Andrew Montgomery
Few regions sum up the attractions of France better than the Dordogne. With its rich food, heady history, château-studded countryside and picturesque villages, the Dordogne has long been a favourite getaway for French families on les grandes vacances. It’s also famous for having some of France’s finest prehistoric cave art, which fill the caverns and rock shelters of the Vézère Valley.
Part of the historic area that was called Aquitaine, its strategic importance through the ages is illustrated by the many bastides (fortified towns) and fortresses throughout. Today it’s known to the French as the Périgord, and is divided into four colour-coded areas: Périgord Pourpre (purple) for the winegrowing regions around Bergerac; Périgord Noir (black) for the dark oak forests around the Vézère Valley and Sarlat-la-Canéda; Périgord Blanc (white) after the limestone hills around the capital, Périgueux; and Périgord Vert (green) for the forested regions of the north.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Dordogne.
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France’s most famous prehistoric cave paintings are at the Grotte de Lascaux, 2km southeast of Montignac. Naturally sealed and protected for millennia, it was discovered in 1940 by four teenage boys searching for their dog, Robot. In December 2016, a new interpretation centre and cutting-edge reproduction of the cave was unveiled to the public, allowing visitors to view the entirety of Lascaux' artwork for the first time since 1963.
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This extraordinary cave contains the only original polychrome (as opposed to single-colour) paintings still open to the public. About 14,000 years ago, prehistoric artists created the gallery of more than 200 delicately engraved, painted figures, including bison, reindeer, horses, and mammoths, although only about 25 are included in the fantastically atmospheric tour. Look out for the famous Chapelle des Bisons, a scene of courting reindeer and stunningly realised horses, several caught in mid-movement.
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The massive ramparts and metre-thick crenellated walls of this quintessential medieval fortress (occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War) contain an elaborate museum of medieval warfare with displays of daggers, spiked halberds, archaic cannons and enormous crossbows. Climb the dark 16th-century artillery tower stairs to see the exhibits and reach the rugged 13th-century donjon (keep). From the upper terrace a fantastic view encompasses the Dordogne Valley all the way to Castelnaud’s arch-rival, the Château de Beynac, 4km to the north.
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Hidden in woodland 18km north of Les Eyzies, this tri-level cave is one of the most complex and rewarding to see in the Dordogne. Board an electric train to explore a 1km maze of tunnels in the massive cavern plunging 8km into the earth. Highlights include the frieze of 10 mammoths in procession, one of the largest cave paintings ever discovered, and the Great Ceiling, with more than 65 figures from ibex to aurochs. You’ll also see dens of long-extinct cave bears, and 17th-century graffiti.
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Inside a marvellous modern building alongside the cliffs, this museum provides a fine prehistory primer, with the most comprehensive collection of prehistoric finds in France. Highlights include a huge gallery of Stone Age tools, weapons and jewellery, and skeletons of some of the animals that once roamed the Vézère (including bison, woolly rhinoceros, giant deer and cave bears). A collection of carved reliefs on the 1st floor includes a famous frieze of horses and a bison licking its flank.
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This 15th-century château, 3km southwest of Beynac, is famous for its fabulous former owner: glamorous dancer, singer and music-hall star Josephine Baker (1906–75), who took Paris by storm in the 1920s with her risqué performances. Baker purchased the castle in 1936 and lived here until 1958. It houses a super museum documenting her life with original photos and memorabilia including a fantastic costume collection, and her songs play throughout.
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Part of the park that contains the Tour de Vésone, this sleek museum designed by French architect Jean Nouvel encompasses a 1st-century Roman domus (townhouse) uncovered in 1959. Light floods in through the glass-and-steel structure, and walkways circumnavigate the enormous excavated complex; it’s still possible to make out the central fountain, supporting pillars and the underfloor hypocaust system, as well as original mosaic murals, jewellery, pottery and even a water pump.
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Horticulture fans won’t want to miss these famous manicured gardens, stretching along a rocky bluff overlooking the Dordogne Valley. Signposted paths lead through painstakingly clipped box hedges and decorative topiary to the gardens’ breathtaking belvédère (viewpoint), with sightlines to area castles, the Dordogne and La Roque Gageac. Thursday nights in July and August, the entire place is alight with candles (adult/child €15/7.50). Find the entrance 3km west of La Roque Gageac.
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While most of the Vézère’s caves contain engravings and paintings, this overhanging cliff-face contains a handful of unusual large carvings in relief, shaped using simple flint tools some 14,000 years ago. The frieze of horses and bison is a fascinating complement to the caves, albeit on a smaller scale. It’s 7.5km east of Les Eyzies. Tickets available on-site or at Font de Gaume ticket office.