Popular castles to visit include Castelnaud and Beynac which famously faced each other across the river during the Hundred Years War, one French, one English. Brooding and austere, they occupy strategic positions and make a fascinating day out where the kids’ imaginations can run free. The resulting castles still dominate the skyline. The fortified villages and castles of the area bear evidence of the resulting conflict between the French and the English for control, and today add character to the countryside. The ancient dukedom of Aquitaine was ruled by the English for 300 years following the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry Plantagenet, the future king, in 1154. Discover medieval gems at Beaulieu, Collonges-la-Rouge and Biron and view the incredible son et lumière at Tours de Merle. Head to the spectacular medieval sanctuary of Rocamadour for incredible views and the astonishing houses clinging to the cliffs (not to mention the Forêt des Singes where the mischievous macaques roam free). Children love the crystal caves at Proumeyssac and also the underground train at Rouffignac, or you can pass through the vast underground chasm of Padirac. Excursions and activitiesĮxcursions might include boat trips from Domme and historic La Roque Gageac or canoe excursions with a guide – there are routes for beginners and the more ‘hesitant’. Walking and cycling routes are invariably numerous, and with options suitable for all levels of fitness and age. ![]() Many campsites offer a host of great activities, either on the site itself (such as river swimming, swimming pools or tennis) or a short drive away (canoe trips). Don’t be surprised if you are offered a bag of walnuts occasionally! The trees were uniquely able to provide food, fuel, timber and flour and consequently a mature specimen was highly prized. These shady trees, welcome during the hot summers, are often a legacy from the days when farmers planted walnut trees for the benefit of future generations. Typically in sublime locations, they are surrounded by rolling wooded hills with sleepy honey coloured villages all around, adorned with vibrant geraniums overflowing from crumbling pots.Ĭampsites in the Dordogne are often just a stone’s throw from extraordinary castles and many too are set in the grounds of old farmhouses or mills with large, grassy pitches set between tall oak and walnut trees. There are some truly exceptional campsites here in the real heart of the Dordogne. Mellow stone villages, celebrated castles, vineyards, meandering rivers and lush hillsides crowned with medieval bastide villages all combine to make this a region of unparalleled diversity and appeal. The Dordogne river rises in the volcanic mountains of the Auvergne from where it forges west through the craggy forests of Limousin and on to Périgord. The history of the Dordogne goes back many thousands of years to when man lived in the caves of the Périgord in the beautiful valleys of the Dordogne and Vézère, leaving cave paintings at sites such as Les Eyzies and Lascaux. The other two regions are the Gironde and Gascony. ![]() Technically the Dordogne is one of the three regions that make up Aquitaine, the huge swathe of south west France that stretches from Bordeaux to the Biarritz. Walking and cycling holidays in the Dordogne are best in the spring when the flowers bloom and the town markets are well stocked or in autumn when the heat subsides, and the grape harvest begins. The streets of its old town are lined with sandstone buildings that lend the place a pleasant warmth when the sun shines on them. Close by is Sarlat, an attractive town that sprang up around a 9th-century Benedictine abbey. To protect them, the number of visitors is limited daily, so booking is essential. The carefully executed cave paintings are mostly of animals, portrayed in rich colour and expressing lifelike energy. The Font de Gaume cave is the ultimate place to experience this awareness of our enduring history. Sheltering mankind since the Palaeolithic era, it cannot help but invoke a sense of timelessness and wonder in the curious visitor. One of the earliest cradles of civilisation, the Dordogne is a collage of prehistoric caves adorned with ancient paintings and medieval fortresses watching over a landscape of languid rivers, soft grassy plains and oak forests.
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