Domme is a fortified town on a cliff, laid out as a bastide in 1281 by Philip the Bold, the king of France, who needed a stronghold against the English in the Dordogne. The plan is as tidy as a chessboard: straight streets, a central square and three great gates in the walls. The bastide stands on a limestone spur some hundred and fifty metres above the river, and the walk to the edge, along the Belvédère de la Barre, gives one of the greatest panoramas of the valley, with the Dordogne winding below through fields and woods and the castles of Castelnaud and Beynac on the horizon.
One of its stranger stories is told in the Porte des Tours, the main gateway, where graffiti scratched into the stone walls inside are said to have been left by Templar knights imprisoned there in 1307, after the order was suppressed by the French crown. Historians quibble over details, but the carved signs and crosses give the room an unmistakable atmosphere. Under the market hall, a stair leads down into caves of stalactites and stalagmites that were used as shelters during the wars, and the cool, dripping darkness is a relief on a hot day.
The road up to Domme from the river, a steep climb with a handful of tight bends, makes for a short, lively ride after the gentle valley roads. From the top, the D46 and the minor roads that wander around the plateau are quiet and rolling, passing walnut orchards, fields and stone farmhouses. In high season, the town is crowded and the narrow lanes are full of walkers, so park at the edge and go on foot. Summer is hot and busy, spring and autumn pleasant and quiet, and the town's walnut market and shops sell the local specialities, from walnut cake and oil to duck and truffles.
The valley below is the Périgord Noir, named for its dark oaks, and its mix of cliffs, forests and river meadows is the reason the region is so beloved. In the late afternoon, the light on the stone turns golden, and the evening is the best time to walk the ramparts.
Domme has a few cafés, restaurants and shops. For fuel, the nearest sure option is Sarlat-la-Canéda, about ten kilometres to the north, which has several stations and supermarkets. Smaller villages in the valley may have a pump, but check before relying on them.