Cour des Fontaines

The Cour des Fontaines

A stop on the Sarlat audio-guided tour, the Cour des Fontaines, reached via rue Munz, is intimately linked to the city's origins. It was here, around a natural spring, that the Benedictine monks chose to found their abbey in the ninth century.

The spring that founded the city

Water, a vital resource, directly determined the birth and location of the city. For centuries, this fountain was reserved for the religious: from the twelfth to the seventeenth century, only the monks could draw from it, the inhabitants being excluded. The water of the spring was nonetheless reputed to be excellent.

What to see

From the fifteenth century, the transfer of the large cemetery behind the cathedral caused infiltrations that polluted the spring. The Cour des Fontaines remains a peaceful and history-laden place, away from the bustle, where one touches the very origins of Sarlat.

Practical information

The Cour des Fontaines is in the historic centre of Sarlat, reached via rue Munz. Freely accessible, it can be discovered at any time.

Why is the Cour des Fontaines important ?

It was around its spring that the Benedictine monks founded the abbey at the origin of Sarlat, in the ninth century.

Who could use the fountain ?

From the twelfth to the seventeenth century, only the monks could draw from it; the inhabitants were excluded.