The Perigord

Endless horizons. Unique landscapes. Vibrant colours.

The Perigord is a region in the world where humans have left the most traces.

Bordering Vézère (classified World heritage by UNESCO), the 44 sites to see makes Eyzies the world capital of prehistory.

Medieval and renaissance castles, mansions, bastides charterhouses, villages, fortified churches; peasant houses perfectly integrate the abundant landscape in the middle of vineyards and dense forests.

A particularly beautiful part of the Dordogne goes from Souillac to Limeuil. Rivers like the Vézère flow into it and form wonderful valleys.

The climate

In the summer, the sunshine is exceptional. In the evenings, it is not uncommon to hear the cicadas sing all night, which brings the silence of those big quiet spaces to life.

The best time to discover this region is in May and June for their warm days, as well as September and October for their hazy mornings that turn into mild, luminous, joyful autumn days.

In the winter, ochre shades line the undergrowth and match the hue of the sky when the sun goes down.

Even the oak trees keep their rusty colours, and sometimes joins the tall, dark pine trees. Nothing is grey; nothing is dull in the unspoilt Perigord nature.

History and architecture

In the Middle Ages, under the reign of the English kings, the Perigord was the location of The hundred-year war. A multitude of remains bear witness: more than a 1000 castles and bastides, walled cities built as well by the French as by the English, all of which invite you to explore.

The Perigord is also known to be the world centre of prehistory. Cavemen left us their first treasures of European art, such as the cave paintings in Lascaux near Montignac.

Other wonderful caves, like the Gouffre de Proumeyssac and the Grotte du Grand Rocoffer, a seemingly endless diversity of natural formations dating back several million years.

Abbeys, fortresses, medieval cities, and villages with honey coloured houses, simple barns… The stones will not leave you indifferent! Old gates and porches protect their secrets. Dovecotes and bories, these dry, stone, circular barns with flagstone roof decorate the landscape.

Cuisine and Wine

The Perigord is a rich agricultural region, neighbouring the famous Bordeaux vineyards. It also has the reputation of being one of the cradles of French gastronomy. Tickle your taste buds with the famous ‘confit’ de foie gras, seasonal game, wonderful mushrooms, nuts and all kinds of fruits: cherries; plums, peaches, pears, strawberries.

Few regional wines are truly known yet the best are from the vines of Bergerac and Cahors in the Lot Valley. The sweet wine better known under the name Montbazillac, which is cultivated in the town with the same name, south of Bergerac, a good hour’s drive from the Bordeaux vineyards.

Also taste the region’s brandies, made from nuts, hazelnuts and prunes.

Sports and leisure

For our more sportive guests, the region offers a multitude of leisure:

canoeing or kayaking (Dordogne or Vézère),
boat trips on the rivers in old cargo boats called « gabares »,
cycling or horse riding,
hiking (trails in the forest),
golf course for advanced players or beginners,
numerous water parks for young and old,
water ski, rock climbing, speleology, karting, paragliding and hot-air ballooning… etc.

During the summer, festivals, plays, and historical re-enactments will brighten up your evening.