The Dordogne

As promised, in this post we return to our travels in the Dordogne. I can’t say I knew much about this area before coming here, but as our week in Oloron-Sainte-Marie in the foothills of the Pyrenees came to an end, we needed to go somewhere. I recalled our friends Shani and Todd mentioning that they had enjoyed the area, so I figured we would, too.

If there is one thing we’ve really come to appreciate about traveling in France it is the diversity of landscapes. One day you can be hiking high in the French Alps, then the next day dipping your toes in the Mediterranean along the French Riviera. There’s the Pyrenees, the Atlantic shores along the Bay of Biscay and Normandy to the north. And of course, there’s wine country, landscapes covered in vines and dotted with magnificent chateaus and castles. And really, that’s just scratching the surface.

The Dordogne, located in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, is itself quite diverse. The region is filled with rivers, wide verdant valleys and meadows, limestone cliffs and woods filled with oak and pine trees. In addition to vast vineyards that produce some of the most sought-after wines in the world, local products also include foie gras, walnuts and truffles. You can hardly walk through any little village that doesn’t have several shops filled with every product imaginable using these ingredients.

Just for context, here’s where the Dordogne region is in France.

We began our trek in Saint-Émilion, the heart of wine country in this region. As we drove in, we noticed miles of vineyards and massive chateaus on every corner. There are many different routes to take through the Dordogne and a cute village at every turn. It would be easy to spend a whole season here just puttering around from place to place. Because we were here very early in the year, and nearly everything was closed due to COVID, we spent a couple of weeks moseying to just a few highlights that are really spectacular.

This is an overview of our route through the Dordogne region.

Saint-Émilion – Chateau Arnaud de Jacquemeau

Though it lies just outside the Dordogne, this winery was the start of our tour. Many of you might be familiar with US-based Harvest Hosts, the program that allows self-contained RVs to stay overnight at wineries, farms, museums, etc. Did you know that Harvest Hosts is based on a program here in France called French Passion? Similar programs around the world are based on French Passion, which has been around since 1993. As you might imagine, the French wine country is a very popular place for motorhomers. We are not members of this program, because honestly we didn’t think we’d be traveling in France enough to make it worthwhile. Every now and again, though, we come across a location that allows non-members to stay, and that’s what we found near Saint-Émilion.

Our peaceful campsite at the Chateau Arnaud de Jacquemeau winery.

With Bijou nestled among the vines, Steven and I spent our time riding our bikes around the countryside and into the cute villages. Saint-Émilion was beautiful, and fairly busy compared to what we’ve seen up to this point. All the wine shops were open, as were the shops offering local products like foie gras and walnut cake. All the restaurants were closed, but there was one pizza place offering takeout, so we ordered one! It is also possible to order wine with the pizza, but we stuck to the water we already had with us. What amazes me about the wine is that they serve it in regular glasses which customers return to the restaurant. Disposable plastics and paper plates are not really a big thing over here.

Some of the chateaus have very ornate architecture. The light was beautiful in the town of Saint-Emilion.
Great views of Saint-Emilion after a hike up some stairs. The Tour de France is due to come through this little village later this summer. There are signs everywhere welcoming the riders and fans.
It was about now we decided that some pizza would be a good idea.
We bought some goodies from this Bernie Sanders lookalike foie gras vendor in Saint-Émilion.
Our first restaurant food since Croatia! It was simple, but so delicious!
Some of the vineyards around Saint-Emilion have been around since Roman times. It is only one of many appellations in the Bordeaux region, but there are hundreds of wineries producing thousands of bottles of wine each year.
The modern Cheval Blanc cellars. A bottle from this winery will set you back a few hundred dollars.
The Cheval Blanc Chateau.
At the winery where we stayed, we did a “free” wine tasting. The tasting itself is free but it’s hard not to walk away without buying a few bottles which, of course, we did.
The proprietor instructs us on the proper way to taste wine. We had to take our masks off for that, of course.
Steven waits patiently for our wine order.

Bergerac

You know, as in Cyrano de, the romantic poet who fell in love with the beautiful Roxane, only to be convinced she could never love him because of his huge nose. Quite the love story, only I think Roxane was his cousin. I guess that was okay back then. I don’t want to spoil the ending, so that’s enough story-telling.

A statue of Cyrano in the town square of Bergerac.

We stayed in an aire located about 12 kilometers from town, which was perfect because there was a great bike trail along the Dordogne river.

Although it was an overcast day, that didn’t stop us enjoying the bike path to Bergerac. There always seems to be a chateau lurking behind the trees.

Old Town Bergerac was small but really fantastic. We came upon a “local product” shop, which is easy to do as there is one on every corner. I went in to poke around while Steven stayed outside with our bikes. I was just about to ask the shopkeeper a question when she looked at her watch and realized it was a few minutes past noon. She hopped up from her stool and asked me to leave and come back after lunch. I am torn about these two-hour lunch breaks the French love so much. On one hand, this time is sacrosanct and it’s so civilized to actually stop and prepare a nice lunch. We’ve seen folks in vans and motorhomes stop everything, set up a table and chairs, open a bottle of wine and eat a lovely lunch. Then they put it all away and go on with their day. It’s wonderful! But on the other hand, it seems so weird that customers who are in the shop ready to make a purchase are suddenly shooed out the door and told to return later. That’s the way it is, though. I did not return to the shop, because we were long gone by the time she returned after lunch.

The bridge dividing two distinctly different sections of Bergerac.
We arrived right around lunchtime so between the residents away for lunch and the complete lack of tourists, we had the place to ourselves. That little yellow scooter belongs to the mailman. They are fearless, so we stay out of their way!
Don’t you just love this old architecture?
Walking around Bergerac was like stepping back in time.
A beautiful garden display by an old square in Bergerac.

Montignac

If Disney built a medieval village, this would be it. The aire we stayed in was just at the edge of the village, so it was easy for us to walk around. What a great place! The town is home to the Lascaux caves with amazing prehistoric paintings. Sadly, we didn’t get to visit because of COVID closures.

As you enter the labyrinth of streets in Montignac, it feels a little run down but it still has lots of character.
We debated whether Bijou would fit up this street. No, we didn’t really 🙂
Cute post box!
The beautiful village of Montignac situated on the banks of the Vézère river.
There were lots of houses that looked like they were being reclaimed by nature although that seems to be quite common in this little town.
When in France, this sign either denotes that they are on a lunch break or closed indefinitely because of COVID. Hard to know which is which half the time.
More views of old Montignac.
Even during lockdown the bakeries are open. We were on the lookout for a lemon tart, but found these instead.

Sarlat-la-Canéda

Another medieval village, Sarlat-la-Canéda is most known for its fabulous Saturday market. Sarlat is a very hilly place, so parking can be rather iffy. We found a place outside a large gym which had plenty of parking, some of it level, which is what we were after. It was a huge parking lot and we were the only ones there. Even though we were not in lockdown at this time and had freedom of movement, we were still under a 6:00 p.m. curfew. The only car we saw after curfew was the police, checking to make sure all was well.

We had the entire parking lot to ourselves in Sarlat-la-Canéda.

The spring markets we have visited thus far have been mini versions of themselves. Lots of space and empty booths remind us COVID is still very much in control here. The Sarlat market was wonderful, filled with food and wares, and a fair few people milling about. It was a beautiful day and we were happy to be out and about. As we are prone to do, we hemmed and hawed about buying stuff, namely foie gras. I was eager to try cooking it from raw, which I had never done before, so after a few discussions with local purveyors, we finally made the purchase. This was to be part of my upcoming birthday dinner.

The architecture was just gorgeous in Sarlat.
The main draw is the outdoor Saturday market. I can’t imagine what it would be like in a non-COVID time.
Still on the lookout for a lemon tart, Steven was really drawn to this one. I do not like meringue, so we passed on the purchase.
Such fun window shopping in Sarlat. Everything looked delicious.
The market was filled with ready-to-eat dishes like this couscous with various veggies and meats.
This is sauerkraut and bacon and lots of other stuff. Looked okay, but those hotdogs are a big no from me.
The salmon looked good. All of this food was at one big stand. We were tempted but there was no real place to sit down and eat it.
Foie gras heaven!
We bought some raw foie gras here.
…it was delicious!

We also purchased some sweet wine to have with the foie, as well as a walnut cake and a few other little bits. We came upon a tiny hole-in-the-wall takeout place serving “American” hamburgers. We couldn’t resist and they were actually pretty good! It’s been a very long time since we’ve had a good burger, so likely anything would have scratched that itch.

With all the exotic French food around, we opted for American burgers and fries, lol 🙂

La Roque-Gageac

Even though there are more famous places along our route, this little village turned out to be my favorite of all. We parked up at an aire just over three kilometers away and rode our bikes over to visit. What a surprise this place was! The village is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (“The most beautiful villages of France”) association but I didn’t know that until after our visit. It is perched along the Dordogne river with buildings made of the same limestone from the cliffs that tower above. Sometimes a building can be in plain sight but kind of disappears at the same time. Because of the cliffs, the village has a climate that is much cooler than its neighbors, which allows a somewhat tropical garden to flourish. It was just fascinating and of course Steven had a blast photographing it.

The aire where we stayed near La Roque. The entrance is at the other end where Bijou is. We shot this on a walk to the nearby town of Domme.
This church is made from the same limestone as the cliffs behind. From a distance, it looks like it’s part of the natural surrounds.
La Roque is such a breathtakingly beautiful little town. There is no bridge to cross the river, so you just drive through one end of town and out the other. The walk in the tropical gardens is in between those lower buildings and the church. Such a neat place!
The cliffs provide a climate that is a natural habitat for tropical plants and trees.
The roofs reminded us of something from Grimm’s Fairy Tales. We did not visit the castle on the right. I think it was closed when we were there.
More buildings looking like they are straight out of a fairy tale.
Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves when we visit places like this. They are so different from anything in the States.
Arches and wonderful light and cobblestones. A theme in this town.
Interesting door knocker!
You can clearly see the tropical influence of the cliffs in this public garden.

Rocamadour

This village is one of the “must-see” places along the Dordogne. Well, actually it is perched high in the cliffs above a tributary of the Dordogne in the Lot department, but still, it is a highlight of any trip in this area. Ages ago a miracle of some sort occured here and now Rocamadour has been designated a UNESCO heritage site along the Way of St. James. And you know me, I can’t resist a good pilgrimage site!

We planned to spend the night at the local aire, which is basically just a parking lot. From everything we read it would cost 30 euros, which was incredibly high as these things go. So we figured we’d stay one night and hit the road. Turns out that it’s free in the off-season, so YAY! We still only stayed one night, as by this time we were eager to get moving north toward Sens.

We had seen photos where this parking lot was full of motorhomes but we shared it with only a few others in Rocamadour.
This architecture and light looked like a painting. This is part of a church grounds on the way down to the town of Rocamadour.
Linda contemplates an ice cream treat.
There are not enough words to describe this amazing place! We hiked down from where Bijou was parked, walking down switchbacks and over 250 stairs. Then we had to hike back up! We certainly got our steps in on this day.
The old town section of Rocamadour. We were able to order take out for dinner from the one and only restaurant that was open. The church above is close to where Bijou was parked.
The almost empty old town.
All of these structures built into the side of this cliff are amazing to see. The main title image of this blog post shows a different angle.
Evening light through the trees close to where we were parked.

We put a good amount of kilometers behind us on our travel day and after an overnight on a farm out in the big middle of nowhere, we rolled into our favorite little aire in Sens. Last year when we pulled in here our world was changing rapidly. Here we are a year later and it still is, although things seem slightly less scary. Since we’ve arrived here France has gone into another lockdown until early May, so we are happy to be settled in a familiar place with everything we need in close proximity. In a few days we will travel to get our second vaccination. Then we wait and see what opens up over the following weeks. We have some plans, in fact, some really exciting plans, but everything depends on open borders. Stay tuned.


Next up: Not sure yet, but it will be exciting!


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37 Comments

  1. Dolores Tanner

    Oh my gosh!!! These are beautiful places and pictures!!! So wish I was along to see in person, but this is certainly next best thing!!!
    Got my 2nd shot too! Feel unusually ‘safe’
    Keep stories coming… LOVE them?

    1. 2chouters

      Oh, how exciting to have your second shot! Such a feeling of relief! Ours is coming in 9 days and we can’t wait! Hopefully that will allow us to travel a bit more and that’s exciting, too! Good to hear from you and glad you are feeling safe!

  3. Catherine Wolfe

    I sat down to do some paperwork and glanced at my email. Ten minutes later and I shook my head after being immersed in the great travelogue and photos! Thanks, once again, for taking the time to share your adventures!

  4. Jodee Gravel

    I don’t know how you absorb all that amazing beauty and history while walking through it! A really exceptional post. I read it twice! Between the pics and words I feel like was there. Although the stairs would mean I actually watched from afar! Thank you so much for sharing another stunning region. Just wow!! For some reason I really love the colors and textures of the restaurant -bar with the postman, but the garden display and the tower through the trees are favs too. All of them are frame worthy! BTW, your hair looks great :-))

    1. 2chouters

      This area was so different from what we had previously seen, it was a real treat to walk through it. Plus, no crowds. Steven really outdid himself with these photos, I have a few favorites myself, including the postman! Ah, the hair… I haven’t had a cut since November, so it is so much longer and thicker than usual. I can’t wait to get it whacked off! Looking forward to your upcoming travels, be safe out there!

    1. 2chouters

      Rita, it’s so nice to have you along on our travels. We both appreciate your comments! As for a photography book, you never know. Steven always has some kind of idea up his sleeve. 🙂

  8. Janet Corneail

    Another excellent post about a beautiful area. You are living my dream! We are RV traveling in the US for a couple of months also with some Covid constraints. In the last few weeks we have been seeing some canyons and gorges. It is amazing how different the US is from Europe. If we ever get to travel in an RV in Europe, I would love to be able to pick your brains!

    1. 2chouters

      Thanks for your comment, Janet. Traveling in Europe takes some forward planning, but it’s so worth it! In spite of the global pandemic, we have really enjoyed being able to visit so many remarkable places. Feel free to pick our brains anytime!

    1. 2chouters

      Thank you for your sweet comment, Carmela! We are happy to have you along on our travels and appreciate you taking the time to let us know you enjoyed the post.

    1. 2chouters

      Thanks, Steve! Those old half-timbers houses are amazing. Bergerac was particularly fun for this kind of architecture! Hope you guys are safe, too, and maybe some borders will open soon? Fingers crossed for all of us!

    1. 2chouters

      Thanks, Nina! Many of these places are just a morning’s drive from you! When that 10k limit is lifted and you need a little day trip, these places would be so perfect!

    1. 2chouters

      Thank you for your kind words, Liz. Steven really did an amazing job with his photos in this area. How lucky am I that he shares them with me for the blog? 🙂

    1. 2chouters

      I hope you get back over here to the places you love, Caren. I can certainly understand why this place feels like home, it is so easy to be comfortable here. Thanks for your comment!

    1. 2chouters

      Thank you for your sweet comment, Maggie. Steven and I were literally talking about you when your comment arrived. We were wondering how things were going with residency and lockdown in general. We hope things are improving!

  17. Killian

    If you enjoy novels the Bruno, Chief of Police series, set in the Dordogne, are excellent. Other than solving crime Bruno’s hobbies include gardening and cooking. He’s also a big fan of the market’s in the region.

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  19. Donna

    I cant say enough how much I enjoy your story and pictures. It makes me feel like I’m right there too.
    I so appreciate your posting your travels. Thank you!!

  20. Steve Dempsey

    Great shots. I lived in the Dordogne 35 years ago. It was a bit further north but I’ve been to all these places so it was enjoyable to see them again through your eyes.

    My mum worked for a while in local farm that made foie gras. It’s so delicious, but I’m not sure I can eat it anymore – but it’s so good.

    Enjoy your further travels!

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