Covered Market

The Sainte-Marie covered market

A stop on the Sarlat audio-guided tour, this building is the former church of Sainte-Marie, which still seems laden with its religious past yet hides a quite different life. Built between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries, it was long a place of worship at the heart of the city.

The revival by Jean Nouvel

After the Revolution, the church was deconsecrated, sold, deprived of part of its choir, then left abandoned. Listed as a historic monument, it was reborn in the early 2000s thanks to a local son, the architect Jean Nouvel. He preserved the Gothic soul of the building while adding a touch of modernity.

What to see

Large glazed bays, metal walkways and plays of light bring the former church, now a covered market, back to life. The most striking element remains its huge monumental steel doors. A striking dialogue between medieval heritage and contemporary architecture, in the heart of Sarlat.

Practical information

The covered market is in the former church of Sainte-Marie, in the heart of old Sarlat. The market's days and hours vary depending on the season; check with the tourist office.

Who redesigned the former church of Sainte-Marie ?

The architect Jean Nouvel, a native of the region, in the early 2000s.

What does the building hold today ?

A covered market, set in the former Gothic church with its large steel doors.