Memorable Day – We had an awesome day with Marion, our guide. She was so incredibly knowledgeable and was a joy to spend the day with. It was like taking a prehistoric history class with a professor that students work their schedule around just to be in her class. We hung on her every word. A bonus was that she took us to a tiny village for lunch and we bought some food to eat at a picnic table along the Dodorgne River on a perfect “bluebird day”.
Padirac and Rocamadour Private Tour
Rocamadour: a castle set above a sanctuary set above a village
Tour the spectacularly perched Notre Dame chapel
Enjoy free time to wander and enjoy the village as you wish
English-speaking, hand-picked, local expert guides
Trip Details
Price:
€510 per group (2 to 8 people)
When:
From 9:00 am to 6:00 pm approximately
Everyday
From April to October 2020
Duration:
Approximately 9 hours
Trip style:
Private sightseeing tour
Minimum 2, maximum 8
Meeting point:
Pick up from your hotel in Sarlat or in a 30 km range around the city
Inclusions:
- Guided walking tour of the village
- English-speaking driver guide
- Travel in recent, comfortable, and fully equipped minivans
- Bottles of water in the minivan
- Free WiFi access on board
Exclusions:
- Entrance fees to monuments, museums or attractions
- Meals and drinks
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities
Discover two of the most emblematic sites of the Lot Region of France
Follow our unique small group full day private tour to the Gouffre de Padirac and the village of Rocamadour departing from Sarlat. At first, meet your English speaking expert tour guide who will come and pick you up at your accommodation in Sarlat or surrounding area. Upon meeting your driver/guide, you will be first introduced to the days program. Then, it will be time to board your air-conditioned minivan and begin your day trip that will take you first to the Chasm of Padirac.
One of the most stunning visits of the area: Padirac Chasm
After a drive of just over an hour, arrive in Padirac. Experience a unique visit of one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena of the region as you plunge in an unexpected underground world (tickets are to be purchased at time of booking). The chasm itself is 103 m (338 ft) deep, with a diameter of approximately 35 meters (115 ft). The flooded network of Padirac Chasm is the second longest in the world after those located in the Yucatan province of Mexico. The visit of this vertiginous chasm begins with a 75 meter descent via a lift before actually entering the cave system. Following the descent, enjoy a peaceful boat ride on the mysterious subterranean River. Then, disembark and walk along a path that will take you through large caves decorated with stunning gigantic limestone concretions. After the walk, you will return by boat to your original departure point and take the lift back up to reach the outside world.
Rocamadour: A Castle set above a sanctuary set above a village
After the visit of Padirac, board the minivan and head to the nearby village of Rocamadour. Miraculous rock, collection of tales, legends and beliefs, sanctuary of the Black Virgin, pilgrimage site: the Village of Rocamadour is all of this at the saA time. The old medieval houses, the towers and fortifications, the oratories all tumble along the steep cliff that dominates the Alzou Canyon. The whole site is topped off by the castle and its dungeon and the seven sanctuaries. Your guide will certainly stop here for a breathtaking view of the whole site that make for fantastic photo opportunities.
Depending on your time of arrival, you will either follow a guided walking tour of the village or enjoy some free time for lunch. The full-day tour will also include the short visit of a local farm including a goat cheese tasting.
Rocamadour is without a doubt one of the most beautiful villages of the area. Classified as a Unesco World Heritage site as it is located on the way to Santiago de Compostella (St James Way), the main attraction of the village lies in its sanctuaries especially that of Notre Dame that bears a statue of the Black Virgin. The visit of the village can be painful for those with walking problems but please note that there is a possibility of accessing the sanctuaries by lift (tickets not included in price). For lunch, there are many restaurants & snacks to be found in the village and your guide will make the adequate suggestions depending on what type of meal you are looking for.
Other great trips that can be taken to local villages include our private tours to Saint Cirq Lapopie, Collonges la Rouge or to the small villages of the Dordogne valley. See below for recommendations.
Good to Know
- Confirmation of the tour will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Tour requires minimum 2 passengers (adults) to operate
- Tour is operated in English, other languages on request
- Tour for 8 persons maximum
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible
- Tour involves some walking, comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- Prices are per minivan (not per person)
- Currency is in Euros
- Our standard cancellation policy applies to this tour – you can read about it here
Fantastic tour company – We signed up for 2 tours. We went to see the Lascaux Caves and our guide was very knowledgable we liked the tour so much we decided to sign up for another tour. They do small tours in a van. We can’t recommend this tour company enough. If you are in Sarlat make sure to do a tour with them. Our guide also recommended restaurants and other interesting places to visit.
A great moment! – It was just a-ma-zing. A great moment with our very clever guide who learned us a lot of things. Thank you! Sarlat is a beautiful city and the castles are very interesting. We hope to come back very quickly because all the excursions seems to be amazing! I’m very lucky to chose this excursion and I say thank you to Ophorus!
Guide was great, best way to see the sights in this beautiful area. – We had no car while staying in Sarlat, but even if we had, it would be unlikely we would have seen all the sights our guide Marion drove us to in one day. The distances we covered were long, sometimes windy & very rural, so really needed to know the best route to squeeze in all the highlights. We would recommend considering the day tours Ophorus offers.
Perfect in every way! – Ophorus staff were helpful from the planning stage to the execution of our tours. We had a wonderful Guide (Florence). Her knowledge of history, local agriculture, politics, local issues and art was amazing. This area of France is so beautiful and a post card at every turn but coupled with an Ophorus tour it’s a wonderful experience. Thanks again Florence and Ophorus!
The Ophorus Difference
Contagious Enthusiasm – ‘We had the most terrific guide! Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic’ – Virginia B. (Delaware, US)
Flexibility – ‘The guides really took an interest in what WE wanted to do’ Paul C. (UK)
Area Locals – ‘He was so much more than a driver. He really added local color and local flavor.’ Daniel W. (Georgia, US)
Read more about the Ophorus experience.
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