BEST TRAVELER'S CHOICE 2026
BEST TRAVELER'S CHOICE 2026
Eight days. Nine gardens. One boutique hotel base in the heart of Sarlat. This luxury garden tour of the Dordogne Valley moves from the clifftop hanging gardens of Marqueyssac to the birds-of-prey demonstration at Château des Milandes. This is a French garden retreat built for travelers who want to see the region’s finest gardens without ever changing hotels.
Some regions are known for their history. Others are known for their beauty. The Périgord is known for both, and nowhere is that clearer than in its gardens. This eight-day journey is based entirely at Les Cordeliers, our boutique hotel in Sarlat’s medieval old town, and moves through nine of the region’s most celebrated gardens and estates.
The week begins at the Hanging Gardens of Marqueyssac, perched above the Dordogne Valley, before continuing to the bastide town of Domme. The days that follow bring the panoramic gardens of Limeuil, the water gardens of Carsac-Aillac, and Château des Milandes, home to the American entertainer and French resistance leader, Josephine Baker, and a birds-of-prey demonstration to match. Further north, the poetic Jardins de l’Imaginaire in Terrasson and the storied grounds of Château de Losse await, before the week closes with the permaculture-inspired Jardins de Cadiot and the sculpted garden rooms of Manoir d’Eyrignac.
Local guest speakers, a Saturday morning at the Sarlat market, and daily wine and grazing boards back at Les Cordeliers complete each day, with dinners at some of the region’s finest tables.
– Arrivals at Les Cordeliers throughout the afternoon (transportation available from Sarlat’s train station)
– Opening reception and dinner at Les Cordeliers
– The Hanging Gardens of Marqueyssac in Vézac
– Lunch in La Roque-Gageac
– Domme in the afternoon, a bastide town and one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
– Wine and grazing boards
– Dinner at Le Présidial
– The Sarlat market
– Lunch at Les Cordeliers
– Sarlat city tour: the Public Garden and the WWI and WWII memorial gardens
– Guest speaker in the late afternoon
– Wine and grazing boards
– Dinner at Le Coin Coin
– The Panoramic Gardens of Limeuil
– Lunch at Mamie M
– The Planbuisson Gardens in Cadouin in the afternoon
– Wine and grazing boards
– Dinner at Les Cordeliers
– Les Jardins de L’Eau in Carsac-Aillac
– Lunch at the Brasserie du Château des Milandes
– Afternoon touring the château gardens
– Birds-of-prey demonstration
– Wine and grazing boards
– Dinner at Gueule & Gosier
– Les Jardins de L’Imaginaire in Terrasson
– Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère and lunch at La Poste
– The gardens of Château de Losse
– Guest speaker in the late afternoon
– Wine and grazing boards
– Dinner at Les Cordeliers
– Les Jardins de Cadiot in Carlux
– Lunch at Côté Jardins
– The Gardens of Eyrignac Manor in the afternoon
– Wine and grazing bites
– Dinner at Aux Trois Sens
From 11:00 am.
– Breakfast
– Farewells and departure at your own pace
Every day of this small-group garden tour begins and ends at Les Cordeliers, our boutique hotel in the heart of Sarlat’s old town: breakfast, evening wine, and a warm welcome all under one roof.
Your hosts, Susan Buchanan and Stephen White, fell for Sarlat on a brief visit in 2025 and never looked back, trading their inn and restaurant in Vermont’s ski country for this 1870’s maison de maître in the heart of the medieval city. Stephen, a chef and certified wine educator, loves sharing the region’s history and gastronomy; Susan, a professionally trained baker and near-native French speaker, has a gift for making a stay feel like home. One or both of them will be with you for every aspect of the week.
Before Sarlat, Stephen spent nearly two decades in wine and spirits sales in New England, later earning his Certified Spanish Wine Educator credential and WSET II. Susan spent over twenty years as a professional fundraiser for leading medical research institutions, including Massachusetts General Hospital and Johns Hopkins Medicine, and holds a law degree and a master’s degree in French, with a fellowship year in Strasbourg.
Together, they ran Tucker Hill Inn & Restaurant in Vermont’s Mad River Valley, and now bring that same hands-on hospitality to every signature trip they host. One or both of them will be with you throughout the week.
Typically, no fewer than 6 and no more than 12 participants (not including guides and support team).
Single occupancy requests require a supplemental charge, considered on a case-by-case basis depending on availability. Request a quote from Les Cordeliers.
Should it be necessary to cancel, the reservation may be transferred to another person following their acceptance by Les Cordeliers. Otherwise, the following charges apply per person:
Final itineraries may vary slightly; inclement weather may also necessitate alterations.
All trips are conducted in English
