The Loire river valley and its chateaux are one of France’s most special, and most visited, destinations. But there is another river that has won my heart this summer. As a lover of beautiful landscapes and of medieval architecture, the Dordogne area truly has it all for me: majestic waterways, incredible natural settings including a magnificent gorge, lovely postcard perfect villages, and literally hundreds of castles!
We only stayed four days, but we want to go back for more.
A short history of Dordogne
Remember the beautiful cave paintings of Lascaux that appear on every primary schoolbook when you learn about the achievements of our prehistoric ancestors? They are in Dordogne! This part of France was inhabited since the earliest of times, its warm and welcoming landscape, with gentle hills, lush vegetation, caves for shelter and plenty of water was clearly always a hit with humankind.
The Gauls settled the regions until the days of Caesar. Dordogne was Roman until the empire fell apart in the 5th century, when it was incorporate in a Visigoth kingdom straddling southern France and Northern Spain. After the Visigoths came the Franks, and a few centuries of relative peace as a semi-independent entity, part of the Carolingian empire.
Like most of Western France, the area suffered Viking attacks in the 9th century. When those subsided, Dordogne found itself part of one of the most prestigious political entities of Medieval Europe, the culturally progressive, refined and wealthy duchy of Aquitaine.
In the 13th century, Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry of Anjou (the future Henry II of England. As a result, the Dordogne region fell under English control, but the distance from London meant Dordogne benefitted from being part of a transnational free trade area, while retaining a lot of independence. towns and cities grew, as did the wine trade. Over time, the presence of an English Duchy on French territory was bound to cause issues. Officially motivated by a succession issue, war between England and France broke out in the 14th century, lasting on and off for 100 years.
After the fighting subsided, the area witnessed an incredible building boom, the results of which are what makes Dordogne so fascinating today. In the countryside, the nobility built more than 1,200 castles, manors and country houses. In the largest towns, such as Périgueux and and Sarlat, merchants and well-to-do people built elegant mansions. As for the Church, it built beautiful churches in the Gothic style.
The late 19th century, a golden era for the port city of Bordeaux, brought more trade and wealth to Dordogne. But population dwindled with industrialisation. In the 20th century, population dwindled with industrialisation, until the discovery of its great prehistoric sites such as Lascaux, and of natural wonders such as the subterranean Gouffre de Padirac, created a new industry – tourism -.
Dordogne is now firmly on the tourist map, with many of its villages recipient of tourist accolades, and a UNESCO Geopark status. But it still feels peaceful and sustainable – a place with a slow pace of life, where the restaurant owner or sales assistant will find the time to chat to you, and where you only need to walk a few hundred metres from the busiest spots to be almost completely alone. If you are looking for a destination that will immerse you in history and where you can still experience a sense of discovery, Dordogne is for you.
How to get to Dordogne
The best way to explore Dordogne is with a car. It allows you to reach more remote hamlets and attractions. You can drive your own – we got on a ferry from the UK – or rent one at the airport or in a nearby city.
Are you after an active break? I have come across many cyclists and hikers. you could plan a cycling tour or a multi-day hike, following the course of the river of exploring further inland.
If you rely on public transport, you may be a bit more limited in what you see but you will still be able to organise a fantastic itinerary. From Paris Gare d’Austerlitz, you can get a train to Brive, Souillac, Gourdon and Cahors. If you are in Bordeaux, you can get to Sarlat-la-Canéda on the same line that serves Saint Emilion. Check SNCF Connect, Trainline, Raileurope or Omio for timetables and to book. Once there, you can move around on local buses. They are not terribly frequent but with a bit of planning you can still organise a great holiday! Rome2Rio is great for investigating your travel options.
My Dordogne tour Itinerary
Day 1 – Relax and explore our surroundings
We arrived in Dordogne from Normandy, after a stopover in Amboise, in the Loire valley. The drive was quite long but rewarding. We were on a two-week road trip between France’s Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. When planning the trip, we had made the decision to keep off the motorway and follow a Route Nationale (‘State-maintained Road’). This is something we often do when we are in France. The motorway is more practical and helps you get to places faster, but driving on a Route Nationale means you can easily stop over if an area seems appealing.
We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool at our gite and discovering the local hamlet. We took a scenic walk around the castle, which was closed to the public as it is privately owned, but still looked spectacular, and followed country lanes along streams. Claire, our host, told us that there was a theatre show in the village, so we joined the locals for a lovely summer evening!
Day 2 – Rocamadour
Of all the sites I had researched when planning my trip, Rocamadour is the one that had really excited my imagination. It is a sanctuary on the route to Santiago de Compostela, so it has been a travellers’ destination for over a millenium. I worried it may be over-hyped, and that in the flesh it may turn out to be a disappointment. Instead, it proved better than in the pictures!
The village has the most dramatic setting, hanging almost vertically over the canyon of Alzou. It feels like the houses, the walls, and the majestic fortified church rise from the rock itself.
We parked on the outskirts, near the visitors’ centre,, and followed a delightful pedestrian road along the canyon, before entering the lower level of the village through a medieval gateway. Rocamadour has only one street, Rue de la Couronnerie. It is, and has probably been for over a millenium, lined with shops and restaurants. If you have mobility issues there are lifts, but we chose to walk, like medieval pilgrims would have done. Rue de la Couronnerie ends, quite abruptly in a bend. From there., 216 steps take you to the sanctuary. On a sunny day, the brightness of the steps and the brightness of the day light make you feel like you are on your way to heaven.
The sanctuary itself is made of various chapels, party excavated in the rock, in which elements of gothic church architecture blend with fortifications. It is a remarkable spot. In contrast with the brightness of the exterior, some of the chapels interiors feel dark, lit by candles. You feel like you are entering the womb of the earth. The miraculous Madonna of Rocamadour, like many of the most venerated European Madonnas, is black, her colouring probably a memory of a pagan earth goddess. During medieval times, Eleanour of Aquitaine and other illustrious pilgrims, including various French and English kings, made the pilgrimage to Rocamadour.
After visiting the sanctuary, you will have to climb to a higher level to see the castle. It is well worth it, for the sweeping views of the town and the canyon.
We spent the day in Rocamadour, enjoying a delightful lunch at Bistrot de Saint Jean, which has a simply spectacular view of the village, and is dog-friendly. There I had my first taste of the local Rocamadour cheese, which I couldn’t have enough of during my stay!
On the way back to our accommodation, we stopped several times, to discover lovely hamlets, manors, and sweeping views. It takes you less than a day in Dordogne to realise this is a place where you do not want to rush. The pace is slow, you live in the moment, and savour the moment. We continued to enjoy the magic at our country accommodation, hiking between streams and woods, to the sound of crickets and birds.
Day 3 – Gouffre de Padirac
The Gouffre de Padirac is the kind of experience that you will treasure for the rest of your life – an exploration where you face nature’s ability to create beauty in all kind of places. The Padirac is a subterranean river, flowing at 100 metres below the surface, that carves its way through – and shapes – a whole system of caves. It was discovered at the end of the 19th century. The exploration of the river and the caves, and the works required to make them visitable, took decades. If you visit you will understand the determination of the early explorers and investors. The Gouffre de Padirac feels like a series of subterranean cathedrals, carved by the gentle power of water, one more beautiful than the last.
You can read all about its history, and buy your ticket, here.
The visit itself is memorable, and feels like an adventure. You will descend into the womb of the earth through an escalator – there is also a lift if you need it – and from the bottom you can look up at the walls of the chasms, and the sky framed by it. It is an almost primeval scene.
And it is just the beginning. You will then enter the cave system, proceeding on foot along a softly lit rock tunnel, with the sound of water pervading your senses.
I wished this peaceful immersive experience would never end, but I arrived at what looked like an underground dock, where little rowing boats come to collect visitors, and take them along the river and through the most magnificent part of the cave system.
The rowers at the front of the boat double as guides, and tell you about the history of the sute and the different caves.. I have travelled a lot, but this experience of the beauty you can find below the earth is unique, and one I will treasure for a very long time.
A practical tip. In the cave system, the temperature hovers in the region of 13 degrees. So if you go in summer, remember to bring a jacket!
Day 4 – La Roque-Gageac
The first images of Dordogne I had ever come across were of la Roque-Gageac, so it was appropriate to make it the final destination of our trip.
The Dordogne is a bendy river, so you will not be able to follow it all the way, but try and stay as close to it as possible. The route to La Roque-Gageac is a castle and nature lover’s dream. Cliffs dramatically dropping into the river, dramatic castles, and gentle stone villages are everywhere. We had read that La Roque-Gageac is busy in the morning, so we took a lot of stops enroute, aiming to arrive in the the afternoon, when the crowds begin to ease ease off. Mid to late afternoon is the best time to be there also because the buildings and rock formations are bathed in a bronze light, and the river is magnificent.
So what makes La Roque so special? The village is built in the cliffside, with a main road connecting its highlights – the castle, the church and some delightful medieval houses.
The small church is a real highlight, with its panoramic view and the lush vegetation that surrounds it, making the most of its south-facing position. You will see not just figs and olives but also palms and banana plants!
We spent a few hours wandering (and wondering) around the village, visited the castle, climbing up the towers for magnificent views, and enjoying a glass of wine with a view!
Our host recommended a river trip, but we arrived a bit too late for that. However, judging from the views and the magnificence of the river, we should have done it!
I guess that gives us a good excuse to return. It is truly hard to have enough of the incredible beauty we found everywhere. A 4-day tour is just an initiation to the charms of Dordogne. Next time I hope to stay longer and maybe bringing my bicycle.
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