Less than 2 hours 30 minutes from Bordeaux and Toulouse, the Dordogne and Véser valleys form part of the preferred route for those escaping the coast in summer. Gastronomy, real stones, karst reliefs, high-altitude villages and medieval castles compete for a hilly landscape in the middle of which flows the Dordogne, the Véser and the sense of the art of living in France.
A concentration of the most beautiful villages in France
A dozen of the nearly 150 villages labeled “France’s most beautiful villages” are spread across the Périgord Noir and contribute to its charm. slow tourism which makes perfect sense here. Located mostly within a thirty minute radius, we make sure to find one each day to keep the fun going… La Roque-Gageac for its Friday market, wedged between the Dordogne River and this steep cliff that the houses seem to climb. An extraordinary place, a rock on which you can see the troglodyte remains of an ancient castle, which earned this once dynamic port the reputation of an “impregnable village”.
Then his neighbor Beynac-et-Cazenac that you have to “climb” its narrow streets, lined with small blond stone houses. Halfway it offers a view of the river winding behind the lofty roofs of Lauze in the foreground, and the hills of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle opposite, on the other side of the Dordogne. On arrival, an authentic 12th-century castle, one of the most significant in Périgord, offers a magnificent view of the valley. Right in front Castelnaud-la-Chapelle built in the terrace. Also overlooking the Dordogne and the Vallée du Cou, it is crowned by a mighty fortified castle.
A few kilometers away is the Bastide Domme: that we find perched at the end of a winding road. This small authentic, quiet and fortified bastion has become an artisan village and above all offers one of the most beautiful views of the valley. Another Bastide worth driving further north, 30 minutes away, is Montpasier, which is not to be missed for crafters and flea market lovers. Embroidered linens, glassware, antiques… Every Sunday there is excitement in this 13th century setting before sitting under the arbor at Bistrot 2. Stop on the way Saint-Leon-sur-Vezèrea typical medieval village, with its coy roofs, its narrow streets and the majestic Romanesque church on the edge of the Vesere.
Sarlat-la-Canédat, capital of charm
With 66 monuments on 11 hectares, Sarlat boasts one of the most beautiful medieval towns in France. Boasting its mansions and church, whose monumental doors were restored by the architect Jean Nouvel, Sarlat continues to maintain its reputation as a city of art and history. The child of the earth has also equipped it with a panoramic elevator that offers a spectacular view of the rooftops and architecture of the city. But you should come on Saturday and taste the atmosphere of the main market day, which then spreads through all the pedestrian streets of the city. An inexplicable event for Périgord Noir producers and epicureans in general. No fewer than 450 stalls come here to showcase confit, foie gras and the culture of “living well” à la perigourdine. Every weekend there is a joyful noise from the city.
From castles to gardens
Often perched, sometimes romantic or real fortified castles… There are said to be 1001 castles in Périgord. They are the legacy of the struggle against the Cathar heresy before the religious wars, including the Hundred Years’ War. Highlights include the gardens of Beinac, Castelnaud, as well as Milandes (Josephine Baker’s home), with its “remarkable gardens” or very romantic, Commarque:.
The very gardens, another of the treasures of this region, are the fortress of art lovers to live. Considering the Jardins d’Eyrignac, an immovable family estate that replaces a rose garden, plant sculptures, ponds, fountains, a vegetable garden, a country garden, a French-style square… And in 2020, a sensory discovery all around. reflexology, aromachology, sonology, silvotherapy, meditation or mindfulness meditation. While the Hanging Gardens of Marqueyssac, the ‘belvedere of the Dordogne’, condense 150,000-year-old hand-pruned lichen to form a mud maze and sit on a rocky outcrop around a 19th-century castle.
Prehistoric legacy
If: Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil remains the world capital of prehistory, it’s the entire region of the Weser Valley called the Valley of Man that houses its vertiginous cliffs and troglodyte villages. No other place in the world has produced so many ornate caves, galleries and shelters. Classified by UNESCO, Les Ayises is famous for still hosting a real scientific center and for this natural wall that renews many Paleolithic carvings. Unmissable, Abris Pataud, Cap Blanc and Laugerie Basse, the National Museum of Prehistory which looks back on more than 400,000 years of human presence, the caves of Combarel (with 8,000 parietal figures) and Font-de-Gomme (one of the rare decorated caves open to visitors) bear witness to the rich past surrounding the “cave man”. . A few kilometers away Lascaux Caves Discovered in 1940 and now closed to the public, it has also been replaced by the Lascaux Parietal Art International Center, which opened in 2016.
In the video, a guided tour of the heart of Lascaux IV
Practical notebook
GO
Estimate 4 hours 30 minutes by train from Paris to Gourdon, and 6 hours by car on the A20. Protected from mass tourism, the crowds remain reasonable even in the first half of August. Spring to autumn is an easy period to discover, winter is a little more “rough”.
A WALK
A part of the Dordogne goes down by boat
We leave from La Roque-Gageac for a walk along the water of the open-air museum… On one side, the castle of Castelnaud, on the other, the troglodyte rocks of this valley spoiled by nature.. Mandatory picnic on a small beach half way. From 19 euros / person.
Canoe Holidays, Lespinasse 24250 La Roque Gageac. Such. 05 53 28 17 07:
TWO TABLES
At La Roque-Gageac, La Belle Etoile is one of the sure values of this golden triangle. Local customers appreciate the delicacy and freshness brought to the local terroir. Fine cuisine. Menu from €32 to €65.
La Belle Etoile, 24250 La Roque-Gageac. Such. 05 53 29 51 44.
In Saint-Léon sur Vézère, at Le Petit Léon certainly one of the most inspired tables around. Nick Honeyman, a New Zealand chef who worked at Arpège and Astrance, fell in love with the region. He is now split between his native land with his Paris Butter restaurant in Oakland and his adopted Southwest, where he shares his poetic vision and straight to the point of this terror. Menu: €55 and €85.
Le Petit Léon, Le Bourg, 24290 Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère. Such. 05 53 51 18 04.
TWO HOTELS, TWO SPECIAL TABLES
In Montignac, at the Hotel de Bouilhac is a mansion on the banks of the Vézère and in the heart of the “village”. An epicurean address completely renovated by chef Christophe Mori and his wife Karine. Pale stone walls, high ceilings, and for each of the 17 rooms and suites (including seven new bohemian hideaways), a different decor that doesn’t conform to classic luxury hotel industry standards. We find the whole soul of the place in a subtle mix of antiques, family furniture, fabrics and publisher lighting. A high-tech, contour-focused and anti-aging spa that’s rare for the region. As for Chef’s Table, it’s a consensus that his products are made with wonder and precision. Special mention to the extraordinary and varied “homemade” breakfasts. From 175 euros for one double with breakfast.
Hotel de Bouilhac, 6 ave. Professor Forel, 24290 Montignac. Such. 05 53 51 21 46.
Vitracum, Domaine de Rochebois located between Sarlat and Saint-Léon sur Véser, between the Lascaux Caves… It is actually an old golf course that the Pruneyrac family has brought back to life by renovating this magnificent 19th century building into a 5-star hotel. 40 guest rooms and suites, many with private balconies. Roof with 360° nature view, Joséphine Baker Bar and gastronomic table. Pitch & Putt The 9-hole course from September will reopen in the spring of 2023. From 205 euros per double room.
Domaine de Rochebois, route du Chateau de Montfort, 24200 Vitrac. Such. 05 53 29 36 88.
GUEST HOUSE
10 minutes from La Closerie de Sarlat, capital of Périgord Noir is a charming guest house with five rooms set in typical country-style white stone houses and surrounded by a magnificent wooded garden. We sleep in “Le dovecote”, “Le four à pain”, “La posterne” and we have a homemade gourmet breakfast. From €119 per night with breakfast.
La Closerie de Sarlat, place called La Croix d’Esteil, 24200 Sainte-Nathalène. Such. 07 87 34 33 48.
[Initialement publié en août 2020, cet article a fait l’objet d’une mise à jour.]
Source: Le Figaro
