLAT We traveled to Sarlat in 2022 and took a chance on Les Cordeliers. I wish all my ventures were as good. We loved our time in the Sarlat area with Les Cordeliers as our base. The hotel and rooms are meticulously decorated, bordering on opulent. The rooms are spacious and are a luxurious step into the past, while having all the modern amenities. The daily continental breakfast was a more of an experience than a breakfast. Then omnipresent Jeff, the 'attention to detail' proprietor, advised on what to see, do, where to eat, etc. making our stay A-1. Our first experience was so good we had to return June 2024 and treat our traveling companions to a stay at Les Cordeliers. They were impressed, as were we, again. Thanks Jeff for keeping the bar high for a reasonably priced stay in a genuinely period hotel. Michel d21/07/2024vérifié Un week-end de luxe, calme et volupté. Accueil chaleureux, chambre très confortable et calme. Excellent petit déjeuner. Belle maison proche du centre historique. Pas de problème pour se garer a proximité. Jeff est un hôte très prévenant et attentif. Une excellente adresse pour un week-end à deux.