#Dordogne france for free#
#Dordogne france full#
#Dordogne france plus#

Here are the high points: Bergeracįamous for Edmond Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac, this interesting medieval town is, more importantly, a winemaking center. You go to the Dordogne (by plane, train, bus or car) just to live there for awhile and enjoy it. What it has is a consistent richness of natural beauty, history, culture and cuisine. The Dordogne has no must-visit imperial cities such as Paris, no must-see royal châteaux such as in the Loire valley. Swathed in fertile river-floodplain fields and green forests, its hills and rock outcrops dotted with medieval towns and châteaux, it offers a succession of beautiful vistas and panoramas along the length of the river and its tributaries. The average high temperature in Bergerac ranges from 20C to 28C between May and October, falling to 10C in January.The Dordogne River valley is among France's most beautiful and alluring regions.

#Dordogne france full#

Best times to visitĮaster until late autumn is peak season, with many gardens in full bloom.

Bergerac is 530 miles from Calais and 360 miles from Caen. Travelling by train (from London to Bordeaux, changing in Paris) costs from around £170 return on Eurostar. Bordeaux is 90 minutes from Bergerac by car. Ryanair flies to Bergerac from Liverpool, Stansted and East Midlands Flybe flies from Birmingham, Southampton, Exeter and Edinburgh. Dynamic young owner Francoise has created an eco-glamping resort, with romantic lakeside wooden chalets and areas for tents and vehicles (pitches from €20 for two nights). Old-fashioned but charming, this 16th-century auberge has 10 rustic-beamed rooms, as well as a small pool.įor a more outdoorsy experience, carry on to the north of the Dordogne, where Parenthèses Imaginaires (cabins sleeping 2, from €110 a night, minimum two nights) is a sprawling campsite with a lake and thick forest. Here, the venerable Hostellerie les Griffons (doubles from €95, breakfast €13) sits right on the river. Take the lovely 10km drive south-west along the Dronne to medieval Bourdeilles, crossing an ancient stone bridge to enter the village. Alternatively, sit out on the river bank at Comme à la Maison (13 quai Bertin, +33 9 8051 6833, no website), where owner Sarah Nicolas serves a €16 three-course lunch with seasonal, organic products. It was already a foodie paradise but now it boasts the Bistrot de la Halle, a minuscule diner where a glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to freshly shucked oysters or a hamburger au foie gras.īrantôme caters for all budgets, from the Michelin-starred Moulin de l’Abbaye, to the cheap-and-cheerful Co’Thé-Café, where a homemade soup, quiche and salad costs €7.50. In Périgueux, head straight for the town’s historic covered market on Place du Coderc.

#Dordogne france for free#

Château Vari wines can be tasted for free at the bar, or there are tables in the garden of this friendly cafe-wine bar for indulging in generous €10 plates of charcuterie and local cheeses with a chilled bottle of organic €12 Bergerac blanc or rosé. In Monbazillac, the welcoming Maison Vari is owned by a local vigneron (wine maker).

#Dordogne france plus#

The best place for a romantic lunch is under the giant plane tree spreading over Place du Feu, where Une Cuillère pour Maman serves a selection of light, contemporary €10 plats du jour, which might be sea bream with sun-dried tomatoes or date-encrusted roast lamb, plus vegan and vegetarian options. The centre of Bergerac has plenty of relaxed wine bars and pubs such as Au Plus Que Parfait. A simple lunch at Bistrot de la Halle in Périgueux