Nom de l`organisation

The Dordogne valley
Self drive discovery tour
SD09 Prestige & Luxe tour – a 7 day and 6 night self drive holidays along the Dordogne River to discover magnificent sceneries and lovely villages
Day 1 - Libourne and Saint Emilion
Day 2 – Vineyards of St Emilion
and Monbazillac
Nom de l'organisation
You will leave Bordeaux to join Libourne, fortified
town founded in the beginning
of the 13th century by the order of the king of England at
the confluence of the Dordogne and the Isle to allow
loading of the products of
Gascogne towards England
and the countries of Northern
Europe. You will discover
some remains of the city, then
through the vineyard, you will
reach Saint Emilion. Overhanging the Dordogne, the medieval city is world
famous for these prestigious wines, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone, Château Pavie… and
also for the
richness
of
its
historic
m on u m e n t s
and its trogl o d y t i c
church, largest
in
Europe, excavated
by
the
monks
from 8th to
12th centuries. You will traverse the sloping streets
of the village and will climb to the Tower of Roy,
last remains of a fortified castle dated
from the 13th century before tasting
these famous macaroons manufactured
since many centuries
based on a recipe of
the Ursuline sisters.
Drive tour of about fifty kilometres to visit the
vineyard of St Emilion and
the seven other villages
which constitute the jurade of St Emilion classified by UNESCO as the
world heritage of Humanity. You will discover these
historical villages, their
Romanesque
churches,
the ruins of fortified castles, testimony of a tumultuous past. Then you will
go along the Dordogne to
reach
Sainte
Foy
la
Grande, one of the rare French fortified towns
(bastide) founded in 1255. This fortified place was
very coveted for centuries, became English in the
15th century and then Protestant in the 16th! From
there, you will go
and discover the
vineyard of Montbazillac which extends to the south
of Bergerac on left
bank of the Dordogne. This vineyard, which produces
syrupy
whites, is harvested
by hand in successive sorts, collecting
only
the
overripened grains covered with the noble
rot and the others
continuing
to
“roast”.
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1
Day 3 – Tour of Bergerac,
the Dordorgne
from Bergerac to Tremolat.
The day starts with
the visit of Bergerac.
This town which extends on both sides of
the Dordogne has expanded rapidly since
12th century with the
development of trade
across the river and
was a stronghold of
Protestantism in the 16th century. The old town
has been restored and is worth a visit just like the
very interesting tobacco museum. Today the city
is surrounded by vineyards which produce several
AOC wines, the Bergerac, the coasts of Bergerac,
the Monbazillac, the
Montravel and the
Pécharmant.
You
will leave Bergerac
and go along the
Dordogne by some
small routes to discover the castle of
Lanquais then the
village of Couze and St Font, small locality which
was specialized in the manufacturing of the Holland paper since 16th century. You will visit the
Larroque water-mill which still manufactures filigree paper using ancient methods. Further, you
will climb to the chapel St Front de Colubri built in
the 12th century at
the top of the cliff
dominating the Dordogne to protect the
sailors, who faced the
rapids of the Saut de
la
Gratusse.
The
route will take you to
the
abbe y
of
Cadouin founded in
1115. The church and the cloister built at the end
of the 15th century in flamboyant Gothic style were
restored during last centuries and form a beautiful
architectural unit which shelters the Holy Shroud
museum which was the place of pilgrimages and
religious ardour for many centuries …and a very
interesting museum of the velocipede! You will
pass over the Dordogne and then Vézère to reach
Limeuil,
old
village risen in
tiers along the
cliff and whose
lanes climb towards
the
church and the
ancient
castle
sit e.
Befor e
reaching the village, you will visit the chapel St
Martin whose construction (1194) was financed by
Henri II of Plantagenêt in atonement of the murder of the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas
Becket. You will carry on your route towards the
panoramic viewpoint of Sors where you will admire
the Dordogne before arriving at
the cingle of Trémolat where the
Dordogne lounges
at the bottom of
high white cliffs in
a circular arc. The
views are magnificent. Then you
will join the village of Trémolat and its Romanesque church of
the 12th century.
Day 4 – Along the Dordogne
from Tremolat to Sarlat
You will continue
along
the
Dordogne to reach the
villages of Urval
dominated by its
fortified church and
of
Siorac
en
Périgord
which
keep
many
remains of their rural
past (apparatus to
shoe oxen, village oven,…) You will cross the river
and will go along
cliff to join St Cyprien whose lanes
around the imposing church (which
belonged to an abbey) shelter many
old houses. Then
you will arrive at
Beynac et Cazenac. This village
clung to the cliff is dominated by its castle, formidable fortified place which played an important
role during Hundred Years’ War, the Dordogne being the border between the English and French
territories ! You will climb up le caminal del
Panieraires, very sloping small pedestrian lane
bordered
with
old
houses to reach the
castle (to visit) and
discover a magnificent
panorama on the twists
and turns of the Dordogne. You will stop a
few kilometres further
to visit the hanging
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gardens of Marqueyssac. Arranged over a rocky
spur, the park dominates
of its high calcareous
cliffs the valley of the
Dordogne and offers one
of the most beautiful
panoramas of Périgord.
Then you will reach La
Roque Gageac, this vill a g e
built on the steep faces of cliff
is one of the most beautiful
sites of the Dordogne valley.
You will traverse the green
lanes of the village where the
simple houses of peasants and
craftsmen stood near the rich
mansions of notables. Finally,
you will arrive at Sarlat at the
end of the day.
Day 5 – Tour of Sarlat
The morning is devoted to the visit of Sarlat - You
will fall under the
charm of this old
town while walking
through the maze of
narrow streets with
the medieval looks
which shelter many
special Gothic mansions and magnificently restored Renaissance. Capital of
the Périgord Noir, Sarlat is an exceptionally protected town. Sarlat became a city in the 8th century. Border between the Kings
of France and England during
the Hundred Years’ War, Sarlat
became English in 1360 and
released after ten years by Du
Guesclin. The cathedral of
Saint-Sacerdos was set up under Henri IV. From 18th century, Sarlat lied dormant for
150 years before becoming
again prosperous with the arrival of Railway. The exceptional
number of registered or classified buildings made
Sarlat capital of the Périgord noir, the first European city in terms of heritage.
Free afternoon.
Day 6 – Along the Dordogne
from Castelnaud to Souillac
You join Vézac and
the edges of the
Dordogne,
which
you cross to go to
visit the castle of
Castelnaud, fortified castle of the
12th century which
overhangs
the
Dordogne.
This
strategic place was much disputed during the Hundred Years’ War and the rivalry between Castelnaud and Beynac whose fortress stands opposite
t h e
ot h e r
bank,was fierce.
Then you will go
along the edges of
the Dordogne discovering
the
r ou n d
t ow er s
crested of pepper
pots from the castle of Feyrac (not
visited) to reach the elegant castle of Milandes.
This Renaissance building was modified in the 19th
century and was the property of famous Josephine
Baker, a big music hall star, born to St Louis
(Missouri). Magnificent panorama on the Dordogne
valley.
You
will
reach
D om me
af t e r
having crossed the
Céou river and
passing in front of
the
magnificent
Romanesque
church of Cénac
and St Julien. This
f or t i f i e d
t ow n
founded in 1281
by King Philippe Le Hardi to thwart the territorial
expansion of England and to better control the
river traffic, is classified among the most beautiful
villages of France. It is necessary to stroll in the
small streets to better discover the eventful history of this fortified town, built at the edge of the
cliff, 150 meters above the Dordogne.
You will go down again towards the Dordogne and
Vitrac to arrive at Montfort and its castle. Built on
a cliff which overhangs a meander
of the Dordogne
(magnificent
view),
it
must
have
been
attacked, destroyed
and rebuilt many
times.
You
will
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stop to visit the very beautiful church of CarsacAillac which stands in the surroundings of greenery.
Further, built in a succession of rocky terraces, the
castle of Fénelon, one of the most beautiful castles of Périgord Noir,
has kept its defensive
system and its stone
roof. You will cross
again the Dordogne,
will pass in front of
the magnificent castle of Rouffillac (…
which you can rent
for your next holidays…!) to join Carlux, a typical Perigord village
perched on a rocky spur with beautiful stone
houses and small streets. Do not miss the sarrazine chimney of 11th century, the stone market
and the church Ste Catherine.
Souillac, the town
developed around an
abbey founded in the
10 th
century
and
which glowed in the
whole region during
many centuries with
its ups and downs,
and the tragic periods
like the Religion wars.
We suggest you a walk to discover the old town
and to visit the abbey Ste Marie and the church St
Martin.
Day 7 – Along the Dordogne
from Souillac to Bretenoux.
The day begins
with the visit from
Rocamadour, high
place of Christendom in the middle
ages, village clung
on the cliff and
dominated by its
castle. This mythical village, filled with the worship of a black virgin,
has been the symbol of faith and hope for many
centuries. You will visit the village and the religious city.
Then, you will go along the Dordogne by the villages of Meyronne,
St Sozy to join
Gluges, small village clung on the
abrupt side of the
cliff and the panoramic viewpoint of
Copeyre
from
where you will ad-
mire the Cirque of Montvalent. You will
continue
through the villages of
Floirac, Mezels to join Carennac, very picturesque village
with the houses flanked by
turrets and gathered around
the priory where Fénelon
lived. The unit church St Pierre, cloister and castle of
Doyens, together are a great
architectural wealth. La mise
au tombeau which is in the chapter house is magnificent and impresses by the painful expression of
the characters. By some small routes on the cliff,
you will join the medieval village of Loubressac,
clung on a headland which overhangs 3 valleys
including
Dordogne.
Then you will visit the
Gouffre of Padirac
(abyss), natural cavity having depth of
75m diameter of 33m
which opens on the
surface of Causse of
Gramat and under
which an underground river flows. Elevators or
staircases, take you to this river. Then starts a
mysterious walk 103 meters below ground for
500m. After the disembarkation in the hall of the
Pluie Lake, the visit continues on foot, towards the
hall of Grands Gours, the hall of Grand Dôme,
whose vault rises to 94 meters height with its
Higher Lake situated at 27 meters above the bed
of the river (Duration of the visit approximately
1.30 hour) Back to open air, you will reach
the viewpoint of the cirque of Autoire from where
you will admire the
splendid panorama of
the three valleys and
the cascade, before going
down
towards
Autoire, splendid village with its old houses
with corbellings and its
manor houses flanked
by turrets. Further, you
will visit the castle of Castelnau, one of the most
beautiful examples of the military architecture of
the Middle Ages. On its bottom, the small village
of Castelnau has
protected its medieval appearance with
very beautiful collegiate
church
St
Louis. You will arrive
at Bretenoux, old
fortifi ed
town
founded in 1277 by
the very powerful
lord of Castelnau. The tour ends at Bretenoux late
afternoon or you continue to Brive to return the
rental car.
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Getting there and away
Arrival
The starting point of the tour is Libourne that you can
reach
By car :
From Paris : A10 motoway to St André de Cubzac and
D670 to Libourne.
From Bordeaux : N89 road to Perigueux
From Toulouse : A62 motorway exit 4 and D670 via La
Réole and Sauveterre de Guyenne
We recommend you to arrive on site the day before and
stay overnight in the neighbourhood or in the first tour
hotel. We can arrange this extra.
Accommodation
Prestige category
6 B&B 4*Luxe hotels + 1 dinner
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
By train :
8 TGV Paris to Libourne a day
By plane
1
2
3
4
6
: Saint Emilion—Château Grand Barrail
: Bergerac - Château des Vigiers
: Trémolat : Le Vieux Logis
and 5 : Sarlat – domaine de Rochebois
: Souillac - Château de la Treyne - dinner
or equivalent depending on vacancies
- Roissy Charles de
Gaulle airport. Direct
TGVs from the airport to Bordeaux or
Libourne,
- Bordeaux airport.
Shuttle to the Bordeaux rail station
and trains to Libourne.
Luxe category
6 B&B 3 & 4* hotels +1 dinner
Day 1 : Saint Emilion - Château Grand Barrail
Day 2 : Bergerac - Chartreuse de Bignac
Day 3 : Le Buisson de Cadouin– Manoir de Bellerive
dinner
Day 4 and 5: Sarlat – Clos la Boëtie
Day 6 : Lacave - Hotel Pont de l’Ouysse
Car rental : Pick up
office at Libourne rail
station or Bordeaux
(airport or rail station)
or equivalent depending on vacancies
Tour end
The tour ends at Bretenoux or Brive if you have to return the rental car (day 7 in late afternoon)
Car rental : return office at Brive La Gaillarde at 40 km
North (motorway between Souillac and Brive from where you can catch a direct train to Paris or Toulouse)
The tour package
will be delivered to you at your
last hotel you will stay before the tour or at the pick up
office.
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Prestige hotels
Château Grand Barrail at Saint Emilion
The famous vineyards of Bordeaux contain a
treasure close to the UNESCO heritage village
of St Emilion: Hôtel Château Grand Barrail.
Dedicated to the art of living, it stands beside a
small lake in a three-hectare estate, a gem of
Renaissance France with Moorish interiors to
free your imagination into flights of fancy.
Four pavilions provide the accommodation: Le
Château, La Residence, La Maison du Bien-Etre
and La Maison du Vignoble. The wellness centre
is yet another offering a wide selection of treatments with Ligne St Barth cosmetics.
Gastronomically, you are in the talented hands
of chef Fabrice Giraud who combines the tastes of the South West in the style of the
South whilst the sommelier conjures up his magic from the impressive cellars. The
Wine Academy will open doors to the most prestigious châteaux but, if you have other
interests, the concierge will propose other ways to enjoy the region
Château des Vigiers at Bergerac
Château des Vigiers is locally called the little Versailles of the Périgord region. Le Château des Vigiers and its staff
are pleased to welcome
you.Château des Vigiers is locally called the little Versailles
of the Périgord region. Le Château des Vigiers and its staff
are pleased to welcome you.
The luxurious confort of our
rooms and the personal touches you will see around you
will serve to make you feel relaxed and at home from the very start. The pervading sense of peace and calm will revitalize and restore you.
Le Vieux logis at Trémolat
Nestling in the heart of the Black Périgord, just 45 minutes away from Perigueux and 35 minutes away from Bergerac, you will find one of the gems of the
French hotellery. The majestic Dordogne
River gently meanders by and creates a
loop around the peaceful village of Tremolat. This high standard hotel has been in
the same family for over 450 years. Although the house has been fully redecorated, it has never lost any of its original
'cachet'. Every book, every piece of furniture and every armchair is original and
holds its individual story old of 4 centuries. Each
room has its individual style and is tastefully decorated. Whether the decoration consists of heavy
drapes or carved stone, flowery upholstery or pleated
curtains, wrought iron, oak or wicker, each room is
authentic, bright and welcoming. The oldest of traditions at the 'Vieux Logis' are engraved with the love
and appreciation of excellent cooking. The chef, Vincent Arnould, is a calm and comical character. The dishes he creates are indisputably
reminiscent of Cézanne's paintings. He displays gastronomical sensations in harmony with the changing seasons:
guests may dine in the gardens under the Linden trees, next to the stream or in the old tobacco-drying barn built
150 years ago.
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Domaine de Rochebois at Sarlat
Set in the heart of the historic Perigord region, famed
for its ancient hilltop castles and medieval towns, is
found the noble 19th century Domaine de Rochebois,
lavishly transformed in the past decade into a hotel
sans pareil. With its mosaics and albizzias, there is an
Italianate flavour about the setting, enhanced by the
scent of its elegant gardens, but there is no mistaking
the renowned French flair for hospitality and cuisine.
All the rooms are exquisitely furnished, and the public
rooms are a delight: cool and elegant in summer,
warm and welcoming in autumn. The 9-hole golf
course which overlooks the Valley of the Dordogne
will test and exhilarate, and there is a charming heated pool in the landscaped grounds
Château de La Treyne near Souillac
This magnificent château (built in the
XIVth and XVIIth centuries) overlooks
the Dordogne and blends the authenticity of the past with the comfort and
quality of a landmarked site. Its French
gardens extend into a 300-acre forest.
Michèle Gombert has mastered the art
of fine living, offering luxurious rooms,
breakfast beneath the hundred-year-old
cedars and dinner in the Louis XIII salon or on the riverside terrace.
Luxe hotels
Château Grand Barrail at Saint Emilion
(see previous page)
Chartreuse de Bignac by Bergerac
A stone's throw from Bergerac and
Monbazillac is this friendly and charming inn, originally built in the eighteenth century as a manor house. Located in the very heart of the Périgord
Pourpre, and on a hill looking over the
church towers of Bergerac, St Nexans,
Le Colombier and Conne de Labarde.
The owners, Brigitte and Jean-Louis,
have completed significant renovations
to this attractive house and they will
welcome you warmly to the hotel and lovely grounds. Enjoy a stroll
around the lake, laze by the pool or go mountain biking. The ten rooms
(all non-smoking) have private bathrooms and are simply but attractively
decorated.
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Manoir de Bellerive at Le Buisson de Cadouin
The Domaine de Bellerive is an elegant manor
house from the 19th century set in 7 acres of
park on the banks of the Dordogne River. 16
rooms in the Manor, with stylish furniture and
rich fabrics, and 6 modern rooms in the Orangerie. All rooms are air-conditioned and equipped
with satellite TV, trousers press, hair dryer and
bathrobes.The Michelin-starred restaurant "Les
Délices d'Hortense" is famous for its traditional,
refined cuisine, largely inspired by the local flavours. Other facilities include an
outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court, a hammam and a sauna
Clos La Boëtie at Sarlat
the Clos La Boëtie features with a perfect agreement : luxury, comfort, romanticism, modernity and
serenity, in the order to make travelers dream a little more, when they come and discover this aera full
of cultural and gastronomical richnesses. Establishment of charm in the heart of Sarlat, is a real haven
of peace proposes you to remain in a decoration of
style, composed of old pieces of furniture of family
mingled with sumptuous fabrics. The 11 rooms bear
the name of prestigious castles périgordins, as
Beynac, Castelnaud, Marqueyssac, Commarque,
Montaigne... In every room is you will feel like home, in a refined decoration, where
every details were thought for your comfort. Canopied four-poster beds, the tables and
old engravings, the beams, the stained glasses and the colored hangings marry with
the modernism of the flat-faced screens of televisions and with four stars comfort. Like
Perigord is synonym of gastronomy, Clos La Boetie suggests you a breakfast "true
range greedy" - macaroon, brownie, carpaccio of pineapple, Basque cake, cheese, pork
-butchery,… served by an attentive personnel in an cosy living room, strewn with some decorated round tables of
flowers.
Hotel Pont de l’Ouysse at Lacave
Le Pont de L’Ouysse is a small quaint hotel with a
gastronomic restaurant, near Sarlat and the Dordogne valley, right at the confluence of the rivers
l’Ouysee and Dordogne, almost walking distance to
Rocamadour. Le Pont de L’Ouysse is run by a couple who own it. He is the chef and she is the hostess of the hotel, as well as the restaurant. Peace
and quiet are found here at its best in a relaxing
setting where the sound of the river invites you to take a walk down to be closer to it,
or maybe walk alongside, to the meeting point of the two rivers. The rooms of the
hotel are not too big, but very neatly arranged. They have some rooms in the main
building on top of the restaurant, and other newer ones, and a bit bigger, in two
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59bis rue du Mûrier BP40226
37542 Saint Cyr sur Loire Cedex France
00 33 (0)247 416 707
00 33 (0)134 292 260
[email protected]
www.sentiersdefrance.com