Périgueux Visit the capital of Périgord

Geographically, Périgueux occupies a central position in Périgord. With more than 31,000 inhabitants, it fulfills all the central functions of a prefecture city, capital of the department. An administrative and service center, it is the beating heart of the region through its tourist, cultural, heritage and commercial appeal. A showcase of economic, social and cultural life, Périgueux acts in a double movement, it brings together and shines.

Nestled in the bends of the Isle, protected by its hills, this rural town claims its status as the Capital of Périgord.

A CITY MORE THAN TWICE A MILLENNIUM:

If Périgueux and its surrounding areas were already occupied at the origins of Humanity, the first city, named Vesunna (name of a Gallic tutelary deity whose rite would be preserved by the Romans), dates from the 1st century BC during the Roman occupation of Gaul. In the hollow of seven hills, "Little Rome" extends into the loop of the Isle River and becomes the Roman capital of the city of the Petrocores. In the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire experienced serious difficulties and Vesunna retreated inside a wall built at the end of the 3rd century with the dismantled blocks of the great monuments that made its glory. Around the 10th century, a monastic center frequented by pilgrims was formed on the hill overlooking the river around the sanctuary of Saint Front, evangelizer of Périgord.

A fortified town of religious, merchants and artisans was established and became a major stopover for pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela.
There were many rivalries between the Count of the City, anxious to preserve his authority, and the bourgeoisie of Puy Saint-Front. An act of union gave birth to the city of Périgueux in 1240 under the reign of Saint Louis.

The towering Saint-Front Cathedral, with its Byzantine accents, stands like a lookout point to Périgueux's identity and heritage. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, as part of the Route of Santiago de Compostela.

During the Renaissance, Périgueux continued to develop and became an even more important trading hub in the region. Neither the Croquants' Uprisings nor the Revolution damaged the city's commercial reputation, but it lost some of its power after the Wars of Religion.

Having become the department's prefecture, it was the arrival of the railway under the Second Empire that attracted new residents. The population practically doubled in 30 years. The city's surface area increased, leading to the expansion of the urban perimeter. Far from the scene of conflict, the population of Dordogne nonetheless suffered the consequences of the Great War. The economy had to support the war effort: the railway workshops became "National Defense Workshops" and manufactured shells. During the Second World War, the city, located in the unoccupied zone, hosted several Resistance networks.

VARIED URBAN LANDSCAPES:

The Roman city

It was born at the foot of the hills, on the right bank of the Isle loop, around 16 BC. In the 2nd century, it extended over 82 hectares and presented all the characteristics of a small Rome. Three centuries later, political and military crises, epidemics and the first invasions led to a decline in population. Vesunna withdrew behind its ramparts and its surface area shrank to 6.5 hectares. Today, Gallo-Roman remains are still visible: the Tour de Vésone and the domus (current Vesunna museum site), the amphitheater (current garden
of the Arenas).

The medieval town

Its uniqueness stems from its composition around two enclosed centers, the Cité and Puy Saint-Front, around which suburbs develop. The protected area offers an idea of this interlacing of alleys, with its wooden houses and stone mansions. The protected area, created in 1970, extends over more than 20 hectares and concerns Puy Saint-Front in its pedestrian sector, Rue Limogeanne and all the alleys around the Mataguerre Tower.

The modern city

In the 18th century, the intendant of Guyenne, Louis-Urbain de Tourny, had squares laid out, avenues opened, and began dismantling the old fortifications. The ditches and ramparts to the north of the city were replaced by the vast avenues of Tourny. In 1826, a young Parisian architect of 20, Louis-Baptiste Catoire, radically changed the city's land use. Drawing new horizons to the west, he completed the demolition of the ramparts.

The contemporary city

At the end of the Second World War, a beautification project was presented with the development of the new Sainte-Ursule district and the new theater.
The demolition of the "Rues Neuves" district at the foot of the cathedral led, until the 1970s, to the displacement of many families to the Campniac and Gour-de-l'Arche districts. In the city center, new urban spaces appeared, such as the Place Saint-Louis and Place Francheville.

A SWEET CITY:

Périgueux unfolds its urban figures in a green setting where forests and fields draw a rural geometry visible and perceptible in all places around the city. The capital of Périgord is lived at human height, Périgueux is a gentle city. The gentle city is made up of parks, gardens and markets, the pacification of the center, a fair sharing of the street. It is also a consideration of the well-being of the inhabitants by offering quality services and constant vigilance regarding security and tranquility. The gentle city is the search for harmony, an art of living the city in the countryside following the rhythms of nature.

Discover the museums:

• www.perigueux-vesunna.fr
• www.perigueux-maap.fr
• https://www.museemilitaire-perigord.fr/

Tourist information:

• https://www.destination-perigueux.fr/

Tourist office opening hours

Please find the timetables here.