This beautiful walking holiday through the Dordogne begins and ends in the pretty town of Sarlat-la-Canéda, the capital of the Périgord Noir, with its cobbled streets, picturesque squares, architectural treasures, and the lively all-day market on Saturdays. You spend the first part of the trip in the Dordogne Valley exploring the fairytale castles along the banks of the Dordogne River: Chateaux de Commarque, Beynac and Milandes, the former home of Josephine Baker.
We also invite you to discover the most iconic villages of Beynac and La Roque Gageac and the magnificent bastide village of Domme where you spend 2 nights. From there, you head over to the Vézère valley where the chateaux give way to troglodyte villages, prehistoric caves and UNESCO listed sites. At the end of the trip, you have time to visit the Lascaux IV caves, a wonderful replica of the oldest paintings in human history.
Your trip begins in Sarlat-la-Canéda, capital of the Périgord Noir. This pretty medieval town is a great starting place with its labyrinth of narrow, cobbled streets, picturesque and shaded squares and traditional slate roof houses. We recommend starting your trip on a Friday or Saturday to enjoy the all-day market on Saturday in Sarlat.
Meals included : none
Night : Sarlat
Short transfer to Marquay. Your loop walk begins in Marquay : a Perigordian village full of charm with its typical houses and their lauze roofs and its fortified church from the 12th and 13th centuries. You will cross forests of oak and chestnut trees, small hills dotted with hamlets & rock shelters dug by the river Beune before arriving at the Château de Commarque which stands on a rocky outcrop, on site, there are troglodyte houses and a prehistoric cave (visit included). Transfer back to Sarlat.
Walk : 3h15 | 12 km - 7 miles | Elevation: +330m/-330m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Sarlat
Transfer to Beynac or La Roque Gageac, both troglodyte villages nestled in the cliff, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Your walk will take you through the Perigord countryside with its green valleys, oak forests and picturesque hamlets. You will pass by a goose and duck farm and you can take the opportunity to fill up on regional delicacies! You continue along the Dordogne to Domme, a magnificent bastide village perfectly combining the architectural, natural and gastronomic heritage of the Périgord Noir.
Optional: a boat cruise along the Dordogne river on board a barge. From this traditional wooden boat, you can admire the majestic castles of Beynac & Castelnaud (not included).
We recommend as optional activities: canoeing down the river, the hanging gardens of Marqueyssac & the bamboo plantation.
2 Walk options :
. Short option : La Roque Gageac > Vitrac > Domme | 2h30 | 11 km - 7 miles | Elevation: +390m/-280m
. Longer option : Beynac > La Roque Gageac > Vitrac > Domme | 5h | 18 km - 11 miles | Elevation : +650m/ - 500m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Domme
Transfer to Allas les Mines or the Château des Milandes: world famous thanks to Josephine Baker, admire its elegant turrets. Follow the left bank of the Dordogne to Castelnaud, a listed village with a fortified castle that played an important role in the Hundred Year War. You continue along the Dordogne River before climbing to Domme perched on a vertiginous cliff with buildings of gold coloured stone, offering a breathtaking view over the Dordogne Valley. We recommend visiting both the Château des Milandes and Castelnaud.
2 Walk options :
. Short option : Château des Milandes > Château de Castelnaud > Domme | 3h20 | 13 km - 8 miles | Elevation: +430m/-390m
. Longer option : Allas les Mines > Château des Milandes > Château de Castelnaud > Domme | 5h30 | 20 km - 12 miles | Elevation : +640m/ - 560m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Domme
From either Limueil or Le Bugue, nestled downstream of the Vézère valley, known as the "Valley of Man", you pass through picturesque landscapes and numerous shady woods, farms and hamlets, passing through St Cirq and the famous Grotte du Sorcier (Sorcerer's Cave), before arriving at the prehistoric capital Les Eyzies.
We recommend visiting the Fonte de Gaume & de Combarelles caves, Abri Pataud, Cro Magnon & du Poisson.
2 Walk options :
. Short option : Le Bugue > Les Eyzies | 3h45 | 13 km - 8 miles | Elevation: +190m/-180m
. Longer option : Limueil > Le Bugue > Les Eyzies | 6h15 | 23 km - 14 miles | Elevation : +440m/ - 430m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Les Eyzies
After breakfast you have a transfer to either St Cyprien (longer hike) or to Meyrals (shorter hike). Saint Cyprien where the longer hikes begins is worth a small detour especially on a Sunday as it’s market day in the morning. Walk down old streets and past the 12th century abbey church and bell tower before you had into the rolling countryside, pass farmyards, walk through forest and along trails and quiet country lanes and pass Chateau Fages. Just before entering Les Eyzies you will also pass the Font de Gaume - Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, this prehistoric cave is one of the most incredible Palaeolithic sites in the world.
We recommend visiting the Musée Nationale de la Préhistoire.
2 Walk options :
. Short option : Meyrals> Les Eyzies | 2h40 | 10 km - 6 miles | Elevation: +170m/-270m
. Longer option : Saint Cyprien > Les Eyzies | 4h10 | 15 km - 9 miles | Elevation : +320m/ - 320m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Les Eyzies
Transfer to Peyzac Le Mousiter or St Léon sur Vézère. From Saint Léon sur Vézère, a listed village peacefully installed in a bend of the Vézère river and dominated by the Côte de Jor, you hike through oak forests, and cross typical farms and hamlets towards the charming village of Montignac located at the foot of the famous Lascaux hill. We recommend kayaking or canoeing in St Leon and the Parc du Thot.
2 Walk options :
. Short option : St Leon > Montignac | 3h15 | 14 km - 8 miles | Elevation: +300m/-290m
. Longer option : Peyzac Le Moustier > Saint Leon > Montignac | 5h | 20 km - 12 miles | Elevation : +510m/ - 510m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Montignac
A short loop walk allows you to walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and visit the LASCAUX IV cave (not included, visit to be booked in advance): a complete and original replica which houses the oldest paintings of humanity and retraces the discovery of the famous decorated cave.
We recommend prolonging your trip and spending an extra night in Montignac with the possibility of kayaking in the afternoon! Or visiting the Regourdou site and discovering Neanderthal man.
Loop Walk : 2h | 7 km - 4 miles | Elevation: +150m/-150m
Meals included : breakfast
Night : Montignac
Transfer after breakfast to Sarlat-la-Canéda. End of your trip.
MEALS included: Breakfast
Market on Wednesday mornings and all day Saturday in Sarlat.
ACCESS
. From Paris : High speed Paris/Bordeaux and then Bordeaux/Sarlat
Direct train also from Paris / Sarlat
. From Bordeaux airport : train Bordeaux / Sarlat
