Dordogne valley11/12/2022 ![]() The afternoon is easier than this morning's climb, and we have the chance to visit the Gouffre de Padirac, a massive cavern leading to an underground river and spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations. Michelin gave Rocamadour 3-star, and it is unforgettable. The town developed around the site of a 13th century hermitage, and is now ranked as the second site in France. The terrain is a real contrast of arid volcanic plateau, and Rocamadour is one of the most spectacular towns in France, clinging to the side of a cliff hundreds of feet above the Alzou Gorge. Today we leave behind the lush valleys and climb onto the limestone causses on the way to Rocamadour. The swimming pool and sauna at Payrac are welcome and well-deserved.ĭay 4: Rocamadour and the Gouffre de Padirac Today is a short day - 25 miles - but the hardest day of the week. We also pass an ostrich and emu farm that sells foie gras - but not ostrich foie Gras unfortunately - and several million tobacco plants. We pass Domme-Sarlat airport - but don't bank on seeing any airplanes, I've seen about five in eight years. It was used to imprison the Knights Templar in the 14th century, and on top of all this is the site of some interesting limestone caves.įrom Domme to Payrac we go cross-country on tiny roads and see barely a soul. It is still surrounded by a medieval wall, and is one of the best preserved of all the Bastidetowns. Known as the 'Acropolis of the Périgord', Domme was a key battleground in both The Hundred Years War and The wars of Religion. We also get our first shot at a decent hill on the way up to Domme.ĭomme sits 450 feet above the Dordogne and has famous panoramic views of the river. Today we pass La Roque Gageac, an amazing town built into the side of a cliff beside the Dordogne, rated as the third site in France and originally built as a prehistoric fort. The food here is very traditional - a superb introduction - and you'll have the chance to admire Madame's extraordinary Beehive hairdo. You can reach it by an absurdly steep path called the Basketmakers path - but not very quickly, and I dare say not very often if you can help it.Īt the top, though, there is the chance to see the biggest keys you're ever likely to see.Īt the Hostellerie Maleville you can meet the Maleville family. The castle was once the seat of a certain Richard The Lionheart and is well worth a look. We finish the day at Beynac, a picturesque village beside the Dordogne dominated by its castle set on a cliff 500 feet above. Fans of Josephine Baker can visit her old home at the Château des Milandes. In the afternoon we follow the Dordogne along quiet roads and pass the Châteaux of Beynac and Castelnaud facing each other across the Dordogne. Not everybody visits, but everybody should. This cave was uninhabited, and lies up a pretty impressive hill. This morning we can visit the Goufrre de Proumeyssac. Limeuil is a beautiful bastide town, and where the rivers meet is a great place for a swim. Today we follow the Vézère to Limeuil where it meets the Dordogne. Locals believe they will close these caves soon, so it is a special honour to be able to visit.ĭay 2: Beynac – Previous Owners Include Richard The Lionheart Thanks to Mme Soulié we can visit if we want to, and I recommend that you do. The paintings of Bison and Deer at Font de Gaume are the only polychromatic paintings still open to the public anywhere in the world, and visits are strictly limited. Nearby is the oldest sculpture in the world, a 20,000 year-old fish at the Abri de Poisson, and the Font de Gaume, site of some of the most important cave-paintings in the world. Les Eyzies is a small village of 900 people, but it styles itself the Capital of Prehistory - and with some justification.Īs well as the National Museum of Prehistory, Les Eyzies boasts the settlement of Cro Magnon, where the first example of homo sapiens, or thinking man, was discovered. This delightful hotel sits on the banks of the river Beune just upstream from where the Beune joins the Vézère, and the Soulié family really look after us. We stay at Le Moulin de la Beune, one of the highlights of our entire tour programme where Goerge Soulié specialises in gourmet food from the region. However you decide to travel, we arrive in the Dordogne at Les Eyzies on Saturday evening. ![]()
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