Dordogne and the surrounding area
Dordogne Region
The inland department of the Dordogne is found in south Western
France and forms part of the Aquitaine region. Thanks to this
advantageous position, the area is blessed with a particularly
temperate climate, making it a pleasant place to be in any
occasion. The Dordogne area enjoys almost 2000 hours of sunshine each
year.
A small part of the Dordogne
Countryside
The region owes its name to the Dordogne River once famous as
the frontier between the French and the English sides during The
Hundred Year’s war. It also boasts another title, Perigord, the
name of the former province.
Mas D`Arneix is situated inside the Park Natural Regional of
Perigord Limousin. This is Perigord Vert, first given this label
by Jules Verne during his travels, covers a crescent shaped area
in the north of the region Thanks to its high hills, humid
climate, impermeable soil and streams, the area is lush with
vegetation in even the driest of summers. The natural and
cultural diversity of the northern part of this area led to the
inauguration of the Nature park of Perigord Limousin.
At the heart of this protected area, country side activities
such as walking, water sports, climbing are readily available.
Other areas of the Dordogne and places of interest include.
Thiviers
Renowned for its foie gras, the foie gras markets take place
every winter offering first class merchandises including geese,
ducks and truffles
Jumilac le grand
Hosts a feudal and renaissance chateau and a gold mine museum.
Perigueux
Perigueux is the capital of the Dordogne and serves as a great
base for exploring the surrounding area. The medieval part of
the town comes alive on Wednesdays and Saturdays when local
artisans display their first-class produce including assorted
cured meats, truffles, foie-gras and pies or 'pates de Perigueux'.
Brantome
Brantome is an attractive town near the northern edge of the
Dordogne department. It is affectionately referred to as the
Venice of the Dordogne.
It is the situation of Brantome on the river Dronne that
encircles a large part of the town that adds most to its appeal.
The river is calm and gentle at this point, covered with lilies,
and sheltered by weeping willows, and it is very pleasant to
walk along the edge of the river and through the gardens.
The town has a nice mix of medieval and renaissance architecture
to admire
While you are in the Dordogne, try walnuts which feature in
cakes, desserts, cheeses, wines & liqueurs. Visit a walnut mill
and pick up a bottle of walnut oil – lovely drizzled over salads
& cheeses. Potted meats are very much part of traditional
Périgord cookery. For dessert you may wish to try ‘clafoutis’, a
local flan decorated with plump black cherries or ‘Gateaux aux
Noix’, a delicious walnut cake. Highly-prized truffles, a
regional delicacy, are known locally as ‘black diamonds’.
Whether you are a connoisseur or not, the full-bodied red wines
of Cahors and Bergerac, the famous white Monbazillac and
Bergerac’s are bound to find their way onto your table, and at
very reasonable prices!
Limoges
Limoges has been producing fine china ware since the early 1770s
when kaolin deposits were discovered nearby. Although not quite
the thriving trading centre it was in the past Limoges has great
museums and galleries dedicated to the legendary local craft.
The Gothic cathedral is also worth a visit and lies on a plateau
looking out over the river Vienne. The cathedral is surrounded
by the botanical garden or Jardin de L'Eveche with its medicinal
herbs and flowers. To the west of the cathedral is the old
quarter with its narrow streets and half-timbered houses.
A wide variety of activities are available in the Dordogne area,
including:
- Canoeing on the River Dordogne
- Horse riding
- Hot air ballooning
- Micro light flights
- Light aircraft flights
- Swimming and water sports on the
recreational lakes
- Prehistoric caves Grottes de Villars
and Caves de Lascaux
- Acro bois tree climbing and zip wires
- Velo rail
A little further a field is Cahors,
capital of the Lot and the centre of the wine growing area
producing deep red and strong Cahors wine. Also relatively
nearby is Bergerac, the centre of another wine growing area
producing Bergerac reds and whites, Pecharmant reds and
Montbazillac whites. Bordeaux and Toulouse are within two and a
half hours drive through beautiful countryside.
Dordogne
