The Dordogne Valley is located in the southwest of France and is one of the most beautiful and authentic areas of the country. Its rolling hills and valleys are dotted with medieval villages, impressive castles and natural landscapes.
We will take a tour of just a few of its towns and villages. We will start in Beynac et Cazenac, Castlenaud la Chapelle, La Roque Gageac where we will embark on the Dordogne, then we will spend the night in Sarlat la Caneda to continue to Perigueux.
Our starting point was the stunning Rocamadour. If you want to see more about it, we leave it here ►Rocamadour: what to see and how to organize the visit
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Beynac et Cazenac
This is a medieval village that we find situated on a steep hill overlooking the Dordogne River.
One of the main attractions of the Dordogne Valley is its rich history. The region has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times, and numerous archaeological sites and caves with rock art from that time can still be found. There are also many ancient towns and villages that have preserved their traditional architecture and way of life.
Another strong point of the Dordogne Valley is its castles. There are many impressive castles in the region, such as the Château de Beynac, the Château de Castelnaud and the Château des Milandes. Many of them are located on the tops of hills and offer spectacular views of the surroundings.
Beynac is best known for its impressive castle, the Château de Beynac, which is one of the most spectacular castles in the region. Built in the 12th century, the castle sits on a hilltop and offers panoramic views of the valley. Visitors can tour the castle’s rooms, which are furnished with antiques, and explore the gardens and terraces.
A walk through these dream places can also be done on an excursion from Sarlat, note because most of them are in English►Excursion through the villages of the Dordogne
Castelnaud la Chapelle
We head towards Roque Gageac passing first through Castelnaud la Chapelle.
Castelnaud Castle is an impressive castle that sits on top of a hill overlooking the Dordogne River. Built in the 12th century, the castle has been restored and is now a museum that tells the story of warfare in the Middle Ages. Inside the castle, visitors can see a large collection of weapons and armor, as well as a scale model of a medieval siege engine.
But the Dordogne Valley is not just about history and castles. It is also a natural paradise with rich biodiversity and a great variety of landscapes. There are natural parks such as the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park, rivers and lakes for water activities such as canoeing or kayaking, and numerous trails for hiking or cycling.
We rented the car in Paris to tour several places in France and we will return it in Paris at the end of the tour. As I always say, it is generally cheaper to pick up and return in the same place. Check the prices with your dates in the search engine below.
►Find the car for your tour on Discovercars
La Roque Gageac
So now we head to the Roque Gageac to embark on the Dordogne River.
This is a picturesque village situated on the bank of the Dordogne River. It is built on a steep hillside offering stunning views of the valley. La Roque Gageac is known for its traditional limestone houses, narrow cobbled streets and exotic cliff-top garden. There is also a fortress dating back to the 12th century, which used to be a residence of the local nobility.
Embark on barges on the Dordogne
Norbert’s barges are wooden barges typical of the Dordogne Valley region that offer rides on the Dordogne River from La Roque Gageac. Norbert is the owner and operator of these barges, and has been offering river rides for over 30 years.
Barges are wooden boats that were traditionally used to transport goods along the Dordogne River. Now, barges are used primarily for tourism and to offer visitors a unique way to explore the beauty of the Dordogne Valley from the water.
The ride on Norberto’s barges was a wonderful and relaxing experience. During the tour, we were able to enjoy the stunning views of the valley from the water, including the cliffs and medieval villages. In addition, the barge guide offers interesting and enriching explanations about the history, culture and wildlife of the region, although they are in French. You have an audio guide in Spanish that will help you with information about the tour.
All in all, a barge ride in La Roque Gageac is a very popular activity in the Dordogne Valley region, and is a great way to explore the river and admire the natural beauty and architecture of the place. We highly recommend doing it.
In summary, La Roque Gageac, Castelnaud and Beynac et Cazenac are three stunning places in the Dordogne Valley that offer a mix of history, architecture, landscapes and French culture. Each of them has something unique and special that is worth discovering and exploring in detail during a visit to the region. As always, we fell short on the number of days we would have needed at least one more, as these towns can add several more like Bergerac.
Sarlat la Canéda
We spend the night in Sarlat la Cáneda. The hotel chosen was the Hotel Montaigne. Located just about 150 meters from the historic center, it is a good option to spend a night in this beautiful city.
If you’re looking for a town with that French charm, with the naturalness of not looking like it’s waiting for a tourist photo, Sarlat-la-Canéda is the perfect choice. This medieval town, located in the heart of the Dordogne Valley, is known for its narrow cobbled streets, historic buildings and rich food culture.
The town of Sarlat-la-Canéda has been declared one of the most beautiful towns in France, and for good reason. Its historic centre features a wealth of stone buildings, mansions and small palaces from the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as Gothic and Renaissance churches. One of the town’s main attractions is the Place de la Liberté, a beautiful square surrounded by historic buildings and outdoor cafés, where you can enjoy local life and savour the food and wine. The market housed in a former church is another new addition.
One of the town’s strong points is its food, and in particular, foie gras. Sarlat-la-Canéda is known for its foie gras production, and you’ll find numerous restaurants serving it. In addition, the town has a weekly food market, where you can find fresh, local produce, such as truffles, mushrooms, fruit and vegetables, as well as regional wine and cheese.
In the morning we find the Sarlat market, on Saturday mornings Sarlat dawns with a market in its streets, in the historic area.
The charm of walking through its streets is something that we will not forget, those things that are out of the ordinary things that visitors do and that turn out to have a very particular charm.
Olives, cheeses, fruits and vegetables were in those stalls tempting everyone who passed by. The truth is that it was very lazy to leave but other destinations awaited us.
Périgueux
We will continue our route to Périgueux, a historic city located in the Dordogne department, in the New Aquitaine region, in the southwest of France. The city has a long history dating back to Roman times, and boasts a rich architecture and culture.
One of the main attractions of Périgueux is its historic centre, which features numerous old buildings, narrow cobbled streets and picturesque squares. The historic centre of the town is dominated by the Saint-Front Cathedral, an impressive Romanesque church built in the 12th century that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral is known for its five domes and its impressive architecture.
From here we would continue our trip to another French city, but that will be for the next post.
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NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
