Dordogne & Bordeaux

The Dordogne Valley which is part of the Perigord region is one of the most beautiful parts of France, well known for its history and breath taking views. This is a new Tour that we have compiled to bring together the charm of unspoilt countryside, Chateaus gardens and also ancient historical villages.

A special tour that takes us on a boat cruise on the Dordogne and a visit to Roque-St Christophe, with a site that has experienced pre-historic life thousands of years ago. Our main stay for this holiday is in the village of Le-Bugue at the Hotel Royal Vezere which overlooks the river in the centre of the village. The Hotel has a bar and restaurant with a riverside terrace and a rooftop outdoor swimming pool and terrace with great views. Our itinerary which we have carefully chosen is as follows:

SATURDAY – DAY 1 Early departure for our journey South to Dover for our crossing to France, then onto our overnight Hotel, The Mercure Paris Vazizy, situated to the South West of Paris.

SUNDAY – DAY 2 After breakfast we leave the hotel and travel through France by passing Orleans, Chateauroux and Limoges to Le-Bugue and the Royal Vezere Hotel for a stay of five nights.

MONDAY – DAY 3 Today we first of all drive to Perigueux which is the capital of the region. This beautiful town offers superb architecture, pavement Cafes and restaurants. A gastronomic centre which has a total of 39 historic monuments. We include an introductory walking guided tour which lasts about 1 hour, then in the afternoon we drive to the Roque St Christophe, an amazing place of beauty and history of pre historic life many thousands of years ago. We include entrance to this, then afterwards return to our Hotel for dinner.

TUESDAY –DAY 4 Today there is normally a morning market in Le-Bugue, so a free morning to relax and do as you please. Explore the narrow winding streets and the beautiful traditional houses before a short leisurely drive to either Beynac-et-Cazenac or Roque-Gageac for an included boat sail on the Dordogne River.

WEDNESDAY – DAY 5 A full tour today which starts with a visit to Sarlat-La-Caneda a beautifully preserved historic town, one of the most famous for medieval art and history in France. It claims to have the highest number of listed buildings per square metre in Europe. We then continue to Rocamadour a setting rich in tradition where pilgrims have been visiting this medieval city for centuries. Defying gravity, Rocamadour is built into a cliff side whose rocks protect the sacred shrines and monastery.

THURSDAY – DAY 6 No holiday would be complete in this region without viewing its vineyards, so today we travel west along the Dordogne Valley to Bergerac where the old town slopes down to the river. Here we can see the covered market, Notre Dame Church, the Statue of Cyrano-De-Bergerac and the old bridges and quays. We also include a prestige guided tour of Chateau De Monbazillac learning of the local history during a tour of the Chateau, we then include a wine tasting normally of 3 selected wines before returning to our hotel.

FRIDAY – DAY 7 Sadly after breakfast at our Hotel we have to leave the Dordogne and drive North through France to our Hotel on the outskirts of Paris.

SATURDAY – DAY 8 Our final day sees us driving North to Calais for our crossing back to England then onward to our home areas arriving mid evening.

** A passport and adequate insurance are required for this holiday.