Things to Do in the Dordogne: A Local's Guide to All Four Périgords

The four Périgords: a quick orientation

The Dordogne is divided into four historic regions, each named for a colour. Most travel content focuses exclusively on the Périgord Noir (the area around Sarlat). That's a mistake, because each Périgord has its own character and its own reasons to visit.

Périgord Vert (the green north) is rolling hills, dense woodland, and river valleys. Towns like Brantôme, Thiviers, and Excideuil feel authentically French in a way that more touristed areas sometimes don't. This is truffle and walnut country, with weekly markets that serve locals rather than coach parties.

Périgord Blanc (the white centre) takes its name from the pale limestone around Périgueux, the departmental capital. Roman ruins, a Byzantine-inspired cathedral, and excellent food make Périgueux worth a full day.

Périgord Noir (the black south-east) is the most visited area, named for the dark holm oak forests. Sarlat, Beynac, La Roque-Gageac, and Domme are all here, along with Lascaux and most of the famous prehistoric sites.

Périgord Pourpre (the purple south-west) is wine country, centred on Bergerac and its vineyards.

If you're staying in any one Périgord, the others are rarely more than an hour's drive away.

Abbey at Brantome, with the oldest freestanding bell tower in France

Châteaux, medieval villages, and historic towns

The Dordogne has more châteaux per square kilometre than almost anywhere in France, and the range is enormous: from ruined fortresses on cliff edges to Renaissance manor houses surrounded by formal gardens.

Château de Hautefort sits above the Auvézère valley with manicured French gardens and sweeping views. It feels more Loire than Dordogne, which is part of its appeal. Château de Jumilhac, further north, has a spectacular fairy-tale roofline and terraced gardens open to visitors in summer. Both are in the Périgord Vert, within easy reach of the northern Dordogne and far less crowded than the valley châteaux.

In the Périgord Noir, Château de Beynac is the most dramatic: a 12th-century fortress on a sheer cliff above the river, with views across to Castelnaud. Château des Milandes, the former home of Josephine Baker, combines Renaissance architecture with a genuinely moving story.

For villages, Ségur-le-Château (classified among the Plus Beaux Villages de France) sits along the Auvézère with medieval ruins reflected in the water. Saint-Jean-de-Côle has ochre houses, a Romanesque bridge, and the Château de la Marthonie overlooking a central square that feels unchanged in centuries. Both are in the Périgord Vert and both are mercifully uncrowded.

Further south, Sarlat is the most famous medieval town in the region, with golden sandstone buildings and one of the finest Saturday markets in France. La Roque-Gageac clings to cliffs above the Dordogne and has tropical gardens that seem improbable at this latitude. Domme, a bastide town on a hilltop, offers panoramic views down the valley.

Brantôme, sometimes called the Venice of Périgord, wraps around an island in the River Dronne, with an abbey founded in the eighth century and limestone cliffs riddled with cave dwellings. It makes a perfect day trip: explore in the morning, eat well at lunch, take a river cruise in the afternoon.

Prehistoric sites and caves

The Dordogne's Vézère Valley is one of the most important prehistoric landscapes in Europe. Lascaux IV (the Centre International d'Art Pariétal) is the full-scale replica of the original painted caves, and it is extraordinary: the quality of the reproduction and the interpretation centre around it justify the journey on their own.

But the caves extend beyond Lascaux. Grotte de Tourtoirac, in the Périgord Vert, is a cave system with stalactites, underground pools, and a sense of genuine discovery. It sees a fraction of the visitors that the Vézère sites attract, which makes the experience more intimate. Discovered only in 1995, it's very recently been developed with excellent walkways through the more than 300m deep cave!

Markets, food, and the Périgord table

Markets are one of the best reasons to be in the Dordogne, and they run year-round.

Thiviers holds its Saturday market in the town centre: a proper working market where locals buy cheeses, seasonal produce, and, in winter, truffles. It's known as the Gateway to the Périgord, and the market reflects that identity. Excideuil has a vibrant weekly market of its own, set against the backdrop of a 12th-century château. Both are in the Périgord Vert, and both are the kind of market where you're more likely to hear Occitan dialect than English.

Excideuil on market day. The fountain was a give from a local merchant to his beloved.

Sarlat's Saturday market is the most celebrated in the region. It fills the medieval streets and spills into every square. Arrive early: by mid-morning it's packed.

The regional cuisine is built around duck (confit, magret, foie gras), walnuts, truffles, cèpes, and Cabécou goat's cheese. Périgueux is the capital of truffle country, and its winter truffle markets (typically November to March) are worth planning a trip around.

Go ahead and drop us a line to get local recommendations! They vary by season (of course).

Rivers and outdoor pursuits

The Dordogne River itself is the centrepiece: kayaking and canoeing between Beynac and La Roque-Gageac, passing beneath châteaux and cliff faces, is one of the defining experiences of the region.

But the northern rivers deserve attention too. The Dronne runs through Brantôme and Bourdeilles, both of which have medieval and Renaissance architecture directly above the water. The Auvézère cuts through gorges in the Périgord Vert that are excellent for hiking. These are quieter waterways where you can spend a morning without seeing another tourist.

Walking and cycling routes are well-marked across the department. The GR footpaths connect villages, châteaux, and viewpoints, and the terrain in the north is gentler than the steep valley sides further south.

Creative and cultural life

The Dordogne has long attracted artists, writers, and makers. The light, the landscape, and the pace of life here are part of that appeal.

Périgueux is home to galleries and a strong visual arts community. Many of the smaller towns host summer exhibitions, craft workshops, and open studio events. The dry pastel factory at Montignac is one of only a handful still operating in France, and one of the oldest. Girault also has it's own gallery at the shop, and Montignac has some lovely river-side dining options.

The region also has a lively programme of summer festivals, including music, theatre, and literary events. Many run from June through September.

For those interested in spending more than a day or two with a creative focus, the Dordogne is home to a small but growing number of art retreats and residential workshops based in historic properties.

Cathedral de St Front, Perigueux. The model for Sacre Coeur in Paris.

Périgueux: the capital worth a full day

Périgueux deserves its own mention. The Cathédrale Saint-Front, with its cluster of Byzantine domes, was the model for the Sacré-Cœur in Paris. The Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum, designed by Jean Nouvel, is built directly over the excavated remains of a Roman villa. And the old town's medieval and Renaissance streets reward a long, aimless walk.

The city is also the best base for exploring the Périgord Blanc and a natural stopping point between the north and south of the department.

Planning your time

A week gives you enough to explore two or three of the Périgords at a comfortable pace. If you're based in the north (Périgord Vert), you can reach Sarlat and the Périgord Noir sites in about an hour, and Périgueux in roughly 40 minutes.

The quietest months are October through April, though many châteaux and cave sites close or reduce hours outside the main season (roughly April to October). Markets, restaurants, and the landscape itself are at their best from May through September.

For guests looking for a base in the Périgord Vert with easy access to the whole department, we host B&B stays at our château nearly year-round.