As mentioned above Périgord region has been inhabited from prehistoric times. With its mild climate - it is believed to have been on the northern border of the human settlements during the last glacial era - dense game rich forests and caves that provided a natural shelter, the region was an ideal habitat for the prehistoric man. The earliest traces of human presence date back to Inferior Paleolithic - but the majority of the uncovered artifacts, including the famous caves of the Vezere river valley, called "The Valley of Mankind", belong to the Superior Paleolithic between 30,000 and 10,000 years ago. During the antiquity the territory of France – known as Gaul from the Latin Gallia - was inhabited by a population called "les Gaulois" the
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These baronies were parts of the earldom of Périgord that belonged starting with the 12th century to the Talleyrand family - the family whose arguably the most famous member was Charles Maurice Talleyrand de Périgord. In 1152 Eleanor duchess of Aquitaine (former Queen of France through her marriage with Louis VII but whose first marriage was annulled!) marries the future Henri II Plantagenet of England bringing Aquitaine and hence Périgord under English rule. What follows is a period of incessant fights between the ruling houses of France and England for this territory. The fights end temporarily in 1259 when Louis IX known as Saint Louis recognized the English as rulers of Aquitaine. In the 12th century a heretic movement called Catharism spreads in the region that is now the Southwest of France and makes many adepts among the nobles of Aquitaine and Périgord. As a reaction to what he perceives as big danger to his authority the pope Innocent III declares a crusade against the cathares, called "La croisade albigeoise" after Albi the capital city of French Catharism, and in 1214, under the command of Simon de Montfort, the fortresses of the Périgord fall to the crusaders hands. (For more information about Catharism read our dedicated
These baronies were parts of the earldom of Périgord that belonged starting with the 12th century to the Talleyrand family - the family whose arguably the most famous member was Charles Maurice Talleyrand de Périgord. In 1152 Eleanor duchess of Aquitaine (former Queen of France through her marriage with Louis VII but whose first marriage was annulled!) marries the future Henri II Plantagenet of England bringing Aquitaine and hence Périgord under English rule. What follows is a period of incessant fights between the ruling houses of France and England for this territory. The fights end temporarily in 1259 when Louis IX known as Saint Louis recognized the English as rulers of Aquitaine. In the 12th century a heretic movement called Catharism spreads in the region that is now the Southwest of France and makes many adepts among the nobles of Aquitaine and Périgord. As a reaction to what he perceives as big danger to his authority the pope Innocent III declares a crusade against the cathares, called "La croisade albigeoise" after Albi the capital city of French Catharism, and in 1214, under the command of Simon de Montfort, the fortresses of the Périgord fall to the crusaders hands. (For more information about Catharism read our dedicated