It makes summer the ideal season to visit Périgord.Īutumn is also a very pleasant season in Dordogne, with fewer tourists and good temperatures, at least until October. On average, the temperature is between 25 and 35 degrees. Summer is often dry with lots of sunshine. So, what are the best times to visit Dordogne in France? The Dordogne valley has a temperate oceanic climate with moderate winters and hot summers. This one was pierced to make a dozen caves that served as dwellings.Īn astonishing visit, then. Originally, part of the abbey was built into the cliff. Their unique-looking boats were called “gabare”.īehind its 18th-century convent buildings, Brantôme Abbey preserves the memory of a troglodyte monastic life. The Dordogne river was used by the inhabitants to descend the wood and bring up wine. The Dordogne is a valley, so in other words, it’s a low area of land between hills, with a river flowing through it. If you come to visit the Dordogne, you’ll probably have the opportunity to visit each of these areas. The white Périgord: which takes its name from the white of its soils, its limestone, and its rock The purple Périgord: with all its vineyards The green Périgord: which, as its name suggests, is rich in greenery. The black Périgord: the most touristy, because it’s where you’ll find the most beautiful things to see Today, Dordogne and Périgord are synonymous and designate the same territory.īy the way, it’s customary to divide the Dordogne into 4 areas: It’s simply its old name, dating back to Roman times. The French also call it “Perigord”, so don’t be surprised if you hear one or the other. It’s the third-largest French department. N.B.Let’s start this post with a quick geographical reminder of this Dordogne map.ĭordogne is located in the southwest of France. Tributaries The Dordogne in the Périgord Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and Dordogne view from Altillac Beynac-et-Cazenac The département of Gironde – The towns of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande and Libourne.The département of Dordogne – The towns of Beynac-et-Cazenac, Sarlat, Saint-Cyprien, and Bergerac.The département of Lot – The towns of Souillac, Pinsac, Lacave, Meyronne, Creysse, Montvalent, Martel, Floirac, Carennac, Gintrac, Tauriac and Prudhomat.The département of Corrèze – The towns of Argentat, Bort-les-Orgues, and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.The département of Puy-de-Dôme – The towns of Le Mont-Dore (near the source of the river) and La Bourboule.The départements of France through which the Dordogne runs, together with some towns in those départements that are on or quite near the river, are as follows:.The lifestyle and culture of the Dordogne valley attract both visitors and incomers from all over France, but also from many other countries, particularly Britain and Germany.Ĭourse The Dordogne at Argentat in Corrèze, part of the Limousin region The main season for tourism in the Valley of the Dordogne is from June to September, with July and August being high season. In Périgord, the valley widens further to encompass one of France's main gastronomic regions, with vineyards, poultry farms and truffle-rich woodlands. In the towns, which are major tourist attractions because of their history and architecture, the quaysides are lined with eating and drinking places. Camp sites and holiday homes have proliferated wherever the valley floor is wide enough to accommodate them.īelow Argentat and around Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, the valley widens to accommodate fertile farmland, well-watered pasture and orchards. In several places the river is dammed to form long, deep lakes. The cliffs, steep banks, fast flowing water and high bridges attract both walkers and drivers. The upper valley of the Dordogne is a series of deep gorges. The Dordogne is one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit the phenomenon of a tidal bore, known as a mascaret. It flows generally west about 500 kilometres (310 mi) through the Limousin and Périgord regions before flowing into the Gironde, its common estuary with the Garonne, at the Bec d'Ambès ("Ambès beak"), north of the city of Bordeaux. The river rises on the flanks of the Puy de Sancy at 1,885 metres (6,184 ft) above sea level in the mountains of Auvergne, from the confluence of two small torrents above the town of Le Mont-Dore: the Dore and the Dogne. The Dordogne and its watershed were designated Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO on July 11 2012. The Dordogne ( French pronunciation: ⓘ Occitan: Dordonha) is a river in south-central and southwest France.
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