The crowds fall behind past Château de Beynac and although the cloud-topping sights become fewer, the scenery remains just as gorgeous.

However the river widens and the current eases in this section, making it much more suitable for first-timers, families and photographers looking for the perfect shot of provincial France.Īt Souillac, the river begins to wind round in s-shaped loops before being greeted by medieval fortresses and fantastic quayside villages sprinkled with cafés and restaurants like La Roque Gageac and Beynac-et-Cazenac. Three routes will allow you to reach this spectacular panoramic view of the Valley of Castles and the winding river. It crosses 5 departments (Puy-de-Dôme, Corrèze, Lot, Dordogne and Gironde) and 3 regions (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine) before it flows into the Gironde near Bordeaux. map of plant supply sites) and Reinforced partnerships and exchanges: 10 agreements. The Dordogne is a river in the central part of Southern France. Higher up the valley, the river runs faster through the gorges and is ideal for experienced or daredevil canoeists. Alluvial habitats of the Dordogne river are being impacted by human. The Périgord for epicuriens, where the areas star products accompany delicious Bergerac-Duras wines. The Périgord of bastides, the 'new' towns of the Middle Ages, with Monpazier, said to be the most beautiful bastide in south-west France, as a highlight.

Plenty of beaches like those in Meyronne or Gluges often entice passers-by with their calm waters and vertiginous cliffs to stop off for a picnic or a snooze under the sun. You are invited to discover another Périgord. The stretch between Saint-Sozy and Souillac flows past (or below) three gorgeous châteaux: Lanzac, Belcastel and La Treyne. Today, tourists can embark on replicas for an hour-long cruise at various places along the river, including Argentat and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.įor booking and information please contact the Tourist Office on +33 5 65 33 22 00. They have also created the reputation of the Dordogne and Périgord, offering exceptional scenery and privileged views of the most beautiful riverside castles along 150 km of safe canoeing. It would typically take around six days to descend the river between Argentat and Bordeaux , navigating through Beaulieu, Souillac, Beynac, Bergerac…and over two weeks to return upstream with animals (or men) often pulling the boats with ropes from the river banks. The Dordogne rivers are places for wonderful and adrenaline filled adventures. The boats would transport materials like wood and slate as well as salt and wine produced in nearby vineyards. Plate 5 repre- sents a map of the Riv- er Yezere, from Les Eyzies, where it emp- tiesinto the Dordogne River, to Lo iVIoustier, 10. Although the Dordogne’s river trade and use of gabares soared in the 18th and 19th centuries, these traditional flat-bottomed boats were operated as early as the Middle Ages. It also served to connect populations living higher up the river in Auvergne and Limousin with those lower down in Bergerac and Bordeaux. Once a bustling commercial axe for the valley, the river was the most direct and safest way of circulating goods.

Dordogne river map