Dordogne – The Limeuil Bridge, Domme, La Roque-Gageac, Beynac, St Cyprien, and Perigueux

After a wonderful stay in Sarlat, we were heading out the next morning. We loved staying in the wonderful B&B we had booked….well…except for a couple of the paintings……which strangely kind of spooked me in some strange way.

But, here we were ready to head out for the next leg of our trip in the in the "Le Gauche…..La Droite….Sortie….mobile" 

If there was any doubt as to the beauty of this part of France, all you need to do is to take short pause at the Limeuil Bridge. On a day like this; with the sun shining, the water sparkling…can you see the folks fishing?

We drove along, our objective the hill town of Domme. I'd read that some of the best views of the Dordogne Valley were to be had here. Which I believe are true.

Most folks might be too young, but my Mom used to play this old album once in a while…..

"On a clear day
Rise and look around you
And you see who you are
On a clear day
How it will astound you"

Corny, I know……..but just look!

Jacques de Maleville was born and died in Dordogne and he is celebrated at the look-out.

This picturesque church is Eglise de Notre Dame de l'Assomption.

I was glad we had a rather small Peugeot when driving up, then back down the rather small streets of Domme.

Down the hill and back across the bridge, we headed west. You can't help but stop at scenic La Roque-Gageac……called "The Rock" it is far more beautiful than that simple moniker.

  

This village is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France") .

And it's easy to see why…..

Many of the canoe trips on the Dordogne River start here.

It's quite an amazing drive. We stopped at a little shop by the side of the road and bought some duck rillette and foie gras for Sammy….yes, for Sammy. And from the parking lot you had a dramatic view of Chateau de Castelnaud.

A few kilometers down the road from La Roque is the stunning and yet imposing village of Beynac-et-Cazenac.

Walking from the waters edge, up the charming narrow, winding, cobbled streets, it seems like you've just stepped onto a movie set.

You should park in the lots at the bottom of the hill, or you'll risk the fate of this automobile, manned by a British couple, who had gotten to the point of no return and seemed trapped on in of the narrow lanes. The poor guy seemed like he was going to have a coronary, while the woman was quite amused. They managed to get the attention of one of the locals, who kindly jumped into the car and maneuvered it down the street. I told her, "you've sure got a story to tell when you get home, don't you?" And the woman cracked up and nodded.

The rest of the walk uphill was uneventful and we just took in our surroundings. Near the top there are cafes and restaurants. You can visit the Chateau, and yes, there's even a parking lot….apparently there's an easy way up the hill.

We just walked to the look-out and took in the view. Yet another fantastic sight.

The best shots of the Chateau are taken from right above the cemetery.

The Chateau was once seized by Richard the Lionheart who used it as his base of operations in the area. You can read a nice history of the structure here.

Our destination for the day was Les Eyzies de Tayac so we passed through the village of Saint Cyprien and the road was closed. It was market day, so we decided to stop and enjoy.

There were many temptations.

But in the end, we just went with some fromage…..

And a strong double espresso…..

We got out of town via a round about way and actually got to Les Eyzies quite early……..

There wasn't much going on so we decided to just head up north, to Perigueux, the Prefecture, administrative "capitol" of the area. We parked in one of the lots alongside the river of this old Roman town and paid a visit to the TI and picked up a walking tour map, which started at the Mataguerre Tower right across the street.

There were once 28 towers forming the walls that protected the district of Puy Saint Front. Built in the 15th Century, this is the last one standing.

The walking tour took us up and down winding alleyways, past historic buildings like the Maison des Dames de la Foi. The façade dates back to the 12th century. In the 17th century, the structure was turned into a convent.

We found the streets to be eerily quiet. I guess Sunday is a very slow day in Perigueux.

Round the corners you'd find little alleyways which seemed to be protected by a metal gate….which was open.

Exiting the alleyway, we found ourselves in a square….which was very peaceful and sedate.

We were getting a bit hungry, so we found one of the few shops open, a bakery, and got espresso, water, a croissant….

And had a bit of our cheese…….

Funny thing about France….I could just about live on croissants, baguettes, cheese, charcuterie, and wine.

We finished things up by visiting the rather imposing Cathedrale Saint Front (Perigueux Cathedral). A UNESCO World Heritage Site with quite a long history. This area has been used as a place of worship since the 6th century.

The interior space is quite large and one of the most noted features is the Baroque altarpiece carved from oak and walnut.

The Bell Tower soars 200 feet over Perigueux.

We were starting to get a bit tired. It was time to head back to Les Eyzies de Tayac to check-in and freshen up….and maybe meet a Cro-Magnon or two…..

Thanks for reading!