15 essentials: what to see and do in Dordogne-Périgord (France)

Those of you who are regular readers of TRAVEL GUIDES You already know that our favorite way to travel is to take a route by car enjoying the scenery, watching charming towns and visiting castles and other monuments.

And there is regions of Spain and from other countries of Europe ideal for this, such as south west france, where you can also visit caves with rock art.

This is an area that we have visited several times making a route by car, and which this special year has become one of the most recommended places to visit from Spain.

The attractions of southwestern France for a trip of these characteristics are enormous, and on this occasion we are going to propose various places of interest from the area Dordogne-Perigord on an ideal route to start from the city of Bordeaux.

there you can arrive from Spain in your own car, or if you prefer, in plane o train and then rent a vehicle for your trip.

15 essential places to see and visit in Dordogne-Périgord

Next we propose you 15 of the best places that are well worth visiting on this route by car and that will make your trip an unforgettable experience.

Périgueux, World Heritage Site

A good way to start the route is to go to Périgueux, the capital of the former French province of Périgord and the Dordogne department.

It is a picturesque town which dates back to Roman times, and which had its golden age during the Middle Ages and the Renacimiento.

It is known as the City of Art and History, and being part of the the Camino de Santiago, has in his Saint-Front Cathedral a declared monument Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

La Périgueux cathedral It originates from the 12th century, although in the second half of the 19th century it was rebuilt in neo-byzantine style.

It is the great monumental jewel of the city where, in addition to walking through its picturesque streets that take you back to the aforementioned medieval and Renaissance era, you can also visit the Vesunna museum.

In this building designed by the architect Jean Nouvel remains of the Gallo-Roman era.

Hautefort Castle, 17th century manor house

An interesting visit that you can do in the surroundings of Périgueux is Hautefort castle (Chateau de Hautefort ), a medieval fortress converted in the 17th century into manor house with beautiful gardens.

And also the Tourtoirac Caves (Tourtoirac cave), a network of caves with stalactites and stalagmites opened to the public in 2010 and where you can see a show of lights and shadows.

Jumilhac and Puyguilhem Castles

In the village of Jumilhac the Great can visit a castle that is going to seem like a story to you, that of Jumilhac (Castle Jumilhac), with the characteristic conical slate roofs that culminate its towers.

During your visit you can also walk through the beautiful gardens that surround it.

And very close, in the town of Villars you meet the one considered as the best preserved Renaissance castle in PérigordThat of Puyguilhem (Chateau de Puyguilhem), from the beginning of the 16th century.

Brantôme and its Benedictine abbey

small “City with Character” de Brantome you find it on the banks of the Dronne River, and is the gateway to the Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park.

During your walk through the beautiful medieval and renaissance streets of Brantôme you can see one benedictine abbey from the 7th century.

Carved into the rock, this abbey has a church, a gallery, a cloister and an 11th-century Romanesque bell tower that was built independently of the other buildings on a rocky outcropping.

At limestone cliff Located behind the monastery buildings, caves open up that bear witness to the first occupation of the place.

In particular, the Cave of the “Last Judgment” and its monumental bas-reliefs carved into the rock, as well as a source venerated for its healing and fruitful virtues dedicated to Saint Sicaire.

Montignac, walk through medieval streets

You will reach Montignac possibly with the intention of visiting nearby Lascaux Caves, but before doing so, you can walk through its medieval streets and visit the Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens church.

Lascaux Caves, jewel of rock art

The Lascaux Caves, declared Heritage, are one of the great jewels of the rock art worldwide.

The original cave cannot be visited for years, but you will have the opportunity to visit Lascaux IV, an excellent reproduction of it made using digital mapping techniques.

It must be a essential visit on your car route Dordogne-Perigord.

Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil

To complement your visit Lascaux IVWhat better way to get closer than Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, a place considered as “the world capital of Prehistory“, where you can visit the National Museum of Prehistory.

It is a center dedicated to the knowledge of this era in the history of Humanity, and where you can see the largest collection in the world of prehistoric instruments and objects.

Commarque Castle, medieval fortress

En Dordogne-Perigord Not only will you be able to visit castles that are actually large stately homes, but also large fortresses that will take you back to medieval times.

And if there is one to highlight in this regard, it is the Commarque castle, which is located in an idyllic natural environment, and is known as the “forgotten fortress” due to its difficult access.

Originally from the 12th century, on your visit to Commarque castle You will find a small fortress that is partly restored and you will walk through its tower and the remains of the town buildings that surrounded it.

Sarlat-la-Canéda

If we want to know a place with great charm in Dordogne-Périgord, without a doubt the town of Sarlat It becomes an obligatory stage.

It is a small town where you will find medieval buildings, but also with renaissance architecture.

Declared as the City of Art and History, in its network of pedestrian streets you will find very interesting corners.

To highlight your cathedral, the corner known as Lantern of the Dead, or the remains of his church of Santa Maria, now converted into a market.

During your visit it is essential that climb to the top of the tower of said church, in an elevator enabled for them, from where you will have the best panoramic views of Sarlat.

La Roque-Gageac, pretty village in the Dordogne

In your trip through Dordogne-Périgord you have the opportunity to meet several beautiful and charming towns, and among them stands out, without a doubt, Vitrac in the Dordogne Valley, which is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.

It is characterized because its houses are aligned at the base of a high gorge and on the banks of the Dordogne river which runs through sinuous curves through said valley.

The best way to appreciate the great charm of Vitrac It's on an excursion aboard a traditional barge that navigates the aforementioned river.

From the barge you will see other interesting places such as the Marqueyssac Gardens and Castelnaud castle, which located on top of a hill, has a large collection of medieval weapons.

Beynac Castle, viewpoint over the Dordogne Valley

Also in the Dordogne Valley, you can visit another great fortress that rises on another hill on the banks of the Dordogne river.

This is the Beynac castle, located at the top of the hill that rises above the pretty town of the same name.

Originally from the 12th century, during your visit you will see places like the Hall of the States of the Baronies of Périgord of the 15th century, or renaissance staircase.

From the walls of Beynac castle you have spectacular ones panoramic views of the Dordogne Valley and its river.

Artistic gardens of Marqueyssac

Another of the attractions of a car route through Dordogne-Périgord is the possibility of seeing and visit very beautiful artistic gardens.

And, specifically, in the Dordogne Valley well worth it stroll through the Marqueyssac Gardens, which extend across the top of a rocky spur that rises above the Dordogne river, and from whose viewpoints you have spectacular views of the aforementioned valley.

I can tell you that the artistic disposition of the more than one is spectacular. 150.000 centenary box trees hand-carved that are distributed over an area of ​​up to 22 hectares.

Monpazier, old medieval bastide

During this trip you also have the opportunity to visit a bastida.

This is called a typical walled town built during the Middle Ages in the southwest of France with a defensive purpose and as a settlement to repopulate rural areas.

An example of bastida you have it in Monpazier, where you will have the opportunity to walk through its characteristic medieval streets.

Biron Castle

One of the most outstanding castles you can visit near Monpazier is the Anydeclared Historical monument.

El biron castle It shows a great architectural mix as a result of its evolution between the 13th and 18th centuries, so that during your visit you will be able to see a medieval tower, a Renaissance chapel or a neoclassical terrace.

Cloister of Cadouin

In this area you can visit a declared monument Heritage awarded by the Unesco, Cloister of Cadouin, a masterpiece of flamboyant gothic art.

This cloister is part of an old monastery from the late 15th century, where you can appreciate the artistic wealth of the restored sculptures in the cloister galleries.

Bergerac, heart of the wine region

Bergerac It is the central axis of the wine-growing area known as Bergerac country en Dordogne-Perigord, where you can so much visit wineries like those mentioned above bastides.

On your walk through the old town of this small city you will find corners such as the square of the Church of Saint-Jacques, in which you can see a statue of the famous Cyrano de Bergerac.

Also noteworthy is the New House of Wines and Tourism “Quai Cyrano”, a cultural space dedicated to wine and tourist information installed in a 17th century mansion, in the heart of the historic center of Bergerac.