The Dordogne, and more specifically the Perigord, is famous for its breathtaking scenery, castles and medieval villages. But to take advantage of all the Perigord has to offer we signed up for a theme week. It is not difficult to coax us British to the Dordogne in southwest France - the English fought the French over this glorious rural idyll until the end of the Hundred Years War (1453) for goodness sake.
We were met at Bergerac airport by our coach driver for the week and transferred to HPB Constant, stopping en route at a supermarket to stock up on supplies (wine!).
An excellent welcome dinner was organised at restaurant Le Saint Felix where we met Marie-Line, our guide for the week, and the other lovely members of the group. It was a perfect local restaurant with great service and food in a rustic french setting. What a start to the week.
The next morning we set off early for a Gabare trip on the Dordogne. The Gabares are to Perigord what gondolas are to Venice. These boats were once used by merchants to transport their goods from one town to another, and have played a key role in the region's economic development. The name "gabare" refers to a flat-bottomed boat, a special feature that enables it to carry heavy loads. These boats were particularly used in the 18th century to bring lumber to the royal arsenals. As the Perigord region is a major wine producer, gabares were also used to transport barrels of wine. Once called the "River of Hope" by 19th century boatmen, the Dordogne has now been converted into a boating route offering breathtaking views of castles in perfect harmony with nature.
It was a lovely trip along the Dordogne river from La Roque Gageac to Beynac which lasted approximately 50 mins. It was great to be able to see the cliff dwellings and village from slightly further back.
Then lunch by an amazing fortress at Le Donjon. Tres bon, plats excellent.
The coach then followed the river to Chateau des Milandes.
Built in 1489, the stunning Chateau des Milandes in the heart of the Black Perigord on the south bank of the Dordogne became home to the black American singer and dancer Josephine Baker. Baker had become the toast of the Parisian cabaret scene in the '20s, being one of the most famous and highly paid entertainers of her day. A French citizen by marriage.
The Chateau was called "Sleeping Beauty Castle" in 1937 when Josephine Baker first looked at the Chateau, so it comes as no surprise that she rented then purchased the Chateau in 1947.
A visit to the Chateau is like a journey through the genius of Josephine Baker, who lived with her husband, Joe Bouillon and their twelve children, adopted from all over the world. Through the fourteen fully furnished rooms you can see the famous "banana belt" and the magnificent costumes of Josephine's stage performances. Not forgetting the very "diva" bathrooms that were designed just for her, one of which has gold leaf around the ceiling.
What is not commonly known is that Josephine worked extensively in the French Resistance and she was awarded various medals, one of which was the Legion of Honour. She was a passionate campaigner for human rights walking alongside Martin Luther King.
One of the highlights of the visit was the birds of prey demonstrations held in the garden at the rear of the Chateau. A magnificent falcon flew around our heads several times before he got his treat, wonderful. And an Eagle Owl always seemed to be looking at me
The Chateau des Milandes is a magical place, a magnificent tribute to an exceptional woman.
Day 3. Today we were driven through the beautiful Lisle valley to Chateau du Fratteau in Neuvic. a medieval fortress partly dismantled during the Revolution. The owner has been restoring it for the last 40 years. We entered via the unique underground refuge and saw the different rooms with authentic furniture from Perigord and the medieval kitchen. Kudos to the owners for the enormous amount of renovating from a ruin.
After a delicious lunch at Le Kayola we visited a Walnut Mill, Moulin de la Veyssiers, with origins in the 13th century. It is the last active mill in the Vern valley. A place steeped in history. After a tour we got to taste the oil, which we had watched being made using traditional methods on machines hundred of year old.
Day 4. We set off late this morning for a visit to an organic bakery, Fournil de Montclard in St. Georges de Moutclard. Richard is a farmer - baker. He grows his own grains, grinds them into flour and then transforms them into delicious organic bread.
Marin-Line then took us to one of her favourite local hamlets, Altair, to meet local producers and to see how they made use of the surrounding land. After a walk looking at the Organic Aromatic and Medicinal Plants we were treated to the most delicious lunch at the farmhouse where most of the produce came from the garden.
Day 5. So exciting. Marie-Line had organised light aircraft trips for us. We flew high over this beautiful area for an unforgettable view of the Dordogne and Constant.
Once our feet were firmly back on the ground Marie-Line took us to a local traditional vineyard, Chateau Grande Maison, Monbazillac for a wine tasting and cold buffet. We were treated to a three-wine tasting experience with white, red and dessert wines. A good amount of wine from nine bottles!! A pretty castle in the middle of vineyards and a tour of the production process. Sublime day.
Day 6. Most know about the prehistoric paintings at Lascaux Caves, but I'd not heard of the Rouffignac Caves, which we visited today. This is the entrance to the caves.
You go deep inside the caves here on an electric train and can see the original Palaeolithic artwork in situ. These are not paintings but black monochromatic line drawings, using pieces of manganese dioxide. The artists would have had to do a Michelangelo and lie on their backs to paint some of the works. (The floor has now been lowered). There are some rock carvings too, using flint chisels or bones. Occasionally, if the rock was soft enough, they could even use their finger nails.
We could easily make out distinct details like the animals' eyes, the long shaggy mammoth coats and the curled horns of the ibex. One very interesting drawing of a mammoth showed its anal flap. Sorry no photo of that one. Yes, this is a flap that covers the mammoth's anus to keep it warm. Only someone who had very close contact with a mommoth would know about this detail. This fact was used to help authenticate these drawings, as they were thought to be modern fakes when they were first discovered.
Why would people go to such extraordinary trouble? Were they religious symbols? Offerings to a god or gods? Or was it simply art for art's sake? No-one really knows.
All we really know for sure is that they belong to the Palaeolithic period and were done about 13,000 years ago.
We could also see great gouges and scratches on the cave walls. They think these were made by bears. There were also some shallow pits or hollows at the sides where they think large hibernating bear-like creatures slept.
The Grotte de Rouffignac is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No photographs allowed, so these are from postcards.
After our visit we enjoyed a farewell lunch together in an unusual rustic setting. On our way to the restaurant we passed several buildings that were built right into the cliffs and very close to the road.
The road also had a lot of overhanging rocks.
Restaurant Laugerie Basse. A troglodyte restaurant in Les Eyzies. The setting is worth the visit. We sat on the terrace under an arbor with an exceptional view over the valley.
After lunch we went for a stroll in the medieval village of Limeui, a pretty medieval village with an interesting past and a view down over the Vezere and Dordogne Rivers.
Day 7. A free day to enjoy the excellent on site facilities at Constant, in glorious sunshine, followed by our last meal together as a group. Beautiful sunset. The end to a fabulous holiday.
Thank you Marie-Line for organising this theme week - for your knowledge, friendliness and humour. Much appreciated.
And thank you David and Louise, John and Clare, Brian and Sue, Sue and Pam for your excellent company. We enjoyed every moment.
Thanks also to our excellent drivers, Christian and David.
A very enjoyable Theme week.
