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”.
Villages of the Dordogne
A Lovely Half-Day Visit of the Most Enchanting Villages of the Dordogne
Visit Domme, Beynac and La Roque Gageac, some of this region’s most picturesque little towns
Enjoy a One Hour Cruise Down the Dordogne
Hand-Picked Guides Only. English-Speaking, Local Experts
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Trip Details
Prices:
260€ Per Group from 2 to 8 persons
When:
Everyday from April to October included
Morning tour From 9.00am to 1.00pm
Afternoon tour from 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Duration:
4 hours
Trip Style:
Private Sightseeing Tour.
Minimum 2, Maximum 8.
Meeting Point:
Hotel pick up in Sarlat City Centre (when applicable).
Drop off at Hotel.
Inclusions:
Guided walking tour of the villages
English speaking driver guide
Travel in recent, comfortable and fully equipped minivans
Bottled water in the minivan
Free Wifi access on board
Exclusions:
Personal insurance or expenses
Meals and drinks
Entrance fees to a boat ride
Gratuities for the driver/guide
A Perfect Half-Day Jaunt Through the Magic of the Dordogne
Today discover the breathtaking landscape and traditional villages of the Dordogne valley. First, drive to the beautiful village of Domme. With its trapezoid city plan, Domme is a bastide (a fortified medieval town) adapted to the surrounding terrain, and thus falling short of the rectangular city plan characteristic to Bastides. The village is classified as one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (“The Most Beautiful Villages of France”). In 1307, Knight Templars were imprisoned in Domme while during the Hundred Years’ War, the town was coveted by the English who first took it in 1347 and repeatedly changed rulers throughout the war until 1437 when it finally fell under French rule again.
Then drive to La Roque Gageac and enjoy a peaceful cruise on the the Dordogne River on board an authentic Gabarre to admire mighty castles that line the river. You can also discover the Gardens of La Roque that benefit from micro-climate conditions and where local vegetation stands alongside more exotic plants such as Banana trees, agave and Bougainvillea flowers.
Finally, reach Beynac to admire the village and the Castle. This Middle Ages construction, with its austere appearance, is perched on top of a limestone cliff, dominating the town and the north bank of the Dordogne River. The castle was built from the 12th century by the barons of Beynac (one of the four baronies of Périgord) to close the valley. The sheer cliff face being sufficient to discourage any assault from that side, the defenses were built up on the plateau: double crenelated walls, double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican. After the tour, return to Sarlat.
Good to Know
- Tour is operated in English, other languages on request.
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
- Prices are per minivan (not per person).
- Currency is in Euro.
- Possible languages: English, Español, Français.
- Our standard cancellation policy applies to this tour – Read More Here.
5 5 PRIVATE VILLAGES OF THE DORDOGNE TOUR
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.
