The Jardins de Marqueyssac feature some 150,000 hand-pruned boxwoods

Andrew Montgomery

The Dordogne, Limousin & the Lot

The Dordogne, Limousin and the Lot are the heart and soul of la belle France, a land of dense oak forests, winding rivers, emerald-green fields and famously rich country cooking. It’s the stuff of which French dreams are made: turreted châteaux and medieval villages line the riverbanks, wooden-hulled gabarres (traditional flat-bottomed, wooden boats) ply the waterways, and market stalls overflow with pâté, truffles, walnuts, cheeses and fine wines.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Reconstruction of cave paintings of animals inside Lascaux II.

    Grotte de Lascaux

    The Dordogne

    France’s most famous prehistoric cave paintings are at the Grotte de Lascaux, 2km southeast of Montignac. Naturally sealed and protected for millennia, it…

  • Grotte de Font de Gaume

    Grotte de Font de Gaume

    The Dordogne

    This extraordinary cave contains the only original polychrome (as opposed to single-colour) paintings still open to the public. About 14,000 years ago,…

  • castle of castelnaud la chapelle dordogne perigord France; Shutterstock ID 131409035; Your name (First / Last): Emma Sparks; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Best in Europe POI updates

    Château de Castelnaud

    The Dordogne

    The massive ramparts and metre-thick crenellated walls of this quintessential medieval fortress (occupied by the English during the Hundred Years War)…

  • The Fine Arts Museum, former Bishop's Palace, in Limoges, France.

    Musée des Beaux Arts

    Limoges

    The city’s wonderful art museum is inside the beautifully restored 18th-century bishops’ palace. Get an overview of the town's history through Roman…

  • Grotte de Rouffignac

    Grotte de Rouffignac

    The Dordogne

    Hidden in woodland 18km north of Les Eyzies, this tri-level cave is one of the most complex and rewarding to see in the Dordogne. Board an electric train…

  • Musée Gallo-Romain Vesunna

    Musée Gallo-Romain Vesunna

    The Dordogne

    Part of the park that contains the Tour de Vésone, this sleek museum designed by French architect Jean Nouvel encompasses a 1st-century Roman domus …

  • Jardins de Marqueyssac

    Jardins de Marqueyssac

    The Dordogne

    Horticulture fans won’t want to miss these famous manicured gardens, stretching along a rocky bluff overlooking the Dordogne Valley. Signposted paths lead…

  • Weekly Markets

    Weekly Markets

    Sarlat-la-Canéda

    For an introductory French market experience, visit Sarlat’s heavily touristed Saturday market, which takes over the streets around Cathédrale St-Sacerdos…

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The Dordogne, Limousin & the Lot and beyond

Beyond The Dordogne, Limousin & the Lot
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