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Voykit pocket guide · France
Monpazier
Half a day is enough to walk the arcaded square and church; combine with another bastide town or a Dordogne valley drive for a full day.
Monpazier is the best-preserved bastide town in the Dordogne, built in 1284 on a grid plan around a central square with arcades. The village itself is the sight: you can see it in an hour and eat lunch under the covered market. It works as a short stop on a Dordogne road trip, not a base.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (many places closed or quiet)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire 18 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · EU-wide emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Lunch plat du jour | €12–18 |
| Coffee at a café | €2–3.50 |
| Glass of house wine | €4–6 |
| Market produce (cheese, bread, fruit) | €5–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EGC · Bergerac Dordogne Périgord
- About 40 km (25 mi); car needed onwardAbout 25 mi (40 km); car needed onward
Typical fares
- Bergerac airport → Monpazier by taxi
- about €60–80, 40 min (check)
- Fuel (per litre, 2026 estimate)
- about €1.80–2.00
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk only inside the village. A car is essential to reach Monpazier and explore the area.
See and do
Known for
- 13th-century bastide layout
- Arcaded central square
- Thursday market (seasonal)
- Medieval Festival and cep mushroom market
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bergerac | Car, about 35 min via D660 | 40 min |
| Sarlat-la-Canéda | Car, about 1 h via D57 and D704 | 1 h 15 min |
| Rocamadour | Car, about 1 h 15 min via D673 | 1 h 30 min |
| Eymet | Car, about 30 min via D25 | 35 min |
| Périgueux | Car, about 1 h via D660 and D6089 | 1 h 10 min |
Sleep
- Within the bastide walls
- A few guesthouses and B&Bs; quiet after dark.
- Nearby villages (Belvès, Beaumont-du-Périgord)
- More choice, 10–20 min drive.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syon, seel voo pleh |
| Do you speak English? | Parlez-vous anglais ?par-lay voo zahn-gleh |
| Where is the market? | Où est le marché ?oo eh luh mar-shay |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- No bus service to Monpazier; no local taxi (check).
- Between Christmas and Easter the village is very quiet; Thursday market may be sparse.
- Many restaurants and shops close on Mondays and in low season.
Very safe; the main risk is driving on narrow country roads at dusk. Watch for cyclists on market days.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Monpazier yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- 13th-century bastide layout
- Arcaded central square
- Thursday market (seasonal)
- Medieval Festival and cep mushroom market
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Monpazier, revision 4750774 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4750774
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/monpazier). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.