Martel

Nicknamed the “city of 7 towers”, Martel is a charming town, the former capital of the Viscount of Turenne, which has managed to strike the perfect balance between tourism and medieval authenticity.

Classified as a ” Ville d’art et d’histoire “, its rich heritage is full of surprises.

Built on the causse (limestone plateau) that bears its name, Martel was born from a convergence of roads, an ancient North-South axis crossing a West-East axis where precious salt from the Atlantic and wine from Aquitaine passed through.

This privileged location made Martel a rich and active trading town from the early ^12th century onwards. At the same time, it became an important stopover on the pilgrimage route to Rocamadour.

Martel has become an essential stop-off point for discovering the Dordogne Valley.

Strolling through Martel, each street offers something different. Lots of imposing doors, beautiful arches, half-timbered houses, wooden shutters and, of course, towers.

After strolling through the streets of Martel, you’ll want to stop for a bite to eat in the beautiful ^18th-century covered market!
Every Wednesday and Saturday morning, the traditional market takes place here.
It’s a great opportunity to stock up on local produce and taste walnuts, truffles and other noble products.

Take advantage of your visit to Martel to discover the local must-sees:

• The little Martel train is one of them!
  In Martel, you can take a ride on a small steam train that follows the old railway line, cut into the cliff at a height of 80m.
  A 13 km round trip from Martel to Saint-Denis to discover the Dordogne Valley.
• Want to learn more about reptiles?
  Reptiland boasts Europe’s finest reptile collection, as well as France’s largest collection of venomous species: snakes, turtles, lizards, crocodiles, tarantulas and scorpions. Sensations guaranteed! What’s more, it’s covered and air-conditioned!
• The Castagné family walnut oil mill.
  As nut growers and oil makers, they master their product from the tree to the bottle. This traditional, century-old mill offers tours and tastings. A stone mill grinds the kernels, a stove heats them and a hydraulic press squeezes out the walnut oil.
• Uxellodunum Gallo-Roman Museum
  Labeled a “Musée de France”, this municipal museum is located in the heart of Martel, in the Palais de la Raymondie. It contains a permanent collection from excavations carried out in the Dordogne-Lot region, ranging from the Upper Paleolithic to the Gallo-Roman period: carved flints, arrowheads…