In southwestern France flows the Dordogne River, through a land with castles and villages, where clifftop bastides (fortified towns) overlook a placid river, a land shadowed with oak forests and golden with limestone; where foie gras and truffles are part of a special way of life. Nearby, the Vézère River follows its course beneath prehistoric cliff dwellings and caves which today shelter Cro-Magnon’s art and give clues to the nature of his existence–and perhaps ours. Only six hours by train from Paris, the Dordogne is yet remote enough to feel isolated from a modern world, while the surrounding natural beauty takes us the rest of the way to a place far away indeed. Our walking tour begins in the Dordogne valley where we wander the medieval streets of Sarlat-la-Canéda, visit the formidable 12th-century Castelnaud castle (a stronghold of the English in the Hundred Years War) and follow centuries-old walking paths through the same forests as the 14th-century pilgrims on their way to San Juan de Campostello. The end of the week finds us in the Vézère valley, where limestone cliffs rise all around and where prehistoric man’s legacies hide. Our accommodations and meals will typify the best the area has to offer, from a clifftop Michelin-starred restaurant in a 17th-century bastide town, to a hotel in the shadow of a 12th-century fortified abbey, and finishing our week with a gastronomic delight where from the windows of the restaurant we can see the gardens where the chef grows his own vegetables and herbs.
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
transfer from train station to Sarlat
guided visit of Sarlat
Set in a basin surrounded by wooded hills, Sarlat was founded in the 9th century by Benedictine monks fleeing the ravages of the Vikings along the coast near Bordeaux. By the Middle Ages, Sarlat was a flourishing trade town and today its medieval heritage takes tangible form in the streets, alleys and courtyards of the old center. In decline in the 50’s, Sarlat has come back to life and prospered from a major restoration project begun in the 60’s and still active today. Cobblestoned streets, gas lighting, and a wealth of centuries-old buildings combine to create a rare look back to another time. After a transfer from the train station we will have a visit of Sarlat with a local guide. Then we will have time to relax a bit before dinner. (l’Esplanade in Domme or the Madeleine in Sarlat)
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Day 2:
Sarlat to Domme
13 kilometers, flat along the river until final climb to hotel
After a transfer back to Sarlat will leave town to the south through open fields, heading for the Dordogne river. Much of the walking we do today and during the week will be on Grande Randonnée, or GR, trails, a vast system of marked trails, many in use from the Middle Ages and used as pilgrimage routes. Before very long we come to our first castle of the week, the Château de Montfort. Built on a bluff overlooking a meander of the Dordogne, this castle is typical of a medieval defensive castle––an imposing central keep or fortified tower, set inside high curtain walls which protected the inhabitants. We might take time for a visit of the castle or stop by the wood sculptor’s studio in the village below. A little later on it will be time for a picnic in the small village of Vitrac, in a picturesque plaza with a 12th-century Romanesque church which serves as the backdrop to our feast of regional specialties––fresh strawberries, melons from the southwest, duck pâté, a fresh crisp baguette, a splash of a white Bergerac or red Cahors to wash it down, followed by something chocolate for dessert. After lunch we cross the river and begin a climb up to Domme, our home for the night.
Domme was built by the Philippe the Bold in the 13th-century and played a strategic role in the Hundred Years War. During France’s Wars of Religion in the 16th century Domme was taken by the Protestants in a daring midnight attack, it was sold back to the Catholics four years later. Today visitors appreciate the inspiring views which take in several of the river’s meanders and even includes a castle or two. Our lodgings for the night are at the Esplanade, whose Michelin-starred restaurant looks out over this same view and whose dessert cart alone makes the trip worthwhile...
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Day 3:
Domme to Les Milandes, then transfer to St Cyprien
20 kilometers, mostly flat with some hills
Today’s route will be along trails and dirt roads through quiet fields and woods not far from the river. Leaving Domme we descend to the river and follow a GR trail away from road traffic. The peaceful nature of the walk is in contrast to the war-like nature of our first destination––after walking through the quaint village of St Julien we will approach the castle of Castelnaud from below. It first appears through the trees as we come out of the woods, its massive walls impressive even at this distance. After a walk up through the village of Castelnaud la Chapelle we will arrive at the gates of the château high above the river. It looks much the same as it must have looked in the Middle Ages except where there was once a guard’s station there is now a ticket window. Inside the castle we find displays of armor, descriptions of weapons and even a model of the castle under attack. Perhaps the most dramatic part of the visit will be the views from above––the canoes on the river pass by slowly beneath us, and across the valley we can see Castelnaud’s rival from the Hundred Years War, Beynac.
Leaving Castelnaud we will have the option of continuing by canoe. The river offers a relaxing way to see the countryside from a new perspective, passing serenely beneath cliffs and wooded slopes, and the view of Beynac from the river is worth at least a few pictures. Those who choose to walk will follow a scenic GR trail first along the cliff above the river, then through cool oak woods. The group will reunite again below the village of Les Milandes, where Josephine Baker, the American dancer who was the toast of Paris in the 1920’s, bought a château. The château itself, from the 15th century, is less a reason to visit than to know Josephine Baker’s story. Scorned in the US, she came to Paris and became a stage star with her trademark banana dance. Once established and wealthy she bought the château and adopted 11 children from all over the world with the intent to create a haven for them. Following mismanagement of the estate by her husband, her dreams and her wealth faded and she was forced to give up her home. Today the visitor can see her apartments, a quirky mix of art deco and medieval architecture.
After the visit we will transfer to nearby St Cyprien and our hotel for the next two nights, the Hôtel de l’Abbaye.
The namesake of the hotel is a massive 11th-century fortified church just up the street from the hotel. Records from the time tell of efforts made by the abbey to divert the course of the river away from the town of St Cyprien. Tonight no such Herculean efforts are necessary to whet the appetite as we have accomplished that already, and Mme Schaller, owner of the hotel and chef de cuisine, will assure that we are made to feel at home as we enjoy one of her sumptuous dinners. (Hôtel de l’Abbaye)
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Day 4:
Transfer to Beynac and walk to St Cyprien
16 kilometers, moderately hilly
Today’s walk will begin with a transfer to the village of Beynac. On the opposite side of the river from Castelnaud, Beynac was one of the four baronies of Périgord in the Middle Ages and during the Hundred Years War Beynac and Castelnaud each protected rival armies. Before starting our walk we can visit the castle or wander the narrow streets of the medieval village.
Leaving Beynac the route passes through wooded hills and emerges in the hamlet of Cazenac, whose 15th-century Gothic chapel is worth a closer look before continuing. It might be time for lunch and with the views of Beynac and the valley below this would make a great picnic spot. Another chapel on the way, a little further on, this one not on a hill but in a secluded wooded valley. The name of this chapel, Redon l’Espi, likely came from rotondo sino, the Latin reference to the Holy Thorn, preserved for centuries in the Abbey of St Cyprien. On the last part of the walk, just a little ways after leaving redon l’Espic, we will pass by a small memorial marking the spot where Mary appeared to a young local girl.
Once back in St Cyprien, relax at the pool with a cool drink before enjoying another culinary delight. (Hôtel de l’Abbaye)
(B) (D)
Day 5:
Walk to Les Eyzies and the Vézère River
13 kilometers, moderately hilly
Leaving St Cyprien and the Dordogne river behind we walk past the abbey on our way out of town, as we cross from the Dordogne valley to the Vézère. En route we will be able to visit with two local artists in their studios. In the village of Meyrals, Pascal Magis invites us to a cool drink while we contemplate his modern oils. Pascal’s works have been popular in Holland and England for many years but recently he has been sending more and more of his paintings to the US. The next stop on our walk is in the hamlet of Pechboutier at Irishman Guy Weir’s studio, in the loft of a small rustic barn next to his house. In stalls where cows once fed, Guy has displayed his watercolors with colorful scenes from his travels in Africa and Latin America.
Dordogne is a place where old traditions are still in evidence if one knows where to look. Since it is about time for lunch we need to find a nice picnic spot, and soon after leaving Guy’s studio we come across an old lavoir, or washing pool, fed by a spring. Usually these lavoirs are built in villages where local women might gather but this one is built in a seemingly isolated spot. Look closely, and we might find an offering to the old Celtic gods for a good growing season.
Once in Les Eyzies we will have time to look around, perhaps visiting the museum of prehistoric culture there. Les Eyzies is where Cro-Magnon man was discovered in 1868 and in the surrounding area are found caves where early man has left his mark. On Day 7 we will be visiting the Font de Gaume, site of polychromatic cave paintings, but today you will have a chance to explore the village on your own.
Tonight will be a free night for dinner, and Les Eyzies has a full range of restaurants, from pizzerias to a one-star Michelin restaurant. (Hôtel les Glycines or Hôtel de la Beune)
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Day 6:
Transfer to La Roque St Christophe and walk to Montignac
20 kilometers, moderately hilly
After breakfast we will transfer to La Roque St Christophe, a sheer cliff face where traces of habitation by man has been traced back to prehistoric times. The last inhabitants were driven out by the English after a prolonged siege forced the defenders out from hunger. Today a visit here provides insight into how man survived in primitive times, using what was available to him and combining this knowledge with intelligence and courage to protect himself and his home. After a visit we begin walking along the Vézère valley, narrower than the Dordogne and more rugged. A little while later we reach Castel-Merle, a remarkable prehistoric site which for years was closed to the public. Today we can visit a small museum and see small shelters used during the Magdalenian period (15,000 to 10,000 years BC).
Lunch will be in the village of St Léon-sur-Vézère, a small hospitable village with a beautifully restored 12th-century Romanesque church and a medieval keep among the unexpected discoveries we make here as we wander around before lunch. Our goal for the afternoon is Lascaux II near Montignac, a replica of the renowned cave paintings at Lascaux. What we will be visiting is an exact replica of the cave and paintings discovered in 1940 by schoolboys from Montignac while playing in the woods with their dog. These 17,000-year-old paintings were created in a cave where the conditions needed to preserve the paint and the cave walls themselves from deteriorating were to endure to the present day, allowing us a priceless glimpse at life as our distant ancestors might have seen it. Our tour will be in English, and we will leave the cave cum museum with a greater understanding of how the paintings were created and of the conditions early man faced.
Dinner tonight will be another regional treasure, at the Hôtel les Glycines. Renowned locally for their warm welcome and gastronomic cuisine, Mr and Mme Mercat provide a final dinner together worthy of our achievements of the past week.
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Day 7:
Visit of Font de Gaume
Transfer to Paris
We will have time for one last visit before leaving this magical part of France. The Font de Gaume, on the outskirts of Les Eyzies, is one of the last caves in Europe where original polychromatic cave paintings may be seen. The commentary will be translated by our guides, so we will not miss a thing as scenes from a time 14,000 years ago are unveiled and interpreted before our eyes. Leaving the very same cave once graced by man so long ago, one cannot help but feel a profound respect and admiration for what our own ancestors accomplished in their time.
The train for Paris and back to the modern world leaves at 12:46pm, and your guides will help with any arrangements you may need to make.
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Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Walking Tours
Archeology/History
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