A more tranquil base for exploring the region, it has some pretty, narrow streets and a bustling market twice a week. This town is a good base if you want to explore the Perigord Noir area. Not only because it's close to some of the most popular and interesting pre-historic sights, but also because you can also escape all the 'pre-history' sightseeing for a while - you can sometimes have too much of a good thing.
There are plenty of other attractions in this pretty market town, not least the Tuesday market itself, but also the popular Aquarium du Perigord Noir, several theme parks and some great canoeing on the river. The town itself sits on the banks of the river and is very pretty in its own right, with narrow winding streets and some beautiful traditional architecture to be seen.
The town was often a source of disputes between British troops and those of the King of France, and therefore it suffered greatly. Maintaining itself as a quiet commercial town it was only in the 19th century with the arrival of the railway line that ran between Perigueux and Agen, and the construction of the bridge, that the town became better known.
There are a number of prehistoric sites in and around Le Bugue which are open to the public. The Grotte de Bara Bahau is on the north west edge of Le Bugue and contains a number of engravings made by prehistoric man. Also on the edge of town is the Gouffre de Proumeyssac with its cavernous interior and wonderful collection of stalactites.
About 4km away in Saint-Cirq you'll find the Grotte de Sorcier, beautiful on both the inside and the outside as the pretty village of Saint-Cirq seems to escape from the cliff face. If you decided to venture further into the town of Le Bugue itself then you will find that these streets are often very quiet and your only companions may be the neighbourhood cats. The church in le Bugue is rather unusual in that it looks quite British, rather than the usual chapels, cathedrals and abbeys that we're used to seeing in this part of France.
