On average, the temperature is between 25 and 35 degrees. Summer is often dry with lots of sunshine. So, what are the best times to visit Dordogne in France? The Dordogne valley has a temperate oceanic climate with moderate winters and hot summers. This one was pierced to make a dozen caves that served as dwellings.Īn astonishing visit, then. Originally, part of the abbey was built into the cliff. Their unique-looking boats were called “gabare”.īehind its 18th-century convent buildings, Brantôme Abbey preserves the memory of a troglodyte monastic life. The Dordogne river was used by the inhabitants to descend the wood and bring up wine. The Dordogne is a valley, so in other words, it’s a low area of land between hills, with a river flowing through it. If you come to visit the Dordogne, you’ll probably have the opportunity to visit each of these areas. The white Périgord: which takes its name from the white of its soils, its limestone, and its rock The purple Périgord: with all its vineyards The green Périgord: which, as its name suggests, is rich in greenery. The black Périgord: the most touristy, because it’s where you’ll find the most beautiful things to see Today, Dordogne and Périgord are synonymous and designate the same territory.īy the way, it’s customary to divide the Dordogne into 4 areas: It’s simply its old name, dating back to Roman times. The French also call it “Perigord”, so don’t be surprised if you hear one or the other. It’s the third-largest French department. If you can make it to Limeuil, the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère offers great views of the two beautifully meandering across the floodplains in different directions.Īs the river enters the Gironde region, it receives the Isle at Libourne before flowing north-west to join the Garonne.Let’s start this post with a quick geographical reminder of this Dordogne map.ĭordogne is located in the southwest of France. The crowds fall behind past Château de Beynac and although the cloud-topping sights become fewer, the scenery remains just as gorgeous. However the river widens and the current eases in this section, making it much more suitable for first-timers, families and photographers looking for the perfect shot of provincial France.Īt Souillac, the river begins to wind round in s-shaped loops before being greeted by medieval fortresses and fantastic quayside villages sprinkled with cafés and restaurants like La Roque Gageac and Beynac-et-Cazenac. Higher up the valley, the river runs faster through the gorges and is ideal for experienced or daredevil canoeists. Plenty of beaches like those in Meyronne or Gluges often entice passers-by with their calm waters and vertiginous cliffs to stop off for a picnic or a snooze under the sun. The stretch between Saint-Sozy and Souillac flows past (or below) three gorgeous châteaux: Lanzac, Belcastel and La Treyne. Today, tourists can embark on replicas for an hour-long cruise at various places along the river, including Argentat and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.įor booking and information please contact the Tourist Office on +33 5 65 33 22 00. It would typically take around six days to descend the river between Argentat and Bordeaux , navigating through Beaulieu, Souillac, Beynac, Bergerac…and over two weeks to return upstream with animals (or men) often pulling the boats with ropes from the river banks. The boats would transport materials like wood and slate as well as salt and wine produced in nearby vineyards. Although the Dordogne’s river trade and use of gabares soared in the 18th and 19th centuries, these traditional flat-bottomed boats were operated as early as the Middle Ages. It also served to connect populations living higher up the river in Auvergne and Limousin with those lower down in Bergerac and Bordeaux. Once a bustling commercial axe for the valley, the river was the most direct and safest way of circulating goods.
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