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The Dordogne: Beynac-et-Carzenac & Outdoor Activities

  • August 28, 2024
  • KK

After so many visits to the south of France with Navy ports of call—Marseille, Nice 3x, Cannes 4x, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and trips to nearby Monte Carlo, I had enough of France. But last year, a friend wanted to meet me in the Loire Valley, so I decided what the heck—why not? After my two short trips to both Reims in the Champagne Region (think Veuve Cliquot) and Amboise in the Loire Valley, I decided France wasn’t that bad. Most people visit the well-known regions of Provence or Normandy, but we were reading books by Martin Walker set in the Dordogne region with his description of the French countryside and quaint villages coming to life.

This region was initially called Périgord but changed to Dordogne after the French Revolution. So when Jack and I were looking for a place after Paxos, I thought, “Why not Bordeaux and the Dordogne?” (Think really good wine.) There is a lot to do, but it doesn’t have to be an action-packed vacation. It can be one of floating/paddling down the river, walking/hiking through the beautiful countryside where villages seem carved out of massive limestone cliffs, and exploring/discovering the underground caves with prehistoric art and unbelievable geological formations.

Périgord Region
View from Château de Beynac
View from Beynac Flat
La Rouge-Gageac

It is a region most Americans overlook, but the British have always loved it. Long story short, the French-born Queen (married to one of the Louis), Eleanor of Aquitaine, ends up marrying the English King Henry II, bringing her lands to the English Crown. Due to this complicated marital saga, a very long conflict between the two countries began (the Hundred Year’s War) and sparked a castle and fortress-building boom along the Dordogne River. It’s not only famous for its Medieval history but also for its caves and prehistoric paintings. Of course, being the literary buff I am, I booked our last 17 days of the Schengen Zone in one of the quintessential medieval villages I have ever seen—Beynac-et-Cazenac. Now that I have spent almost two weeks here, I recommend a much shorter stay; two to three days would be good, and definitely DO NOT COME IN AUGUST! The heat is unbearable! Our spectacular little VRBO sat beneath a real medieval castle (12th century), Castle Beynac. I chose a 2-bed stone house; unfortunately, it had no AC, and the bedrooms were upstairs with tiny windows. Needless to say, at 106 outside, it was sweltering inside. Lessons learned. Some friends asked me what I would do with my time in such a small village with only three restaurants (all with the same menu—Duck, Duck, Goose!  I cooked a lot. Although it was a little longer stay than we would do again, we were never truly bored; there was a lot to do: outdoor adventures, chateaus/castles, and WINE!

Farmer protest in region
View of Beynac from Castelnaud
14th Century Magical House
Walk up to Magical House in Beynac

CANOEING

The Dordogne River winds slowly through this region, with periodic spots of shallow rapids.

The weather was warmer than usual, so no matter where we were in the Dordogne, we would see hundreds of canoes and kayaks making their way along the river. Because the forecast called for temps in the 100s, we figured a canoe would be a great way to beat the heat and see the area from a river perspective. To begin our paddling adventure, a minibus took us downriver about 14 miles. With not a cloud in the sky, we donned our lifejackets and set off for a day of relaxation (with a little exercise thrown in) under the brilliant sunshine. We took our time meandering down the river; we were in no hurry to return to our oven-like house. We passed umpteen campsites with caravans, tents, and families playing in the water along the riverbank. The scenery is almost too beautiful to describe—views of rock-sculpted villages, walnut trees, and chateaus perched high among the limestone cliffs. One village that took my breath away was La Roque-Gageac, a small stone village tucked underneath a rocky overhang. Jack took a few swim breaks, and we stopped for lunch at one of the many gites (campsites with a restaurant) along the river. There are many locations to hire a canoe or kayak along the Dordogne, and most have transportation to get you back to where you started.

HIKING & BIKING

After a few days of canoeing, we thought we’d hit the trail and hike through the tranquil and lush woods near the river. It was another hot day, but the Garrit Bridge Loop hike took us on a path shaded by countless walnut and apple orchards. Fields of sunflowers and corn framed the 5.5-mile trail. There are many war memorials in virtually every town and village throughout this area. As we began our hike, I spotted a memorial to the victims of the Nazis and the French Resistance who were massacred at this bridge. I did some research and found there was a group of fighters trying to disrupt the German supply lines by sabotaging the bridge. Unfortunately, some of the fighters, along with a few villagers, were captured and shot. As I hiked through the valley and forest, it was hard to imagine hundreds of Nazi troops and tanks patrolling this beautiful land.

We drove back another day to rent bikes and followed a shady 28-mile car-free cycle path along the winding Dordogne River. Liberty Cycle offers rentals (including E-bikes) and is an easy way to spend the day.

BALLOONING

Every morning at about 7:30, the sky would fill with lots of hot air balloons floating silently through the air. The cost is approximately €200 per person, and the flight lasts about an hour. We decided not to do it, but seeing the balloons rise over the river in the morning and evening was a beautiful sight to watch out of our kitchen window.

The Dordogne is a beautiful area for lots of outdoor activities—stay tuned for our cave explorations. 

Dordogne River
Remembrance to Resistance Fighters
Exploring Dordogne Region
Biking near Sarlat-la-Canéda
Ballooning in Dordogne

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4 Responses

  1. Margaret Marshall says:
    August 29, 2024 at 12:38 pm

    Your writing conveys both the practicalities of travel and the beauty which you have experienced. Thank you for bringing me along.

    Reply
  2. Debra Ford says:
    August 28, 2024 at 9:15 pm

    Thanks for taking us along on your adventures! I get such a wonderful sense of being there through your writing and pictures.

    Reply
  3. Maggie Aquaro says:
    August 28, 2024 at 12:15 pm

    Karen, I love seeing all of the pictures of your adventures, while also learning so much history!!

    Reply
  4. Janet Pearson says:
    August 28, 2024 at 11:45 am

    Loved every word except 106* heat and no AC….I can’t believe you could even stay in there house much less sleep there!

    Reply

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  • karenkstuart@gmail.com
  • Home
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      • The Dordogne: Beynac-et-Carzenac & Outdoor Activities
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    • Updates from the Edge
      • Carnoustie – Long Journey Home
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      • At Sea… Again!
      • Last Days
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      • Croatia: Rovinj, Porec & Pula
    • France
      • The Dordogne: Beynac-et-Carzenac & Outdoor Activities
      • The Dordogne: Caves
      • The Dordogne: Castles and Chateaus
      • Dordogne Region: Saint-Émilion
    • Germany
      • Christmas in Garmisch, Germany
      • Christkindl Markts
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      • Paxos, Greece
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