The most beautiful wedding venues in Dordogne
Dordogne is one of the most beautiful parts of France to get married in. Between its medieval châteaux, winding rivers, vineyards and listed villages, every place has a story to tell. As a wedding photographer in Dordogne based in Périgueux, I have been lucky enough to work in dozens of different places across the Périgord.
What few people know is that Dordogne, still widely known by its historic name, the Périgord, is divided into four distinct areas, each named after a colour and each with its own character and landmark places: the Périgord Noir (black), the Périgord Blanc (white), the Périgord Vert (green) and the Périgord Pourpre (purple). Four atmospheres, four palettes, four different ways to write your story.
The Périgord Noir
This is probably the best-known and most photographed of the four. The Périgord Noir means Sarlat-la-Canéda, with its cobbled lanes and pale stone houses turned golden by the sun. It also means the Dordogne valley, with its châteaux perched high on the cliffs: Beynac, Castelnaud, Domme. Storybook settings that give photos real depth and character.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
The medieval town of Sarlat is one of the most romantic backdrops in France. Cobbled lanes, Renaissance mansions, warm evening light washing over the stone: it has it all. I recommend holding the ceremony or the drinks reception in the heart of town, and making the most of the little streets for your couple portraits.
Beynac, Castelnaud and Domme
These three hilltop villages high above the river offer breathtaking views over the valley and its limestone cliffs. The Château de Beynac, a 12th-century fortress, is one of my favourite places for couple portraits: the low, raking light of late afternoon is unmatched there. Castelnaud and Domme, a little more unexpected, appeal to couples looking for authenticity and raw emotion.
The Château de Hautefort
Of all the châteaux in Dordogne, Hautefort is the one that looks most like a Loire Valley château, so much so that it is nicknamed the Versailles of the Périgord. Its formal French gardens, terraces and blue slate roofs make it an ideal place for elegant weddings and romantic portraits. It ranks among the most beautiful châteaux in France, and every time I photograph there, I understand why.
Les Eyzies and Belvès
Les Eyzies, known as the world capital of prehistory, offers striking scenery between cliff dwellings and the Vézère valley. Belvès, a hilltop medieval bastide with its pillared market hall and half-timbered houses, has kept its authentic charm intact. Two villages away from the busiest tourist trails, perfect for weddings that want the untamed character of the Périgord Noir.
The Périgord Blanc
The Périgord Blanc is the historic heart of the département, with Périgueux at its centre. Less wild than the Noir, it has a more classic elegance: Saint-Front Cathedral and its Byzantine domes, the Jardin des Arènes, the banks of the Isle.
Périgueux
Périgueux is much more than its cathedral. The Puy-Saint-Front quarter, with its Renaissance mansions and cobbled lanes, makes an elegant town setting for a drinks reception or a photo session in the streets. The riverside along the Isle, lined with colourful façades, and the Place de la Clautre, at the foot of the domes, complete a town backdrop where history and an easy pace of life go hand in hand.
The Périgord Vert
The north of Dordogne, called the Périgord Vert for its dense forests and meadows, is the quietest and most unspoilt of the four. Around Nontron and Thiviers, nature takes over. It is ideal for couples who want to avoid the tourist crowds and plan an intimate wedding surrounded by greenery and calm.
Brantôme and the Château de Bourdeilles
Brantôme, nicknamed the Venice of the Périgord because the river Dronne winds around its Benedictine abbey, is a wonderfully peaceful setting for a ceremony or a drinks reception. A few kilometres away, the Château de Bourdeilles, both medieval and Renaissance, offers exceptional indoor and outdoor spaces. One of the most secret and most beautiful places in the Périgord Vert.
Saint-Jean-de-Côle
Listed among the most beautiful villages in France, Saint-Jean-de-Côle brings together a Gothic bridge, a Renaissance château and an 11th-century market hall around its central square. A picturesque, intimate setting, ideal for a ceremony or a drinks reception in the heart of the Périgord Vert.
The Château de Jumilhac
The Château de Jumilhac-le-Grand is one of the hidden gems of the Périgord Vert. With its towers topped by pepper-pot roofs, it looks like something out of a fairy tale. Surrounded by the river Isle and deep forests, it gives photos a magical, almost dreamlike atmosphere. A rare place, for couples who would rather steer clear of the obvious choices.
The Périgord Pourpre
The Périgord Pourpre is Bergerac and its vineyards. The purple refers to the grapes and wines that made the area's name. It is a warm, bright part of Dordogne with open landscapes that I love for wedding photography: rows of vines, wine châteaux and hillsides turning gold in autumn.
The Château de Monbazillac
Set high above the vineyards, the Château de Monbazillac looks out over Bergerac and the Dordogne valley. It is one of the places where the light is at its most beautiful late in the day: the sun sinks behind the vines and turns everything gold. Ideal for couple portraits in the late afternoon, with the vines in the foreground.
The Bergerac vineyards
Rows of vines, especially in autumn when the leaves turn red and gold, form grand, ready-made avenues. Some wine estates offer reception spaces right inside their wine cellars (chais) or in restored barns, with the vineyards as a backdrop. A setting that is both rustic and elegant, and very photogenic.
Issigeac, the forgotten medieval village
Less famous than Sarlat, Issigeac is a round medieval village full of charm, a few kilometres from Bergerac. Its spiralling lanes, half-timbered houses and Gothic church make an exceptional backdrop for an intimate ceremony. One of my best-kept secrets in the Périgord Pourpre.
Limeuil and Montpazier
Limeuil, perched where the Vézère flows into the river Dordogne, offers an outstanding view over both rivers, and its flower-filled lanes are ideal for portraits. Montpazier, a remarkably well-preserved English bastide (a planned medieval town) founded in the 13th century, charms with its arcaded square and grid layout. Two villages listed among the most beautiful in France, for a wedding that blends history and scenery.
How to choose your wedding venue
My advice: always visit your wedding venue at the same time of day as your planned ceremony. The light changes everything, and a place that looks stunning in the morning can be very hard to photograph in the midday sun.
Whichever venue you choose in Dordogne, what matters most is that it feels like you. My role as your photographer is to adapt to your world and bring out the best in it. If you are planning from abroad, my destination wedding page explains how we can organise everything before you arrive. Feel free to get in touch so we can talk about your plans and what you have in mind: I know the Périgord well and will be happy to share my favourite places and advice to suit your style and budget.
