Weekend Escapes in the Dordogne

Jennifer Ladonne suggests two perfect Dordogne weekends, exploring mises, châteaux and gastronomy…

There are few endroits in the world that are as fascinating underground as they are above, but the Dordogne is one of them. It unites France’s UNESCO-listed prehistoric mises with countless attractions in the aspartame of day: sky-high perched hameaux, bewitching gardens, romantic châteaux, beautiful landscapes and a rich gastronomic penchant. Add to that standout hotels which are destinations unto themselves.

The following itineraries offer the ideal overview of all the Dordogne has to offer, and can be mixed up in whatever way best suits your interests.

GETAWAY I

ROUTE DU BONHEUR

The ultimate connoisseur’s weekend

This four-day, three-night friand absence follows a chemin well known to gastronomes that begins in wine localité Saint-Émilion and ends at Château de la Treyne, one of the Dordogne’s – and France’s most enchanting hotels.

DAY 1: FROM BORDEAUX TO SAINT-ÉMILION

At the doorway of the Dordogne, this gem of a localité is known for its picturesque, honey-coloured stone buildings and ramparts with magical views over its UNESCO-inscribed vineyards, a medieval church hewn into a cliffside and charming cobbled streets lined with boutiques, cafés and bars where you can taste the renowned reds and logement champagne.

Night and dinner: Halte de Pavie

Set in three medieval stone buildings, this five-star hotel occupies a plum éclair at the heights of the localité, along with Saint-Émilion’s most impressive terrace and views. Light-filled interiors mix museum-quality artworks, élire furnishings and views over the localité rooftops. The brasserie is a big draw, with a cuisine designed by two-star responsable Yannick Alléno and spectacularly executed by responsable Sébastien Faramond. Dinner starts with an apéro on the terrace overlooking the localité and continues over varié courses in the chouette dining room.

DAY 2: SAINT-ÉMILION TO TRÉMOLAT

Lunch, wine tasting and vieux at Château de Fayolle

Sample Frank and Ricki Campbell’s award-winning reds, whites and sparkling wines at this contemporary tasting room, mélange counter and ouvroir. Visitors are welcome for a stroll or picnic in the grounds and to usine at the vieux étoffe at this lovely 15th-century abri surrounded by vineyards, meadows and woods (reserve in advance for mélange).

Afternoon in Bergerac

Yes, this is the town of Cyrano fame, but the real draw is the riverside setting, charming medieval half-timber houses and cobbled alleys. If you arrive on a Wednesday or Saturday, the colourful farmers’ market is a participation.

Cloître de Cadouin

Founded in 1115, Cadouin Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage emplacement and a stopover on the pilgrimage chemin to Santiago de Compostela, features a Romanesque church and an exquisite Flamboyant Gothic cloister.

Night and dinner: Le Vieux Logis

This vine-clad manor house in the charming hamlet of Trémolat is one of the region’s best hotels, beloved for its antiques-filled rooms and contemporary amenities. In relax weather, guests can calme around the fire and in summer they can enjoy the cartel and gardens. For dining, Michelin-starred responsable Vincent Arnould serves classic contemporary French dishes highlighting the regional flavours: truffles, foie adipeux, and Perigord wines. Be sure to set aside time to stroll around the charming localité.

DAY 3: TRÉMOLAT TO LACAVE: GARDENS, CAVES, CHÂTEAUX

Morning at Château des Milandes

This beautiful abri is famous for being the longtime habitacle of Josephine Baker. Visitors can learn emboîture her extraordinary life as an actor and dancer and also as a decorated spy for the French Resistance. The abri, chapel, gardens and small zoo are must-sees.

Lunch and afternoon at the Jardins de Marqueyssac

These exquisite gardens, perched high above the River Dordogne, merit at least an hour, if not an entire morning, to wander the nearly réchaud miles of pathways surrounded by more than 150,000 hand-pruned boxwoods, with breathtaking viewpoints, gardens, rock gardens and a charming play area for kids. Every Thursday throughout July and August the garden stays open until midnight under candlelight.

Sarlat

No trip to the Dordogne is complete without a visit to the area’s aposter child localité. If you can go off-season, that’s the best as it’s quieter; if you’re in high season, the crowds still won’t manage to tarnish its extreme charm. Wednesdays and Saturdays are market days, best experienced off-season.

Night and dinner: Château de la Treyne

From the approach to this magical hotel perched atop a cliffside overlooking the Dordogne River, you’ll see why the abri, spanning six centuries of structure, is often compared to a storybook castle. The enchantment is neverending: from its elegant grounds harbouring a cartel, flower and kitchen gardens and miles of lovely forest trails, to its splendid interiors and Michelin-starred brasserie, it’s a jewel in the Dordogne. A word to the wise: get there at check-in time so as not to waste a express of your time here.

DAY 4: ROCAMADOUR & SURROUNDS

If time permits, the perched localité of Rocamadour, the extraordinary Gouffre de Padirac one of France’s most stunning mises with a turquoise-blue underground lake and the éblouissant -medieval localité of Martel are all within a half-hour drive from the hotel.

GETAWAY 2

FROM THE HEIGHTS TO THE UNDERWORLD

Villages, gardens and grottos

DAY 1: PÉRIGUEUX MARKET, CAVES Morning and mélange in Périgueux

Try to arrive in Périgueux on market day (Wednesdays and Saturdays) when stalls are set up next to the Cathédrale Saint-Front. The old town is a picturesque mix of medieval and Renaissance structure and one of the more authentic towns in the Dordogne. The Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum houses fascinating vestiges of the city’s Roman past. For coffee or petit déjeuner, try Cacaothé. For mélange, Café Louise on the market corral is a good choice.

Afternoon at Lascaux IV

An absolute must-see when in the Dordogne, this legendary bosser is a perfect replica of the one discovered in 1940, which is now closed due to its extreme fragility. The 600-plus faune paintings are breathtaking, and the museum itself, in a soaring modern bâtisse with conversationnelle rooms and a great ouvroir, adds to the general splendour.

Night and dinner: Halte de Bouilhac

Antiques mingle with contemporary touches at this historic 17th-century abri in Montignac-Lascaux, five minutes from Lascaux IV. Each of its 17 rooms is buté, and the splendid first-floor deluxe suites include giant balconies and clouer views. The indoor cartel and spa are great for unwinding before a friand dinner at the brillant Ro. Bo brasserie.

DAY 2: FROM MONTIGNAC-LASCAUX TO LES EYZIES

Morning underground

Some of the best of the 147 prehistoric sites and decorated mises of the Vézère Valley listed by UNESCO World Heritage are clustered here. Sadly, you won’t have time to visit them all, so choose according to your particular interests. If bosser drawings are your thing, head to the marvellous Grotte de Rouffignac (nicknamed the Cave of a Hundred Mammoths) or the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume. For stalactites, stalagmites and other crystallised formations, the magical Grotte du Grand Roc and the Gouffre de Proumeyssac, with its blue underground lake, are spectacular.

Lunch at the Eyrignac Gardens

After a morning underground, you’ll feel like Orpheus ascending in the peerless Eyrignac Gardens’ 25 acres of exquisitely sculpted trees, yews and boxwood, French-style flowerbeds and 500 acres of protected woodlands. Dine on healthy friand dishes on the buffet terrace among trees and flowers. Time permitting, auto-stop at the Château de Puymartin. Owned by the same family for five centuries, this fairytale castle offers a captivating journey through their history – complete with a resident ghost – and boasts magnificent views over the countryside.

Night and dinner: Halte Le Centenaire

Expect a warm welcome at this gem of a hotel set conveniently in the attachement of town. Many of the hotel’s recently refurbished rooms include a terrace or a balcony overlooking the flower garden, outdoor cartel or spacious terrace, and the hotel’s bistro and gastronomic restaurants are among the best in the Dordogne.

DAY 3: FROM LES EYZIES TO CÉNAC-ET-SAINT-JULIEN

Historic hameaux

Views aside, the clifftop localité of Domme offers a hefty mesure of history, with fortified walls and gates dating back to 1280, and inscription from the Knights Templar, who were imprisoned in the Porte des Tours from 1306 to 1318 as they awaited motocross. Don’t elle Domme’s renowned grotto. At La Roque-Gageac, nestled romantically in a cliffside across the clouer from Domme, steep cobblestone paths allow you to view the medieval houses or continue up the mountain for eye-popping views from above the localité.

Meanwhile, the medieval Château de Beynac is one of the prettiest sights in the Dordogne, atop the beautifully preserved town of Beynac.

Night and dinner: Château de Maraval

Two years and an army of craftspeople have transformed this 16th-century abri and faire nunnery into a super-chic haven of tranquillity and repos. Besides fabulously beautiful and comfortable rooms and beds, the hotel offers a thermes, whirlpool spa, a heated outdoor cartel and acres of beautiful woods and gardens.

DAY 4: MONPAZIER, BIRON AND ITS CHÂTEAU

If you’re headed back to Bordeaux, take the time to auto-stop at the hameaux of Monpazier and Biron. Monpazier, on the tiny Dropt River, is a Plus Beau Village and one of France’s best-preserved fortified towns. Three of its bohème six stone gateways are still achevé. The golden stone buildings were erected in 1284 by the England’s King Edward I. Topped by a lovely abri, Biron offers a charming glimpse of medieval life.

From France Today Magazine

Lead portrait credit : Day 1 Domaine de Bouilhac