The most famous paintings are at Lascaux. Long before Stonehenge and the pyramids, back when mammoths and saber-toothed cats still roamed the earth, prehistoric people painted deep inside these caves. The Dordogne's limestone cliffs - honeycombed with painted caves - are unique on this planet. To step back even farther in time, visit one of the area's prehistoric caves. After some dicey negotiations with military types much stronger than him, the local noble lord would gather his subjects and declare, "Now you are French" or "Now you are English…deal with it." From that ledge, I reenacted a goofy little speech on camera, which I imagine happened many times during the Hundred Years' War, fought between the French and English (1337–1453). The attendant let me lower a huge plank door that opened up a treacherous little balcony high above the castle grounds. In the knights' mess hall, it felt as if the cooks were just taking a break. The castle was lit by little oil lamps - puddles of light giving the spiral staircase a visual rhythm. It was like stepping back to medieval times. And the lady of the castle actually opened it up for our TV cameras. Pulling my canoe up in Beynac, I hiked up to the brooding, cliff-hanging castle. On one particularly memorable Dordogne day, I enjoyed a perfect storm of travel thrills. Two of the most picturesque are La Roque-Gageac, a strong contender for "cutest town in France," and Beynac, a perfectly preserved medieval village that winds, like a sepia-tone film set, from the beach to the castle above. There's always a place to stow the canoe, and plenty of welcoming villages. Delights are revealed around each bend, and you can pop ashore whenever you like. I can't think of a more relaxing way to enjoy great scenery while getting some exercise. When I'm here, one of my rituals is exploring the riverside castles and villages via canoe. Its highlights include villages seemingly carved out of the rock, prehistoric artwork, floats along the lazy river, cute farmhouses perched amid fertile fields, and a local cuisine that brings together all that's best about French food. Whether young or old, visitors to the Dordogne are easily charmed by its unforgettable blend of village charm and scenic landscapes. ![]() I'd take her for a float down the river in a canoe, then cap the day with a great riverside meal - letting her enjoy goose liver (explaining what it was later) with the finest glass of French red wine she's ever had. The lifestyle and culture of the Dordogne valley attract both visitors and incomers from all over France, but also from many other countries, particularly Britain and Germany.A reader once asked me: If I were to bring a spry, 73-year-old grandmother to Europe, where would I go? My response: France's Dordogne River Valley. The main season for tourism in the Valley of the Dordogne is from June to September, with July and August being high season. In Périgord, the valley widens further to encompass one of France's main gastronomic regions, with vineyards, poultry farms and truffle-rich woodlands. In the towns, which are major tourist attractions because of their history and architecture, the quaysides are lined with eating and drinking places. Camp sites and holiday homes have proliferated wherever the valley floor is wide enough to accommodate them.īelow Argentat and around Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, the valley widens to accommodate fertile farmland, well-watered pasture and orchards. ![]() ![]() In several places the river is dammed to form long, deep lakes. The cliffs, steep banks, fast flowing water and high bridges attract both walkers and drivers. The upper valley of the Dordogne is a series of deep gorges. The Dordogne is one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit the phenomenon of a tidal bore, known as a mascaret.
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