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…
