The Dordogne is well-known for its cuisine, much of it still originating from the region's farming roots. Les Jardins de Marqueyssac at Vezac are another popular stopping point. In the 18 th and 19 th centuries, Les Eyzies was also a production centre for kaolin used in Limoges pottery.Įlsewhere, Sarlat is a lovely base, with its reknowned gourmet scene, while anyone visiting the hilltop Domme and Beynac-et-Cazenac will want to do it with some energy left in their legs. The village nestles uneasily under cliffs – hoping that the next rockfall is nowhere near an occupied house! If you have the time, it is well worth taking a trip on the traditional ‘gabare’ river boats, which are replicas of the 18 th and 19 th century gabare boats, to see the village at its best.Īnother key tourist attraction is Les Eyzies, which is famous for its pre-history it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the gateway to a network of prehistory caves and gorges that culminates in the Lascaux site near Montignac. Les Eyzies also falls on the waypoint on the Compostela pilgrimage route, with the Via Lemovicensis branch coming down from the north of the Dordogne on its way from Vezélay to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. Photo: Stephane Mignonįor cyclists who like to see quirky and unusual places, La Roque-Gageac is also a must-see. La Roque Gageac, embedded into the cliffs on the edge of the Dordogne River. An extra memory card or roll of film is recommended just for this! It’s also the perfect stop-over point, and at sunrise, early risers who make it across the valley in time are rewarded with amazing photo opportunities when the light hits the top of the cliff and gradually illuminates the whole face. Built into a cliff, with a castle perched precariously on top, it is one of the most visited attractions in France. It is always advisable to pack a good sunscreen – and to remember to use it! Key places to visitĪ particularly fascinating village is the ancient pilgrim town of Rocamadour, which sits over the Dordogne border in the Lot. The beginning and end of the season has temperate weather, while things can get a little warm in high summer as the sunlight gets particularly strong. For this reason ( and because we have this article dedicated to cycling in the north of the Dordogne), we'll concentrate here on the Sarlat Triangle, the valley out towards Eymet and Duras, and how the Dordogne links with the Lot.Ĭycling in the Dordogne is pleasant from April to October. The area known as ‘le Périgord noir’, in the south east of the department of Dordogne and around the town of Sarlat, is considered by most as ‘classic’ Dordogne. The southern part of the region is more frequented than the comparatively quieter north. Another popular option is to follow the river routes from the Vézère to the Dordogne – lined with fairytale châteaux – to where the Dordogne River passes through the northern area of the Lot.įor cyclists arriving for a shorter spell in France, there are good airport and train connections too. The Dordogne is also extremely accessible, especially for touring cyclists pedalling the 1,400 km Vélodyssée bike route as it lies just east of the Bordeaux and the Atlantic Coast. And it's cycle-friendly – even given its massive tourist appeal, you'll still find quiet country lanes and forest tracks with very little traffic. Likened to the Cotswolds, the Dordogne is largely rural with beautiful stone buildings, reminiscent of bygone years, and a slower pace of life.
Blessed with miles of scenic rolling countryside, fascinating ancient bastide towns, and delicious gourmet delights, it's easy to see why it's such a popular region for cyclists. The Dordogne, which lies in the department of Aquitaine just north of the Pyrénées, takes its name from the 300 mile river that runs through it. Photo: Bas van Gaalen Follow us on Twitter and Facebook The Dordogne River Valley photographed from Domme. (We also have a separate article on cycling in the northern half of the Dordogne and another dedicated to th e Vézère Valley. Mike Hams has this guide to cycling in the Dordogne. For chateaux, vines and historic towns, a Dordogne cycling holiday ticks all the boxes.
0 kommentar(er)
