Autumn vacation 2024 to the Dordogne department in France

November 20, 2024

When some of our friends come to visit us. And ask to take them to some beautiful place. I always choose the Dordogne region. Firstly, it is close to Toulouse, secondly, it is a very beautiful and diverse region. And finally, there is amazingly delicious local cuisine))))

3 Days in Nouvelle-Aquitaine region

This time we organized a 3-day trip. We wanted to show our friends all the diversity of Dordogne: castles, gardens, monasteries and of course the Caves. If you, like us, have only 3 days for the trip, I highly recommend choosing these stops!

So, Saint-Cirq Lapopie — Gouffre de Padirac — Chateau du Puymartin — Marqueyssac Garden — Beynac-et-Cazenac — Gardens in the Erignac estate — Rocamadour.

Vacation to the Dordogne region in France. Eugénie Smirnova — your photographer in Toulouse and South of France

Saint-Cirq Lapopie

At a breath of Cahors, Saint-Cirq Lapopie, labeled among “The Most Beautiful Villages in France”, elected 1st Favorite Village of the French, is offered to you, installed on its rock, dominating the Lot 100 meters above the river. One of the ways way to discover the village and its history is to follow a cruise on the Lot at the foot of the village.

Gouffre de Padirac

The Gouffre de Padirac is a monumental natural cavity located 11km as the crow flies (17km by car) from Rocamadour. It is, among the caves and chasms, the most emblematic and the first underground site in France. The orifice is 35 meters in diameter and the chasm plunges 75 meters from the surface of the causse. At the bottom, 103 meters underground, flows the Padirac river which flows into a network of galleries of more than 40km!

Hôtel Restaurant La Hoirie

We stayed at this hotel of Logis hotels chaine. And it was comfortable and nice.

The restaurant of the Hotel la Hoirie in Sarlat introduce you to the recipes of Périgord cuisine and reconnect with fresh and healthy products. Gastronomy and the art of living go well together to satisfy your best desires. Among the chef’s specialties: fried swordfish with olive oil, Rattes du Touquet and exotic salsa, roast duck breast with melting endive and duck juice with orange. And of course walnut pie.

I really like to eat, and forgetting to take photos especially if it is gastronomic restaurant. So photos you’ll see here are not mine they are from internet.

Chateau du Puymartin

Located in the commune of Sarlat-la-Canéda, in the Dordogne, the Château de Puymartin is today the property of the Chérade de Montbron family. Abandoned in the 18th century for heritage purposes, the Château de Puymartin was bought in the 19th century by the Marquis Marc de Carbonnier de Marzac, who decided to restore it in a neo-Gothic style. The building features a 17th-century panelled room, listed as a historical monument.

According to local legend there lived White Lady. A sixteenth-century chatelaine, surprised by her beloved husband who returned too early after the war, was sentenced to remain captive for sixteen years in a small room in the north tower before dying. His body was walled up in the place of his imprisonment, and the ghost still roams today around midnight.

Marqueyssac gradens

Listed as a National Historical Monument, the romantic and picturesque Marqueyssac Gardens offer a 19th century stone-tiled castle and over 6 kilometres of shaded pathways lined with 150 000 hand-pruned boxwood, punctuated with belvederes, rockeries, waterfalls and greenery.

At Marqueyssac, boxwood is highlighted in many forms. Nowadays, the gardens are the most visited in the Périgord. 130 metres above the river at the Belvedere viewpoint, witness to a rich, historical past and a grand natural heritage, you will discover Périgord’s most magnificent panoramic view. Discover the valley, the castles and some of France’s most beautiful villages (Beynac, Fayrac, Castelnaud, La Roque-Gageac and Domme) from this exceptional viewpoint.

Beynac-et-Cazenac

Beynac-et-Cazenac is a village located in the Dordogne department in southwestern France. The medieval Château de Beynac is located in the commune. The village is classified as one of Les plus beaux villages de France.

Gardens in the Erignac estate

In the heart of the Périgord Noir, between Sarlat and Lascaux, Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac, Historical Monuments of the 17 th and 18th centuries, are undeniably the most beautiful gardens in the Périgord with a unique collection of plant sculptures. Reference of Topiary Art in France, these green gardens composed of charm, yews, boxwood, cypresses and lawns, are magnificent and different in each season and can be visited every day of the year without exception.
Everything is done to privilege the exception in a garden: quality and tradition from pruning to hand, careful workfinishing the lawns, controlplants. 10 hectares maintained to perfection, around 7 gardens, surround Le Manoir, a lively and inhabited place that gives this little “extra soul”. Gardens are the work of the passion of the same family for 500 years.

Rocamadour

The medieval city of Rocamadour, which dominates the Alzou canyon, is a miracle of balance. The city, which is in fact a tiny village with a worldwide reputation. Built in successive levels on the side of a cliff, it clings 120 meters above a canyon where the Alzou flows. Its houses, roofs and churches seem to be part of the rock.

If you’re planning a getaway to Dordogne and want to make the most of your vacation, don’t hesitate to contact me. As a vacation photographer, I’ll not only capture your precious moments but also share insider tips on what to visit, where to eat, and the best guides to hire. Let me help you create memories and unforgettable experiences during your stay! Reach out today!