Dordogne with children

So, earlier this summer we spent a week in France, near La Rochelle and an unexpected change to the Covid travel rules meant that we had to self-isolate on our return. At this point, my husband declared that there was no way he was venturing overseas again during the pandemic and that we’d have to holiday in the UK. In the weeks after our return, however, the weather in the UK took a nose dive and the infamous British summer returned (rain, rain and more rain!). At the same time, the British government looked again at the Covid rules and, under pressure from holiday makers and companies, set dates for the review of rules. This gave travellers a degree of certainty and more confidence to book (even my husband!). So, the end of August saw us booking a last minute holiday back to France, this time to the Dordogne region.

We’d been to the Dordogne pre-pandemic – this had been a whistle stop tour on route back from Spain – so we were keen to explore a little more.

Accommodation

We settled on a gite, found via Airbnb but booked directly with the British owners on their website. The Salamandre (our cottage) was a stone, two bedroom cottage with a lovely large living space (with the all important washing machine and dishwasher!) and a private terrace. There were four other cottages located around a large, heated (and partially covered – for unexpected wet days!) pool. Underneath the pool was a wooden area with a table tennis table and a rope swing. It was all a bit more rustic than our previous accommodation near La Rochelle but more than adequate for our needs.

The location was ideal for exploring the Dordogne region. Montignac, a lovely little French town with river side restaurants/bars, a large supermarket and a bakery etc, was a short drive from the cottage. We didn’t visit but Montignac is home to the world-famous Lascaux caves. Closer to the accommodation (a short walk down a track) was a small village (Auriac du Perigord) which hosted a truly spectacular night market during our stay (more about that below!).

Activities

Mornings were spent lounging by the pool, reading books and generally relaxing (much needed!). After leisurely lunches we went off to visit various local towns and villages (of which there is no shortage in the Dordogne region!).

Sarlat-la-Canéda

One of the most famous towns in the region and one of the most renowned and visited in France is Sarlat. Whilst it is very beautiful, for me, it lacks the rural charm of some of the smaller ones around (there are loads of people there!). There is ample public parking and you can simply drift around the shaded streets of the Old Town, choose from one of the many bars and restaurants and just soak up the atmosphere. Street artists perform in the squares are there are several market stalls to browse. It is apparently wonderful all year around and I imagine it would be a particularly great base in the off season.

Domme

Affectionally known as the ‘Acropolis of the Périgord’, it’s a wonderful town perched high on the edge of a gorge with the most stunning views over the Dordogne river. There was plenty of parking at the bottom end of the town (where you’ll also find some public toilets!). Underneath the town square is a cave system called Grotte de Domme (they were apparently discovered by some inquisitive teenagers several years ago!) that is well worth a visit. It’s particularly suited to younger children because the tour isn’t too long! We had dinner in the most wonderful pizza restaurant built into the Old Town walls – Pizza des Templiers. I would try to book (they all spoke good English) because people were being turned away and it’s well worth sitting outside in the courtyard if you can!

Night Market

The village down the hill from the accommodation had a night market whilst we there. The village was a hive of activity all afternoon – tables and chairs were arranged under the trees in the central square, bbq’s were lit, food vans/stands were being setting up and the live music was being sound checked. We had such a memorable evening, selecting food from the stands (cheese churros, roasted lamb covered in a delicious sauce, pancakes etc) and then sitting soaking up the atmosphere on the communal tables in the village centre. It’s these sorts of unplanned activities that I absolutely love on holiday – we just happened to be in the right place at the right time!

Limeuil

Ok, so we didn’t actually visit this pretty town on this trip but we stopped in here on route home from Spain (we were staying at a nearby Eurocamp site) the following summer (Summer of 2023). Limeuil is at the confluence of the Dordogne and Vezere Rivers and offers canoeing and a river beach. It’s a pretty little village (with plenty of parking!) that is well worth exploring. The village is still partly surrounded by its original fortified walls, and is another of the ‘picture postcard pretty’ villages of the Dordogne. Cobbled streets wind through (or rather ‘up through’) the village between the honey-coloured houses and pretty gardens. There are several cafes and restaurants in the town. We stopped at this one – it had a lovely terrace by the rivers and a varied menu (with something for everyone, including our fussy little people!).

So there really is something for everyone in the Dordogne region of France – generally nice weather, plenty of bike riding and outdoor activities, delicious food and gorgeous villages to browse. To top it off, the drive is really straight forward (we do it one but you may choose to split it). Do consider the Dordogne for your next family holiday!