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Table of Contents

14 Best Things to Do in Dordogne

Table of Contents

14 TOP THINGS TO DO

Overview Table

  Name Appeal Type Visit Cost
1 ➡️ Sarlat ✦✦✦✦✦ Village - -
2 Lascaux Cave ✦✦✦✦✦ Parietal Art Guided Paid €
3 Balloon ✦✦✦✦✦ Flight Tour Paid €
4 River Kayak ✦✦✦✦✧ Kayak Rental Paid €
5 Marqueyssac Garden ✦✦✦✦✧ Garden + Panorama Self Paid €
6 ➡️ Domme ✦✦✦✦✧ Village - -
7 ➡️ Beynac-et-Cazenac ✦✦✦✧✧ Village - -
8 Eyrignac Garden ✦✦✦✧✧ Garden Self Paid €
9 ➡️ Périgueux ✦✦✦✧✧ Town - -
10 Château des Milandes ✦✦✦✧✧ Castle & Garden Self Paid €
11 Gabarre River Cruise ✦✦✦✧✧ River Cruise Tour Paid €
12 ➡️ Castelnaud-la-Chapelle ✦✦✦✧✧ Village - -
13 ➡️ Brantôme ✦✦✦✧✧ Village - -
14 ➡️ Monpazier ✦✦✦✧✧ Village - -

1. Sarlat Village

The bustling main square of Sarlat-la-Canéda, filled with people enjoying outdoor cafes and markets, surrounded by historic stone buildings with distinctive architecture.

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✦✦

Sarlat, officially Sarlat-la-Canéda, is a beautifully preserved small medieval town in the Dordogne region, known for its golden limestone buildings and winding cobblestone streets. The town’s architecture is a testament to its rich history, reflecting styles from the 14th to the 18th centuries.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia

➡️ 9 Things to Do in Sarlat

  • Village Itself ✦✦✦✦✦
  • Sarlat Market ✦✦✦✧✧
  • Sarlat Cathedral ✦✦✦✧✧
  • etc.

2. Lascaux Cave

A detailed view of ancient cave paintings from Lascaux, depicting a large aurochs and other animals in a prehistoric art style on a textured rock surface.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✦✦
Type  Parietal Art
Visit  Guided
Cost  Paid

French Name
Grotte de Lascaux

Lascaux Cave discovered in 1940 is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its extraordinary Paleolithic cave paintings. The cave contains some of the best-preserved and most complex depictions of prehistoric art.

📜 Wikipedia

Today, there are 4 Lascaux sites, but only Lascaux II and IV are open to visitors.

Lascaux II and IV are close to each other, but visiting just one of them is enough.

  • Lascaux I

The original cave, opened to the public in 1948, was definitively closed in 1963 due to deterioration caused by visitors.

  • Lascaux II 

This is an exact replica of the two main sections of the original cave. Opened in 1983, it was created to balance the need for conservation with public interest.

This site offers a more “natural” experience, similar to the original Lascaux I cave.

📍 Google Maps

🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior

⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website)

  • Lascaux III

Unlike the fixed replica of Lascaux II, Lascaux III consists of a traveling exhibition, showcasing reproductions of the cave’s art around the world.

  • Lascaux IV

Opened in 2016, the International Centre for Cave Art, or Lascaux IV, offers a comprehensive digital and physical reproduction of the entire Lascaux cave system. It also includes extensive interpretative displays that explore the archaeological, artistic, and cultural significance of the site.

This site is more modern and larger, offering additional rooms (still related to cave art) along with the reproduction of the original Lascaux I cave. (It is also more accessible for people with reduced mobility).

📍 Google Maps

🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior

⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website)

3. Balloon

A vibrant blue hot air balloon floats over a quaint village in the Dordogne region, showcasing stone houses, lush greenery, and a historic chateau in the background.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✦✦
Type  Flight
Visit  Guided Tour
Cost  Paid

Experience the Dordogne from above with a hot air balloon ride. This flight offers panoramic views of the region’s rolling hills, rivers, and historic castles.

4. Kayak

Two kayaks glide across the calm waters of the Dordogne River, with lush greenery and a historic village nestled beneath rocky cliffs in the distance.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✦✧
Type  Kayak
Visit  Rental
Cost  Paid

Kayaking on the Dordogne River is a popular outdoor activity that allows visitors to explore the region’s waterways and landscapes. It offers a unique perspective of the area’s limestone cliffs, lush greenery, and historic sites.

5. Marqueyssac Garden

The lush, sculpted boxwood hedges of Marqueyssac Garden, with a person strolling through the paths amidst the greenery and rolling hills in the background.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✦✧
Type  Garden + Panorama
Visit  Self-guided
Cost  Paid

French Name
Jardins de Marqueyssac

The Marqueyssac Gardens are a stunning collection of manicured landscapes, famous for their elaborate topiary. The gardens, designed in the 19th century, feature over 150,000 hand-pruned boxwood trees shaped into whimsical forms.

The garden’s location on a clifftop, situated 130 meters above the Dordogne River, provides spectacular panoramic views of the valley.

There is also a small 19th-century castle.

📍 Google Maps

🏞️ Google Images Overview

⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website)

📜 Wikipedia

6. Domme Village

A picturesque street scene in Domme, France, with charming stone buildings, French flags, and visitors exploring the area under a bright blue sky.

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✦✧

Domme is a picturesque bastide town perched on a cliff overlooking the Dordogne River, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and panoramic views. The town’s strategic position has made it an important historical site throughout the centuries.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia

➡️ 6 Things to Do in Domme

  • Village Itself ✦✦✦✦✧
  • Viewpoints ✦✦✦✦✧
  • etc.

7. Beynac-et-Cazenac Village

A picturesque view of the medieval village of Beynac-et-Cazenac, with stone houses climbing up a hillside towards a large castle at the top. The houses have terracotta roofs, and the scene is set against a clear blue sky.

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧

Beynac-et-Cazenac is a charming village situated along the Dordogne River, renowned for its medieval architecture and imposing clifftop castle. The village’s stone houses and narrow streets offer a glimpse into its historical past.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia

➡️ 5 Things to Do in Beynac-et-Cazenac

  • Beynac Castle ✦✦✦✧✧
  • Viewpoint ✦✦✦✧✧
  • Village Itself ✦✦✧✧✧
  • etc.

8. Eyrignac Garden

The manicured gardens of Eyrignac, with neatly trimmed hedges forming intricate patterns, and a picturesque stone house with a conical roof in the background under a clear blue sky.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧
Type  Garden
Visit  Self-guided
Cost  Paid

French Name
Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac

Eyrignac Garden is a beautifully landscaped garden known for its elegant topiary, French formal gardens, and diverse plant species.

📍 Google Maps

🏞️ Google Images Overview

⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website)

📜 Wikipedia (Fr)

9. Périgueux Town

A scenic view from Barris Bridge in Périgueux, showcasing a picturesque bridge lined with flower pots. The background includes the Périgueux Cathedral and historic buildings.

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧

Périgueux is a historic town in the Dordogne region, renowned for its rich Roman heritage and medieval architecture.

Périgueux’s history dates back to Roman times when it was known as Vesunna. During the medieval period, Périgueux became a religious center, with the construction of the Saint-Front Cathedral.

The town is also traversed by the Isle River, adding an extra touch of charm.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia

➡️ 16 Things to Do in Périgueux

  • Périgueux Cathedral ✦✦✦✦✧
  • Town Center ✦✦✦✦✧
  • etc.

10. Milandes Castle & Garden

The lush, sculpted boxwood hedges of Marqueyssac Garden, with a person strolling through the paths amidst the greenery and rolling hills in the background.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧
Type  Castle & Garden + Bird of Prey
Visit  Self-guided
Cost  Paid

French Name
Château des Milandes

Château des Milandes is a historic castle from the 15th century famous for its association with American entertainer Josephine Baker who purchased the estate in 1947, now with displays tracing her life.

The estate has also beautifully landscaped gardens.

Another highlight of the estate is its bird of prey shows.

📍 Google Maps

🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior

🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior

⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website)

📜 Wikipedia (Fr)

11. Gabarre River Cruise

A traditional wooden gabarre boat sails along the Dordogne River, filled with passengers enjoying the scenic journey; another boat and kayakers are visible in the background.

Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧
Type  River Cruise
Visit  Tour
Cost  Paid

Enjoy a relaxing boat cruise on a traditional gabarre, exploring the scenic Dordogne River. The cruise offers picturesque views of medieval villages, towering cliffs, and lush landscapes.

🏞️ Google Images Overview

📜 Wikipedia (Fr)

12. Castelnaud-la-Chapelle Village

An aerial view of Castlenaud-la-Chapelle village in Dordogne, featuring a medieval castle surrounded by charming houses and a river winding through the lush landscape.

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧

A quaint village known for its impressive medieval castle, which houses a museum of medieval warfare. The village also offers panoramic views of the Dordogne Valley.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia (Fr)

➡️ 4 Things to Do in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle

  • Castle ✦✦✦✧✧
  • Village Itself ✦✦✧✧✧
  • etc.

13. Brantôme Village

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧

Brantôme, officially Brantôme-en-Périgord and often called the “Venice of the Dordogne”, is known for its picturesque canals and charming architecture set along the Dronne River.

Brantôme’s history is notable for its abbey, which was established in the 8th century during King Charlemagne’s reign, and for its role as a center of religious life throughout the medieval period.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia

➡️ 10 Things to Do in Brantôme

  • Village Itself ✦✦✦✧✧
  • etc.

14. Monpazier Village

Overall Appeal  ✦✦✦✧✧

Monpazier is a well-preserved bastide town known for its harmonious layout and charming medieval architecture. This village is an excellent example of the planned towns developed during the 13th century in the Dordogne region.

Monpazier was established in 1284 by Edward I of England and is renowned for its orderly streets and central marketplace. The town’s layout reflects the typical bastide design, with a grid pattern and central square.

📍 Google Maps

📜 Wikipedia

➡️ 4 Things to Do in Monpazier

  • Village Itself ✦✦✦✦✧
  • etc.

15 SECONDARY THINGS TO DO

➡️ 15 Unusual Things to Do in Dordogne

  • Bergerac Town ✦✦✦✧✧
  • Roque-Gageac Village ✦✦✦✧✧
  • etc.

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