Dordogne is a large rural department in southwest France with an almost mythic reputation: a historic Gaulish stronghold, home to the oldest cave paintings in the world, and a striking number of castles (reportedly 1500). Extremely popular with American and
I’ve organized my website notes around the Pont du Gard - the logical, if not natural, route of the remarkable aqueduct from Uzés to Nimes, following the path of least resistance downhill - with a few bonus sites from the
In August 2023 we took a long road trip from Revonnas to the Spanish Pyrenees, to the Costa Brava, to the southwestern beaches of France. Here's what went right – and wrong – and how we'd adapt for an even
See dedicated post for Conques here: http://myerbergcastletour.com/conques/ Laguiole In Laguiole, the **Forge de Laguiole is a must for knife lovers. It’s a bit overwhelming - for the crowds, the prices, the very modern building with horrible glare and lights. Maison Bras is
The district of Gers is a postcard of walled towns, castles, and rolling hills with vineyards and sunflowers. Lectoure We stayed in ***Lectoure, which felt like a very good choice. It’s a biggish walled town, with a fair amount of tourism but
The Northern end of the Parc natural regional des Causses du Quercy is dramatic and filled with interesting historical sites (the southern end, less scenic). Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne We had a wonderful lunch (Jeanne’s favorite) on the river surrounded by old people at ***Côté
We drove to **Cahors on the way to Nimes. Cahors itself looks like a fun town to live in, not too big, classic architecture. As a tourist destination, maybe a two hour stop at best.
We liked this town a lot and would return. I’d consider two nights, to enjoy a good meal, do some hiking, and also take advantage of the nightly light shows (8:30 pm-ish). It’s a major hiking destination and crowded, but