Revisiting the Dordogne Valley

In the mid-1990s, we visited the Dordogne Valley, located in southwestern France about a two-hour drive from Bordeaux.  It became one of our favorite areas of France, a wonderful mix of outstanding food and wine, picturesque villages, and fascinating history (chateaus) and pre-history (caves).  

We were pleased to visit the Dordogne again, which fortunately was a direct flight from our local airport in the Algarve.  This trip also gave us the opportunity to re-connect with our California friends, Michel and Melanie, who now live in the French Alps and were nice enough to drive to the Dordogne to meet up.

Our friends, Michel and Melanie

Sarlat-la-Canéda

We chose the town of Sarlat-la-Canéda as the home base for most of our weeklong trip.  It is central to the Périgord region (another name for the Dordogne area), and an interesting town in its own right.  Sarlat is an excellent representation of a 14th-century French market town, and in January of each year, it hosts the largest black truffle festival in the Périgord.  Because of Ascension Day festivities, we experienced four market days in Sarlat!

Villages of the Dordogne

The Dordogne River shaped the towns and villages of the area, dictating their historical and commercial development.  During the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453), the Dordogne River served as the frontline boundary between the English-controlled territory of Gascony and the French Crown's domains in Périgord. Both sides heavily reinforced the riverbanks with castles and fortifications.  Today, these quaint, picturesque and peaceful villages attract lots of visitors, though our May visit was ahead of the busiest tourist season.  

Montbazillac

We stopped at the Château de Monbazillac on our drive from Bordeaux to Sarlat.  The 16th century castle overlooks the entrance to the Dordogne Valley and provides tastings of the famous Montbazillac wines, sweet white wines much prized in France.  Perfect wine pairing to foie gras!

Villages, Gardens and Castles

Southwest of Sarlat, many cute villages line the Dordogne River.  We first stopped at Roque-Gageac which sits on the river at the base of large limestone cliffs.  The village was occupied in prehistoric times, and the cave dwellings anchored high into the cliff were fortified in the Middle Ages for defense during war.  

​We next went to the Marqueyssac Gardens which surround the 17th century ​Château de Marqueyssac.  The gardens are mostly boxwood trees which have been carved into fantastic shapes.  We lunched with some of their signature peacocks.

And we ended the day at Château de Beynac, one of the best-preserved castles in the area.  As we took the tour, we learned why the castles of the Dordogne are not as "pretty" as those in other parts of France, such as the Loire Valley.  It is because these castles were meant as fortifications in times of war, not luxury homes.  The Château de Beynac was built in the 12th century by the barons of Beynac (one of the four baronies of Périgord).  At the time of the Hundred Years' War, this fortress at Beynac was in French hands, the Dordogne being the border between France and England. Not far away, on the opposite bank of the river, the Château de Castelnaud was held by the English. 

Rocamadour

Later in our trip, we traveled further east to Rocamadour, a stunning clifftop medieval village set above a tributary of the Dordogne River.  Founded in the early Middle Ages, Rocamadour has been attracting pilgrims to its religious sites for centuries as it sits on a portion of Les Chemins de Saint Jacques (also known as the Camino de Santiago).  

We started at the top of the town in the stunning La Cité Réligieuse and then walked 15 minutes down to the lower village via a winding trail with Stations of the Cross placed along the way.  Luckily, there was a funicular which allowed us to quickly get back to the top of the hill at the end of our journey.

Underground Treasures of the Dordogne

Limestone defines the landscape and architecture of the Dordogne, forming dramatic river cliffs, prehistoric caves, and golden-walled villages.  In numerous caves scattered throughout the region, pre-historic drawings and towering cathedrals of stalactites and stalagmites have been discovered.

Prehistoric Cave Drawings

The most famous pre-historic cave drawings in France were found in 1940 in Lascaux, in the central Dordogne.  The original cave has been closed to the public for decades in order to preserve the artwork.  However, a full replica of the cave is open to the public, and we toured it during our visit in the 1990s.  

On this visit, we decided to visit Font de Gaume, which is the only site in France with original polychrome cave paintings that is still open to the public.  Access is strictly limited with less than 100 people per day allowed entrance.  Discovered in 1901, Font de Gaume contains over 200 images of bison, horses, mammoths and reindeer which date from approximately 17,000 B.C.  Photography inside the cave is not allowed, so these images are from the internet.  These original drawings at Fonte de Gaume were stunning.

Gouffre de Padirac

Discovered in 1901, this cave is a natural wonder over 100 meters below the surface (reached by elevator) with a subterranean river system that is partly negotiable by boat.  The journey continues on foot into huge galleries, featuring underground pools and gigantic stalagmites and stalactites which tower to stunning heights.

Flavors of the Dordogne

This region in France is certainly well-known for its quaint villages, formidable castles, prehistoric cave drawings, and lovely river views.  But if there one thing that the Dordogne is known for worldwide, it is for its outstanding food.  If you think of country French cooking, its best example will be from this region.  Duck and goose abound, along with foie gras, of course.  Cassoulet, the slow-cooked bean stew with meats and sausage, is a specialty.  French winter black truffles are found mostly in this area.  Surprisingly, the Dordogne is not packed with Michelin-starred restaurants.  Instead, the focus is on hearty, home-style cooking.  We enjoyed every meal!

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We thoroughly enjoyed re-visiting the treasures of the Dordogne, made even more special by our meeting up with old friends.  There are direct flights from the Algarve to other parts of France, so we will need to do more French exploring in the near future.