Thibault’s top tips.
- Book the short canoe trip at La Roque-Gageac with ‘Canoë Dordogne’. It’s the most popular and enjoyable route – a 7 km canoe trip where you’ll see all the most beautiful châteaux. (This is the La Roque-Gageac to Saint Vincent de Cosse route). Choose an 11.00 am start; at 10.30 am, leave your car in the free car park at the canoe centre. At 11.00 am, drift gently downstream without paddling too hard and take the time to admire the scenery. Stop on the small island beneath the Castelnaud-la-Chapelle bridge, opposite the château, for a picnic – one of the best spots on the river for a picnic. If you haven’t brought a picnic, I’d recommend walking 100 metres into the village from this islet, leave your canoe on one of the riverbanks and head to the Castelanud bakery, one of the best bakeries in the area (sandwiches and excellent cakes; generally, in summer, given the crowds, it gets snapped up and by 1.00 pm there’s nothing left – a handy tip is to pop round to the bakery by car the day before and reserve your sandwiches and cakes for the next day ) . Once you’ve had your picnic and taken the time to go for a swim, sunbathe and relax on this little island of Castelnaud, finish off the walk at your own pace without too much effort. You’ll have spent a lovely day with your family or friends and will take home some wonderful memories. ( If you’re nice, the management might lend you a cool box and some ice to help you out on this outing – just let them know the day before.)
- Treat yourselves to a pétanque aperitif on the most beautiful court in the valley. Pop into the Cellier du Périgord shop to pick up some chilled rosé, sparkling wine, local beers – whatever takes your fancy (they have a chilled section) – and remember to bring along plastic cups , a corkscrew and some peanuts. Then meet up right in the centre of the village of La Roque-Gageac, facing the cliffs and the river – undoubtedly one of the most beautiful pétanque courts in the south-west, with picnic tables right next to it… one of our favourite spots. You’ll have a lovely time with friends ( if you’re nice, the management might lend you a few pétanque boules – just let us know in good time).
Françoise’s top tips
- Choose to visit the Marqueyssac Gardens at the end of the day rather than during the heat of the day. The stroll will be so much more pleasant. Start your visit around 6.00 pm and finish around 8.00 pm. Once you’ve finished your visit, head to the gardens’ esplanade to get a table at the garden restaurant facing Beynac Castle; take your time there, admire the superb view over the Valley of the Castles and wait for the sunset. Note: The salads are very good and generous, and the ice creams are also of good quality; you can also just have a drink if you prefer. Bonus: in the summer evenings, there’s often live music to make your evening even more enjoyable.
Exceptional views
- Esplanade in Domme
- Cross of Christ in Beynac
- Esplanade and viewing point in the Marqueyssac Gardens
- Panoramic lifts in Sarlat
- Cingle de Montfort
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Shopping / Buying fresh or tinned local produce.
- The bakery in Castelanaud-la-Chapelle: one of the best bakeries in the area; everything is homemade – bread, pastries, cakes – it’s all excellent; it’s simply the best. Go there in the morning.
- Le Cellier du Périgord: Located on the road to Sarlat, just 5 minutes from our holiday rentals, you’ll find a wide selection of high-quality Périgord produce offering excellent value for money. The shop also doubles as a delicatessen, so you’ll have access to a wide range of gourmet products. Please note: the shop offers a very wide selection of wines from the South-West and elsewhere, as well as local beers and premium spirits such as ‘La Vielle Poire de Souillac’ for connoisseurs.
- Boutique Delmond: Situated on the road to Sarlat, this shop isn’t very easy to spot and lacks much charm. However, it is the factory shop of one of the region’s major producers of foie gras and duck/goose products, ‘Delmond Foie Gras’. You’ll therefore have access to good-quality, vacuum-packed and tinned AOC Sud-Ouest products at a preferential price. It’s a local gem; many locals visit this shop for their own purchases.
