Walking along the most beautiful river in France
The Dordogne is often called the most beautiful river in France. Our tour to this land of the castles of Richard the Lionheart features the most famous and spectacular section of the river, studded with castles and cave art. The walking is perfect, and a plenitude of sights and attractions rounds out your vacation. This self-guided tour in the southwest serves as a delightful introduction to France, but also suits experienced adventurers.
Souillac, France
Day 1
Carsac-Aillac, France
Day 2+3
Domme, France
Day 4
La Roque-Gageac, France
Day 5+6
Les Eyzies de Tayac, Chemin de la Gaubert, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, France
Day 7+8+9
| Start any date between Apr 1 and Oct 31. |
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| Custom trips are also available and can start any date, call or email for details. |
Total Days
Arrive/Depart
Activity LevelModerate
15 km (10 mi) daily average
Opportunities to shorten the walking distance through alternate routes or taxi transfers
TerrainSome days may be longer and require walking on hilly and rocky paths
CostClassic Accommodation: US $3,275
Single Supplement: US $820
Luxe Accommodation: US $3,895
Single Supplement: US $975
Getting There
You start in Souillac, about 500 km south of Paris. Souillac is on the main Paris-Toulouse rail line, a five-hour trip with no change of trains. The tour ends in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, where you can catch trains to Paris or other destinations.
Souillac
Arrive in Souillac, a bustling town with a delightful Romanesque church. Soak in the atmosphere of the Café de Paris, where refugee poets and artists congregated during the war.
Rouffillac
Start the day with a short taxi transfer to Rouffillac, where you’ll start your walk. Head along the river and into the hills, past two castles, one of which is the spectacular Château de Fénelon. Pass through Groléjac, with its picturesque medieval streets. Today’s destination is Carsac-Aillac, a lovely village near the junction of the Dordogne and the Enéa Rivers.
Hike Distance: 15 km
Terrain: 30% trail/gravel road, 30% bike path, 40% quiet paved road
Carsac
You have several choices today. Explore Carsac, with its 16th- and 17th-century houses topped by lauze roofs and a delightful 11th-century Romanesque church. Enjoy a walk to Aillac or follow a bicycle path to Sarlat, one of the best preserved medieval towns in France. Spend a second night in Carsac.
Hike Distance: 12 km
Terrain: 80% trail/gravel road, 20% quiet paved road or 100% bike path
Domme
Walk past Montfort Castle looming over the Dordogne. Arrive in Domme, a beautiful bastide town perched on a rocky crag over the river with a three-star view. Domme’s medieval gates still stand, its maze of old streets invite you to wander, and you can even visit the cave where the town’s inhabitants hid during the Hundred Years’ War.
Hike Distance: 12 km
Terrain: 50% trail/gravel road, 50% quiet paved road
La Roque-Gageac
Enjoy castles and stunning scenery today. Pass Castelnaud, crowning the limestone cliffs over the river. Visit the fascinating museum of medieval warfare in the castle. Wander through the beautiful gardens of the Château de Marqueyssac, then follow an ancient route to La Roque-Gageac, considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. You’ll spend two nights here.
Hike Distance: 12 km
Terrain: 70% trail/gravel road, 30% quiet paved road
Beynac
Today stroll through La Roque-Gageac, built into the face of an overhanging cliff riddled with troglodyte caves. Head to Beynac and climb up winding, cobblestone streets to the château, once owned by mighty Richard the Lionheart, that looms over the Dordogne and glares at its rival Castelnaud on the other side. Terrain: 30% trail/gravel road, 70% quiet paved road.
Hike Distance: 20 km
Les Eyzies-de -Tayac
Follow wooded lanes to Les Milandes, a Renaissance château once owned by Josephine Baker, the famous black American entertainer who became the toast of Paris during the 1920s. Today’s destination is St- Cyprien, clinging to a hillside above the Dordogne. Its old houses cluster around a massive 12th-century church that was once part of an Augustinian abbey. At the end of the afternoon, you will be transfered by a short taxi ride to Les Eyzies-de -Tayac.
Hike Distance: 22 km
Terrain: 75% trail/gravel road, 25% quiet paved road
Les Eyzies-de -Tayac
Today you have two options, you can start the day with a short taxi ride to St Cyprien and walk through the quiet countryside and past artists’ studios to Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. This river valley is the land of the most famous prehistoric sites. If you prefer not to take a taxi, you have the option to visit two famous caves : Grotte de Font-de-Gaume and Grotte de Combarelles. Important note: both caves are closed on Saturdays, reservations are not possible, limited number of tickets per day, first come first serve. You will also have the option for two walks from your hotel, the Circuit des gorges de l’enfer where you’ll explore a bit of the Vezere valley and reach La Grotte du Grand Roc, with its unique rock formations, which resemble coral. Or perhaps choose to visit the Village of Tayac, a short easy stroll that can be extended to include a more rigorous walk with a small portion of one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.
Hike Distance: 12 km
Terrain: 80% trail/gravel road, 20% quiet paved road or 40% trail/gravel road, 60% quiet paved road
Depart
Explore the Musée National de Préhistoire before departing for home or for other destinations.
This 3-star hotel was a former coach inn and has been tastefully restored to provide comfortable lodging in a calm setting. The hotel boasts an excellent restaurant where you will taste the gastronomy of the Quercy-Périgourdin.
This modest family-run auberge in the village of Carsac has basic, but comfortable rooms and a restaurant on site where 3 generations serve. *If you are booking Classic and wish to upgrade to a more upscale property, the Villa Romaine is an option.
Located in the picturesque medieval town of Domme, this 3-star hotel directly overlooks the Dordogne with magnificent views from the terrace. It has stylish salons and a well-regarded restaurant.
Situated in one of the most beautiful villages in France, all rooms at this hotel enjoy views over the river. The restaurant is renowned and opens onto a vine-shaded terrace with a fabulous view.
A former mill, this quaint hotel has one of the top restaurants in Les Eyzies. Propiertors Annick & Georges Soulie provide a warm welcome.
This charming 16th century property facing the abbey of Souillac boasts guest rooms that are distinctive. Located within an atmospheric plaza close to shops and cafes, it’s perfectly situated. Véronique and Erick provide a warm welcome. Member: Hôtels de Charme et de Caractère.
This luxurious hotel combines authenticity, modernity, comfort and a rich history (and a great restaurant). Built on an old Gallo-Roman site the hotel offers a great panorama on a preserved nature. Recommended by Guides de Charme; Châteaux & Hôtels Collection; Sawday’s
Located in the picturesque medieval town of Domme, this 3-star hotel directly overlooks the Dordogne with magnificent views from the terrace. It has stylish salons and a well-regarded restaurant.
Situated in one of the most beautiful villages in France, all rooms at this hotel enjoy views over the river. The restaurant is renowned and opens onto a vine-shaded terrace with a fabulous view.
Set apart from the tourist bustle of Les Eyzies, the 4-star Hotel Les Glycines offers luxury, charm and a warm welcome. It dates from 1862 when it was a "relais de poste". In addition to its interior charm, the hotel offers a tranquil setting with a fine restaurant, swimming pool and lovely gardens.
Tour Reviews
“It was a fabulous trip! We were met at the train station right on time. The Area Manager was very helpful. The luggage was at the hotels by 4:00 pm each day. The accommodations exceeded our expectations. Your staff in Vancouver were excellent on answering questions and responding with timely information, outstanding service. Fair price. Interesting terrain and country to walk through. Good pre trip information.”
“We are back home after our 9 day hike in Dordogne, followed by 4 days in Paris. We had an absolutely fabulous time in Dordogne. The countryside was lovely, the towns we stayed in were charming, friendly and beautiful as were the hotels. This is our fourth self-guided trip with Randonnée. Each trip has been a wonderful, memorable adventure in great places so it’s hard to pick a favorite but, if we had to do so, this Dordogne trip would be it. Some of the things we especially liked were the length of the hikes – mostly 12 to 14 km without a lot of difficult, strenuous climbs up and down. This enabled us to side track to chateaux and gardens and still reach our destinations early enough to explore the great towns we were staying in before moving on. The directions were the most detailed, specific and accurate of any we’ve seen and we really appreciated that – in 7 days of hiking, there was only one point where our next move was unclear. The choice of routes was spectacular – we took so many photos because everyplace we went was a great photo opportunity – it could not have been prettier. We enjoyed the stops during some of the hikes as well as destination walks on our days off – Randonnée’s recommendations, were all very good; town locations offered good access to picnic supplies.”
“The pre- tour material was very helpful. It provided a good background of the history of the area. It was also helpful in preparing for what to expect travel-wise and what to bring on the trip, how to pack, etc. The tour was great. The trails were a good mix of level of difficulty with breathtaking scenery! Service was excellent! The Randonnée staff in the home office was also excellent in answering all my questions, getting us set up with the tour, providing information and in general providing excellent service with a pleasant attitude. The trip was really great. I loved it. It was a wonderful experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat!”
“The scenery is breathtaking – you can’t get tired of it! Honestly, we loved the accommodations… all of them! They were charming and authentic. Food was excellent. The staff were helpful and friendly everywhere. Breakfasts were well provided. Locations were great. Our Area Manager was great! She filled us in on lots of details about the region too. Always prompt and helpful.”
“It was an overall great experience – I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Randonnee as a go-to for anyone considering such a trip.”
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