Ma Dordogne

Ribboned by rivers, dotted with châteaux and carpeted in woodland and grapevines, Dordogne is a place of stunning sights. With the help of resident Lucy Williams, we take a look beyond the hotspots and find an unexplored wine region, a tube truck oyster bar, a village trapped in a loop of the Vezere, and much more. 

Dordogne local –
Lucy Williams

I run the small-scale sustainable floristry, Les Fleurs from our home in the village of Siorac–en-Perigord. I’ve lived there since 2019, having been in the area for a decade before that. My big love affair is with the region’s rivers. We spend days canoeing and swimming the Dordogne and the Vezere. Recently, it’s been exciting to see rural communities springing back to life and flourishing in the area, as more young people seek a simpler lifestyle.  

Do

  • Check for workshops and events run by non-profit community organisations  La Manoir de la Moissie and Les Happycultors  
  • The St Cyprien market which runs on Sundays all year. We have a flower stall there sometimes and it teems with interesting characters and fabulous local products, in addition to special treats like Le Petit Zinc, a lively mobile oyster and wine bar in an old Citroen “tube” truck  
  • Walking, cycling or horse riding in the forests near Siorac-en-Perigord, Urval or Belves. Points of interest include “Ceasars Camp”, ancient dolmens and neolithic polishing stones 
  • The lesser known Pecharment wine region is worth exploring, rather than heading for the big Bordeaux appellations such as St Emillion. The unique soil profile around Bergerac creates delicious and very good value wines. I love Tiregand especially, they’re the oldest producers of Pecharment on the banks of the Dordogne.

Eat

  • Le Trefle à 4 Feuilles is a favourite local gourmet restaurant for lunch or dinner, just a stroll away from home in the village of Siorac-en-Perigord, with a beautiful wisteria clad terrace. Book in advance!  
  • For a total contrast, Tuesday evenings sees the appearance of Les Folies Burgers, our brilliant local foodtruck with the best name ever. Order ahead for a specific collection time, then rock up to the truck in the car park of Carrefour supermarché and head for the river beach across the playing field and through le Port de Siorac for a real local experience
  • Le Petit Leon is an outstanding dining experience in a stunning village, and has just been awarded a Michelin Star. Even though we have to drive there, it is such a beautiful route through the Vallee of the Vezere river nobody minds at all. Book very far ahead and make this a special treat, they are often reserved 3 months in advance! 

See

  • The Dordogne river, specifically any village between Le Buisson de Cadouin and Vezac. Each has its own charms and vistas, river beaches, canoe hire companies snack bars and eateries
  • Le Village Le Madelaine is a magical and less visited spot on a “cingle” (naturally occurring loop) in the Vezere river, with fabulous walks on endless footpaths through the surrounding woodland. Our family and friends love this place all year round, we return again and again, it is just so unique and never overcrowded. 

Featured places to stay in Dordogne

Gites Boutique - Gallery

Gites Boutique

Villamblard, Dordogne

Getting around

Spring and autumn are best for travellers wanting to avoid the crowds and more extreme heat of summer. It’s actually really easy to organise car free holidays too. Our friends and family love to get the train, travelling by Eurostar, then the new TGV fast track form Paris to Bordeaux and finally the little regional train to Siorac. It’s a slow travel adventure! The local train is very well connected, following the Dordogne valley, or branching off south towards Agen. It is possible to hire traditional or electric bikes from Aquitaine Bike, based in a neighbouring village.  

 

Getting there

By train:

Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, transfer to Montparnasse (Metro Line 4 or a taxi) then head for Bordeaux or Libourne (2 to 3 hours). Trains to various destinations in Dordogne will take around 2 to 3 hours. Total journey time of around 10-12 hours depending on connections. 

By ferry: 

The usual cross-channel ferry ports (Roscoff, Calais etc) will leave you with a 7 or 8-hour drive to Dordogne. A slightly left-field option is a ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao. The drive is reduced to around 3 hours depending on your destination, but the boat takes around 32 hours. Fine if you love being at sea, but not the quickest.  

By plane:

The three best airports are spread west (Bordeaux Merignac), central (Bergerac) and east (Brive), so choose the one that best fits your eventual destination. Direct flights can be difficult to find, and you may have to transfer through Paris. So, where you can, opt for the more leisurely route.

Lucy’s top tip!

There’s a burgeoning folk music scene in the local area, which brings together all generations through ancient regional traditions, often in the Occitan language. This is something really special that the tourists often miss, so ask around and make sure you take some in. 

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