Set in the Dordogne and Unesco listed Vezere valleys of the enchanting Perigord Noir around Sarlat in SW France, this gentle, luxury or classic walking holiday has it all.
Enjoy the natural beauty of these two stunning valleys, lined with fairytale ancient castles, chestnut forests and walnut orchards. Amble through a string of villages listed as 'the most beautiful in France' and a bevy of pre-historic sites with world-famous cave drawings. Mingle with the locals in Sarlat, the jewel of the area with its colorful market and savour the specialities of the region: foie gras, confits, truffles, walnuts, chestnuts, sumptuous cheeses & fine wines. To all this we have added 4 hand picked luxury hotels and castles or traditional small hotels, each offering something very special and unique. Why wouldn't you dawdle in the Dordogne?
Holiday details
Price
- Classic
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from £1,735 – £1,975 per person
- Luxury
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from £3,065 – £3,225 per person
Based on two people sharing a room. Price range due to seasonal variations
What’s included?
Transfers to/from walks as detailed. Classic Tour includes entrance to Chateau de Commarque on Day 2. Luxury Tour includes 4 nights Gourmet dining. See what’s included as standard
Duration
7 nights
Start & Finish
Classic tour Starts daily, Luxury tour starts Thursday to Sunday. Tour runs from March to mid November and is circular from Sarlat. The nearest airports to Sarlat are Bergerac and Bordeaux. Train from Bergerac 1 hour, train from Bordeaux 2.5 hours
Hotels
- Classic
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2 night stays in 3 traditional 4* hotels and a deluxe guesthouse
- Luxury
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2 night stays in three 4 star hotels and a Michelin star chateau
Holiday type
Self-guided
This tour is priced without a guide and you are free to explore on your own. If you would like a guide for part or all of your trip, we are happy to provide a knowledgeable, local guide
Activity level
Gentle walking (2) More info...
Mileage
3 days of walking 6-14 miles (9 - 22 km) and 3 days of optional walking
Terrain
A few steepish slopes
Options
- Stay additional nights in Sarlat at the start or end of the tour
- Book a boat cruise on Day 3
- Book a canoe trip on Day 6
- Book entry to Lascaux IV cave
Itinerary day-by-day
Classic
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1. Day one
Arrive Sarlat -la-Canéda
Your tour begins in the 14th Century gem of Sarlat-la-Caneda with its cobbled streets and picturesque small squares. This capital of the Perigord Noir region has many architectural styles to explore and if you are there on a Wednesday you can enjoy the weekly market and a chance to savour the specialities of the area such as foie gras, confits, truffles and strawberries accompanied with a glass of Bergerac wine.
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2. Day two
Chateau de Commarque and the Beune Valley
Begin with a 15 minute transfer to Marquay to start your walk in this charming perigourdine village with its typical houses and their lauze roofs, and its fortified church of the 12th & 13th century. You cross deep oak & chestnut forests, small hills punctuated by hamlets, rock shelters dug by the River Beune before arriving at the Château de Commarque which stands on a rocky outcrop in a breathtaking landscape. The site features troglodyte habitats and a prehistoric cave (visit included). Continue your loop back to Marquay and transfer back to Sarlat.
Optional 6 miles (10 km)
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3. Day three
Beynac or Le Roque Gageac to Domme
Today you discover some of the most beautiful villages of the Dordogne valley with a transfer after breakfast to the pretty cliffside village of Beynac (longer walk) with its impressive chateau overlooking the Dordogne – only ever captured once by Richard the Lionheart! Walking from here through wooded hills you reach Le Roque Gageac, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France and where the shorter route begins. With fascinating architecture find historic mansions, troglodyte dwellings and ochre-coloured stone houses with lauze roofs and an exotic garden. Take a boat ride down the river here on a flat bottomed Gabarre,, if you wish before reaching Domme, a magnificent bastide town dating from 1283, perched on a vertiginous cliff with golden stones offering panoramic views over the Dordogne Valley.
7 or 11 miles (11 or 18 km)
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4. Day four
Chateau des Milandes and Castelnaud
A short ride from Domme takes you into the gorgeous countryside to the Château and gardens of Milandes, the former home of Josephine Baker, legendary entertainer of the early 20hth century. You follow the left bank of the Dordogne to Castelnaud, another classified most beautiful village with its marvelous medieval castle which played an important role during the Hundred Years War. Continue your climb and finish in Domme, enjoy a stroll through the village’s cobbled streets, fortified gates, towers and the covered market. Night in Domme.
Optional 8 miles (13 km)
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5. Day five
The Vezere valley to Les Eyzies
Today takes you through the enchanting Unesco Vezere valley beginning in Limeuil (longer walk), another of the most beautiful villages in France. Cross picturesque landscapes to reach Le Bugue on the Vezere river where the shorter walk starts. Following shaded paths through woods and past farms and hamlets you find St Cirq and the prehistoric Grotte de Sorcier which can be visited. Your walk ends in Les Eyzies, the capital of prehistory, where you stay the next two nights in an eco-friendly spa hotel set in a 19th century post house which has played host to many celebrities including Dalida, Prince Charles and Yves Montand.
8 or 14 miles (13 or 23 km)
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6. Day six
St Cyprien or Meyrals to Les Eyzies
After breakfast transfer to the start of your walk, the longer or shorter version depending on how you feel for a gentle walk through the forest, past farms and hamlets and back to Les Eyzies. You are in the rural heart of the Périgourdine countryside. After your walk you can visit the National Museum of Prehistory right in the heart of Les Eyzies (entrance not included). Night in Les Eyzies. Those loving their canoe rides can take a foray down the Vezere river. A dip in the hotel pool might be nice too!
Optional 6 miles (10 km) or 9.5 miles (15 km)
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7. Day seven
The Vezere Valley to Montignac
Your last day of hiking starts with a transfer to Le Moustier (longer walk). From here you walk the path of prehistory that runs along La Roque Saint Christophe a troglodyte site unique in the world before arriving at Saint Leon sur Vezere where the shorter walk begins. This is yet another listed village where you can enjoy a refreshing drink or lunch on a café terrace with stunning views over the river. Then continue on to the charming village of Montignac located at the foot of the hill of Lascaux.
8 or 12.5 miles (13 or 20 km)
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8. Day eight
Visit Lascaux then depart Montignac for Sarlat
Before you depart take a short loop hike to the famous Lascaux II/IV cave, where you can visit this ‘Sistine Chapel’ of the prehistoric world - a complete replica housing the oldest paintings of humanity and traces the discovery of the famous deocrated cave. (If you wish to visit Lascaux IV we recommend you book well in advance).
Your walking trip is drawing to a close now and we will transfer you back to Sarlat mid afternoon for your departure and with your fond memories of the magical Dordogne – au revoir!
4.5 miles (7 km) +/-150m
Luxury
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1. Day one
Arrive Sarlat-la-Caneda and Lacave
Your tour begins in the 14th Century gem of Sarlat with its cobbled streets and picturesque small squares. We meet you here and transfer you to Lacave for the first 2 nights of your trip. Settle into this authentic castle nestled in 300 acres of gardens and forests with breathtaking views over the Dordogne valley. Your host will brief you on the trip ahead by phone today or tomorrow morning. Then enjoy a Michelin starred dinner in the Louis XIII dining room - classified as a historic monument or on the terrace overlooking the Dordogne river with unforgettable sunsets.
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2. Day two
Circular Walk from Lacave
Your first walk starts directly from the Château. A path leads down the vertiginous cliffs overlooking the clear waters of the Dordogne to the Pech de Pinsac (Pech in local language means ‘hill’). You’ll notice the contrasts between wild, stony countryside and the lush, cultivated Dordogne valley with its major heritage sites. Man has always found refuge and protection in the steep cliffs with the Castles of Belcastel and Le Bastit built into the rock itself, overlooking the valley. Return to your hotel and enjoy another gastronomic meal tonight.
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3. Day three
Lacave to St Vincent de Cosse
Today you discover some of the most beautiful villages of the Dordogne valley with a transfer after breakfast to the pretty cliff side village of Beynac with its impressive chateau overlooking the Dordogne. Walking from here through wooded hills you reach Le Roque Gageac, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. With fascinating architecture find historic mansions, troglodyte dwellings, and ochre-coloured stone houses with lauze roofs and one exotic garden. Take a boat ride down the river here if you wish and stock up on regional delicacies at a nearby duck farm, before reaching Domme, a magnificent bastide town dating from 1283 perched on a vertiginous cliff and changing hands between the French and English during the Hundred Years War. Take a stroll through the village’s cobbled streets, fortified gates, towers and the covered market before we meet you late afternoon and transfer you to your hotel for the next 2 nights on a former agricultural estate. Enjoy a gourmet menu tonight.
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4. Day four
Château des Milandes to Cenac
The two pools at the hotel may just be the ticket today but if you fancy a walk we transfer you into the gorgeous countryside and to the Château and gardens of Milandes, the former home of Josephine Baker, legendary early 20th Century entertainer, artist, resistance fighter and activist. Then follow the left bank of the Dordogne to Castelnaud, yet another of the villages classified as 'most beautiful' with a marvellous medieval castle. Finish your walk in the small village of Cenac, where we meet you and transfer you back to your hotel. Enjoy another gourmet dinner tonight.
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5. Day five
The Vezere Valley and Les Eyzies
Today takes you through the enchanting Unesco Vezere valley beginning in Limeuil, listed among the most beautiful of villages in France. Cross picturesque landscapes to reach Le Bugue on the Vézère river. Following shaded paths through woods and past farms and hamlets you find St Cirq and the prehistoric Grotte du Sorcier which can be visited. Your walk ends in Eyzies, the capital of prehistory, where you stay the next 2 nights in an eco friendly spa hotel set in a 19th century post house which has played host to many celebrities including Dalida, Prince Charles and Yves Montand.
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6. Day six
St Cyprien or Meyrals to Les Eyzies
After breakfast overlooking the Vezere a transfer takes you to the start of your walk with a choice of a longer or shorter version with gentle route through the forest, past farms and hamlets and a magnificent discovery of the prehistoric remains around Les Eyzies. On your way back you can enjoy a picnic lunch on the banks of the Vezere and in the afternoon you have plenty of time to visit the National Museum of Prehistory in the heart of Les Eyzies (entrance not included). Those loving their canoe rides can take a foray down the Vezere river. A dip in the hotel pool might be nice too!
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7. Day seven
The Vezere valley to Montignac and Sarlat
Your last day of hiking starts with a transfer to Le Moustier. From here you walk the path of prehistory that runs along La Roque Saint Christophe a troglodyte site unique in the world before arriving at Saint Léon sur Vézère where the shorter walk begins. This is yet another listed village where you can enjoy a refreshing drink or lunch on a café terrace with stunning views over the river. Amble on to the charming village of Montignac located at the foot of the famous hill of Lascaux, where you can visit Lascaux IV. This chapel of the prehistoric world, is a complete replica housing the oldest paintings of humanity and traces the discovery of the famous ornated cave. We meet you here and transfer you to Sarlat settle where you stay close to the historic centre.
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8. Day eight
Depart Sarlat
Sarlat is the jewel of the Perigord noir area with its many architectural treasures and you may well opt to spend an additional night here at the end of the tour - or at the start. Either way, your walking trip is drawing to a close now and its time to depart with your fond memories, the magical Dordogne.