Sunshine and relaxation in the Dordogne

Sunshine and relaxation in the Dordogne

I have been visiting the Dordogne for many years now, we are not big fans of returning to the same place, but we make the Dordogne an exception and visit it every three years with the same friends, staying in the same place! It is a truly beautiful area of France, the impressive Dordogne River meanders peacefully through the countryside, passing by sleepy medieval villages and towns, impressive castles and chateaus, and fields of bright yellow sun flowers. It is the perfect place to relax and recharge your batteries.

We always take the ferry and drive down (so we can bring back wine), but there are daily flights into Bergerac and Brive. We stay in a private rented farmhouse with its own swimming pool, situated in Grolejac. It is about a 15 minute drive from Sarlat-la-Canéda; nestling in the heart of Périgord Noir and dating back to the 14th century, it is an architectural treasure not to be missed. My advice is to plan your visit for a Wednesday or a Saturday to experience its traditional French market. The whole area is a gastronomic delight where you can sample foie gras, truffles, cepes, chestnuts, walnuts, strawberries, the cabecou goat’s cheeses, wines, duck and geese conserves (confits) and pork conserves (enchauds). Be prepared to put on a few pounds!

Wine is one of our passions and we now have favourite vineyards we visit each time we go. The wine regions we visit include Bergerac (dry white, rosé and red wine), Monbazillac (desert wine), Saussignac (desert wine) and Pécharmant (red wine). Most of the vineyards are open daily for wine tasting, although they do tend to close at lunchtime between 12-2pm. You can just turn up and taste; you will meet people passionate about the wine they produce, always willing to tell you all about it. A day driving around the vineyards is tough on the driver, but well worth it for everyone else, and if like us you drive down, make sure you leave room in the car to bring a few bottles (or more) back.

If castles and chateaus are your thing, then the Dordogne is the place for you; highly recommended to visit include Chateau de Beynac, Le Chateau de Castlenaud and Chateau Fenelon. Kayaking along the river is a great way to see these magnificent buildings. Two other gems not to be missed are Domme, a bastide town situated 150 meters above the Dordogne River, it boasts some of the most spectacular views of the surrounding countryside you will see and it still retains its original fortified walls and gateways; and Rocamadour, set in a gorge, its buildings rise in stages up the side of a cliff, its one paved street is lined with delightful medieval houses. It is a famous pilgrimage destination and the Grand Escalier of 216 steps will take you up to the shrine of the Madonna and the sanctuaries above.

Our holiday this year was as enjoyable as ever, we were joined by my sister and brother-in-law visiting from New Zealand and they just loved it, roll-on 2017…