Discover Dordogne and Aquitaine

Dordogne and Aquitaine Holidays

La vie Française

Dordogne and Aquitaine

The Dordogne is a stunning area dramatically scattered with castles, fortresses and cliff hugging villages watching over meandering rivers. One of the earliest cradles of civilisation, there are widespread prehistoric remains including ancient cave paintings. To its west are the flatter, undulating vineyard plains reaching across through Bordeaux to the Atlantic coast. Mile upon mile of the finest claret names unfold here from Château Pétrus in Pomerol to Château Margaux in the Haut-Médoc.

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

Cruising in Gascony

Cruising in Gascony

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.

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Glittering Gironde

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 coastbefore returning to Bordeaux through Cognac country.

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A Taste of Bordeaux

A Taste of Bordeaux

Sweet white or deep red, wine for all tastes

Discover the Bordeaux vineyards on the banks of the Garonne. Sample the sweet whites of Loupiac and the rich deep reds of St Emilion as you meander through the landscapes and culture of this historic region with easy/moderate cycling.

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Drama of the Dordogne

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.

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Tranquil Dordogne

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 150 m.

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Dordogne Exploration

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!

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Dordogne Prestige à Pied

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.

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A Votre Sante

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.

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Cuisine

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