![]() The Dordogne Valley usually refers to the path followed by the river, and is towards the south of the department where it travels from east to west, passing through Bergerac and many of the other popular villages. Some of the other best known highlights include the gouffre de Padirac caves and canoeing the Dordogne, with the most popular towns and villages including Bergerac, Brantome, Excideuil, La Roque-Gageac, Le Bugue, Riberac and Rocamadour. The Dordogne is beautiful in the same way as the Cotswolds or Tuscany are beautiful - the way it simply makes you want to stay forever enjoying the quiet, the countryside, the scenery. Yet it is the places that you visit outside these 'hot-spots' that will stay longest in your memory - the scenery, the peace, the coffee in a small cafe, the picnic next to a stream. Today, locals refer to the areas surrounding the capital of the Dordogne department, Perigueux, using the old name of ‘le Perigord’.There are many 'famous sights' that we associate with the Dordogne, including Lascaux caves, Marqueyssac gardens, medieval Sarlat, castles such as Chateau Castelnaud and the prehistoric caves in the Vezere Valley. In the past, the Dordogne region was known as the Périgord. In conclusion, and to put it as simply as possible, these Dordogne villages, towns and cities are found in the Dordogne department and in the Dordogne Valley (which crosses other departments of France). In reality, it’s really just a case of semantics, with a touch of complicated french administration thrown in for good measure, because the whole area around the Dordogne River is beautiful and worth exploring. These distinctions can be very confusing for the Dordogne newcomer, especially when booking accommodation. ![]() This is because the Dordogne river and thus the Dordogne Valley pass through that region. ‘Dordogne villages’ are also in, for example, the Occitanie region. But let me go on …ĭepartments are further divided up into arrondissements, cantons and communes … oh and prefectures and subprefectures – but thank goodness we don’t need to delve too far into that!Įach Dordogne village, town or city is a commune but, and this is where the labelling of the ‘Dordogne’ gets tricky, what is called a ‘Dordogne village’ isn’t necessarily a village /commune in the department of Dordogne or even in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. And it would be if all Dordogne villages were in the Dordogne Department. One of those 12, is the Dordogne Department One of those 13 regions, the one we are mainly interested in, for the sake of this article on villages in the Dordogne, is the Nouvelle- Aquitaine region.Įach region contains a variety of ‘Departments – The Nouvelle- Aquitaine region contains 12 Departments Since the beginning of 2016, France has been divided into 13 official regions. What it’s like to live in a Dordogne Village.The best villages to visit in the Dordogne France.We were lucky enough to call the Dordogne home for nine months and adapted to village life rather easily in a tiny Dordogne village called Villars, (pronounced Ville -arr). Medieval castles dot the landscape and life moves in time with the leisurely flow of its rivers and streams. The Dordogne conjures up a dreamy image of picturesque rural France, idyllic rustic farmhouses, and creamy stone houses surrounded by rolling green hills. VISITING DORDOGNE VILLAGES … That’s a Wrapĭordogne villages are the quintessential essence of France. ![]()
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