Dordogne River Walk

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

Days of Walking & Trekking

Terrain:

Peaceful well-marked walks mainly through forests, sunflower fields, rolling hills and along riverside paths.

Day by day breakdown

Day 210.0km/7.0miles

Day 419.0km/12.0miles

Day 616.0km/10.0miles

Day 819.0km/12.0miles

Responsible Travel

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Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

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Rocamadour

Saint-Vincent-De-Cosse

Day 1
Arrive in Rocamadour
Arrive in Rocamadour, home to one of France's most venerated sites and a place of pilgrimage for thousands of years. Your hotel - with private pool - is nestled in parkland and is a haven of tranquillity. You stay at Hotel Les Esclargies (breakfast included)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 2
Rocamadour to Meyronne
Before leaving Rocamadour, explore this UNESCO village that clings prettily to the cliffside. Discover its ancient chapels and medieval sanctuary, then set off for Meyronne via the Grottes de Lacave. Stay the night in a beautifully converted 11th century chateau hotel. (Staying at Hotel de la Terrasse)
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 3
At Meyronne
You have lots of choices today. Either relax by the hotel pool or walk south of the river to Rocher Sainte-Marie and the Grottes de Lacave. If you prefer, head to the town of Rocamadour, home to the shrine of the Black Madonna and one of France's most venerated religious sites. Alternatively, travel by taxi to the Gouffre de Padirac, an enormous chasm where you descend into an underground cave system that you then explore by boat along the subterranean stream. (Staying at Hotel de la Terrasse)
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 4
Meyronne to Souillac
Leave Meyronne following the rewarding path along the Roc de Monges with spectacular panoramic views along the river and buzzards and kites soaring overhead. Take the GR6 path through sleepy hamlets and lush farmland, rejoining the river at Chateau de la Treyne before continuing on to the atmospheric small town of Souillac. (Staying at La Vielle Auberge)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5
At Souillac
Wander around this delightful town or visit the Musee de l'Automate, which holds the largest collection of mechanical toys and dolls in France. Alternatively, walk to La Durantie for more stunning views along the Dordogne Valley. (Staying at La Vielle Auberge)
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6
Souillac to Carsac
Take a transfer to Roufillac then head along the south bank of the Dordogne River into the heart of the Perigord Nord. You can also take a short detour to visit Chateau de Fenelon en route to Carsac. (Staying at La Villa Romaine)
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 7
At Carsac
Walk along the disused railway line that is now a 'voie verte' into Sarlat and explore this mediaeval town, the capital of the Perigord Noir. Wander the warren of old lanes and charming courtyards with their Renaissance facades and richly ornamented buildings, now protected by law. (Staying at La Villa Romaine)
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 8
Carsac to Saint-Vincent-De-Cosse
Today's wonderful day of walking takes you along one of the historically interesting sections of the Dordogne River. Pass stone bories (dry stone huts) and small country hamlets as you walk between Chateau de Montfort, Vitrac port and La Roque-Gageac, with incredible views. With the fortifications of Castelnau just across the river from you, stroll into the incredible towering stronghold of Beynac with its quaint cobbled lanes, once besieged by Richard the Lionheart. Take a short but steep detour up to the Chateau de Beynac - perhaps enjoy a refreshing drink on a cafe terrace, with stunning views over the river) then continue through the serene countryside to your hotel. (Staying at the Domaine de Monrecour Chateau Hotel, Half Board)
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 9
Leave Saint-Vincent-De-Cosse
Meals included: Breakfast

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

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Essential Info

Visas

France

No visa required for British passport holders.

For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers

Visa regulations can change without notice: please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.

Vaccinations

France

There are no specific health risks.

Eating and Drinking

The Dordogne has a rich cuisine based on 'produits du terroir' (locally grown produce). A typical first course would be 'tourain', an onion and garlic soup cooked in a broth with duck or goose fat, and ladled over slices of country bread and cheese. Paté, often duck or goose, is equally popular, as is foie gras. Main course specialities also include duck and goose, often served in light cream sauces and, in the autumn, fresh cepes. Duck or goose fat is also used for the accompanying pommes de terre sarladaises - slices of potato sauteed in goose fat, with garlic, parsley and wild mushrooms. Traditional desserts include tarte aux noix, and flognarde, a type of flan with fruit and liqueur. A local cheese that is worth tasting is Bleu des Causses, similar to Roquefort, as well as Rocamadour goat's cheese. There are also some fantastic wines that come from the local area and a little further afield in Bordeaux that will accompany your meals perfectly.

Weather

Summers in the Dordogne are warm-hot with temperatures reaching 25-35 degrees Celcius. There may be occasional storms and showers, these are usually short but you should be prepared. Colder spells can also arrive and last a day or two. Temperatures in the early morning can still be quite mild, so it is a good idea to have an additional layer.

In spring and autumn the weather in the Dordogne is similar but milder, with temperatures around 22-28 degrees Celcius and with a greater chance of rain - especially in late spring.

Is this trip for you?

Classification: Self-Guided
Activity Level: 3 (Moderate)
Average daily distance: 16.5km/10.5 miles
No. of days walking: 4
Terrain and route: The suggested walking mainly follows peaceful well-marked walks mainly through forests, sunflower fields and along riverside paths. Rolling hills, so no need for a head for heights.
Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to walk independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodation, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can walk at your own pace, while your bags are transported from one hotel to the next. A local agent will be there to meet you and will be on call throughout the trip should you need.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local agent is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Families
Self-guided walking holidays are a perfect option for families as they offer the freedom for you to take your holiday at your own pace. You can stop as and when you want and need, at the cafes and restaurants that suit your family and the sites that interest you.

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

Accommodation

Hotels

You will stay in characterful 3 & 4 star hotels throughout, including a grand country manor set in its own private parkland, two beautifully preserved chateaux and a traditional family-run auberge. All hotels have private swimming pools.

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

See all experts

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.