Beaumont Du Perigord - Our Local Town

Beaumont du Perigord is our nearest town, about five minutes drive from where we are staying.  It is one of the dozens of “bastides” in the area.   A bastide means it was built as a fortified walled town, probably in the 1200’s, to protect its inhabitants. It is very picturesque and quite small.  As with all the villages and towns we have discovered, the church (catholic, of course) is the focal point, a magnificent building, inside and out.  In the evening from our house, we can hear the church bells ringing insistently through the countryside.

There is a central market square where the weekly market is held every Tuesday.  There are stalls with fresh produce, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, handcrafted jewelry, summery clothes and floppy straw hats, baskets, fresh honey and other items right off the local farms.

Here at this market, I have sourced my fruit & veg man who has tables of vibrant colorful produce tempting me to buy more than I actually need, especially as his prices are ridiculously cheap.  I am trying to buy small amounts and go shopping every day or two so I can buy a fresh baquette or two each day, cheese, pate, and other local specialties to try out.  Monday is a closed day in the town (and Sunday) and shops are closed for a long lunch hour from 12:30 to 3pm.

The streets are pretty and clean, the pale stone buildings gleam in the sunshine and flowers and vines add vibrancy to the quiet streets.