Dordogne and Aquitaine Holidays
La vie Française
Weather
Winters are cold on the plateaux and summers are hot. Valleys are more temperate than the plateaux. Autumns are late, pleasant and calm.
Wine & Cuisine
Despite a superb gastronomic reputation, it’s quite easy to find remarkably good value food at all levels. Specialities include truffles, foie gras and confit de canard (duck preserved in its own fat) and Roquefort cheese. Try wine from Souillac (equivalent to a Bordeaux-style Bergerac) or the fuller, more robust Cahors. Bergerac Sec is a good dry white and Monbazillac a sweet, golden coloured dessert wine with a divine honeyed flavour. Further west, 88% of the Bordeaux wine production is red, much of which is reasonably priced, but don’t forget the sweet white Sauternes with your dessert.
How would you like to...
Walk in the steps of pilgrims to Rocamadour? See the bison a caveman painted on his wall 19,000 years ago? Wonder at the castles perched atop the cliffs of a deep river gorge? Or have a relaxing soak inside an oak barrel at a luxury Bordeaux Gastro-spa?
Holidays in Dordogne and Aquitaine
Glittering Gironde
Cycle from Bordeaux to the coast and back again
Wander through the prestigious vineyards of the Médoc, staying in charming country châteaux. Enjoy the ozone as you reach the coast before returning to Bordeaux through Cognac country.
Drama of the Dordogne
Rocky crags and gorgeous gorges
The meandering valley of the Dordogne is a visual feast, honey-coloured villages, slowly crumbling in picturesque disorder typify this delightful region. Graded challenging as although the valleys and plateaux are fairly flat there are sharp inclines between the two.
Tranquil Dordogne
Mystical rivers and hidden valleys
An exciting landscape of green fertile valleys and dramatic cliffs dominated by the Dordogne river which meanders past vineyards, pretty villages and brooding castles. The walk is graded moderate as distances are longer with a few climbs rising 150m.
Dordogne Exploration
Prehistoric treasures and stunning valleys
Dramatic castles, cliff hugging villages and mysterious grottoes make for an exhilarating ride through an enchanting landscape just waiting to be explored. The Dordogne countryside means that there are regular inclines, but you’re never climbing for too long!
Dordogne Prestige à Pied
Spectacular Dordogne combined with special hotels
Spectacular views as the walk takes you through the splendid scenery of the Quercy Natural Park past rocky overhanging cliffs with wonderful views across the Dordogne River - graded a moderate walk as there are some steep sections.
A Votre Sante
Luxurious 5-star spa hotel in the Smith Haut Lafitte estate
Wine and Spa treatments don’t seem to compliment one another but at the luxurious Les Sources de Caudalie they ingeniously combine the two with Merlot wraps and crushed Cabernet scrubs and in the bar you can sample the very best of French wines by the glass.
Gascony Canal Cruise
All-inclusive luxury barging
The luxury barge ROSA offers comfortable en suite accommodation for up to 8 passengers cruising the Canal Latéral through the peaceful Gascony countryside. The ROSA featured in Rick Stein's TV series The French Odyssey.
Dordogne Prestige en Vélo
Grand scenery and grand hotels
An undulating landscape of forested hills and dramatic gorges. This is classic Dordogne scenery green, sometimes dramatic and rocky and scattered with honey, turreted castles and farms - truly a fairytale landscape! A great ride for the cycling enthusiast
Claret and the Coast
Wine, pine and sunshine
Wander through prestigious vineyards, staying in charming country accommodation. Cycle from the Bordeaux vineyards and forests to the coast at Arcachon - fill your senses with the smell of the vine, the pine and the ocean.
Grands Vins de Bordeaux à Pied
A must for wine lovers
A leisurely walk through prestigious vineyards, starting with the reds of St Emilion, followed by the dry whites of Entre-Deux-Mers and concluding with the sweet Sauternes - plenty of tasting opportunities en route and a chance to restock your cellar with some of France's best wines. Santé!
Les Bordeaux Prestige en Vélo
The ultimate Grand Cru tour
A prestige cycle for those who appreciate Bordeaux's supremacy as the wine cellar of France. Your stay is in luxury hotels and includes two Michelin starred menus. The cycle route takes you through names such as Rothschild, Château Mouton and Lafitte, Fronsac, Pomerol and St Emillion.
Canal de Garonne en Vélo
A tale of two cities
The Canal de Garonne connects the historic cities of Toulouse and Bordeaux, where it meets the Garonne river some 30 miles from the wine capital. Follow shady cycle paths through forests, medieval towns, vineyards and enjoy a wealth of contrasting French delights! Easy flat cycling, moderate distances
Want to know more?
Why not give us a call and we'll help you pick a holiday that suits you.
