![]() ![]() ![]() If you can make it to Limeuil, the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère offers great views of the two beautifully meandering across the floodplains in different directions.Īs the river enters the Gironde region, it receives the Isle at Libourne before flowing north-west to join the Garonne. The crowds fall behind past Château de Beynac and although the cloud-topping sights become fewer, the scenery remains just as gorgeous. However the river widens and the current eases in this section, making it much more suitable for first-timers, families and photographers looking for the perfect shot of provincial France.Īt Souillac, the river begins to wind round in s-shaped loops before being greeted by medieval fortresses and fantastic quayside villages sprinkled with cafés and restaurants like La Roque Gageac and Beynac-et-Cazenac. The second section extends from the confluence with the Baïse at. The section in Toulouse is 5 km long and includes one lock. It is navigable as a tidal river, and also in two short sections. The Garonne rises in the Pyrenees and drains a large part of the Aquitaine basin. Higher up the valley, the river runs faster through the gorges and is ideal for experienced or daredevil canoeists. Information about the 150km long river Garonne and the Gironde Estuary. Plenty of beaches like those in Meyronne or Gluges often entice passers-by with their calm waters and vertiginous cliffs to stop off for a picnic or a snooze under the sun. The stretch between Saint-Sozy and Souillac flows past (or below) three gorgeous châteaux: Lanzac, Belcastel and La Treyne. Today, tourists can embark on replicas for an hour-long cruise at various places along the river, including Argentat and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.įor booking and information please contact the Tourist Office on +33 5 65 33 22 00. It would typically take around six days to descend the river between Argentat and Bordeaux , navigating through Beaulieu, Souillac, Beynac, Bergerac…and over two weeks to return upstream with animals (or men) often pulling the boats with ropes from the river banks. The boats would transport materials like wood and slate as well as salt and wine produced in nearby vineyards. Although the Dordogne’s river trade and use of gabares soared in the 18th and 19th centuries, these traditional flat-bottomed boats were operated as early as the Middle Ages. It also served to connect populations living higher up the river in Auvergne and Limousin with those lower down in Bergerac and Bordeaux. The train line that runs the length of the Dordogne valley does not stop at each town and you will find the trains infrequent.Once a bustling commercial axe for the valley, the river was the most direct and safest way of circulating goods. Once you reach the Dordogne, however, onward travel throughout the region by train can be fairly difficult. Tickets can be purchased online or at any train station in France.Īccessing the Dordogne area from Paris by train will find you travelling through central France to Brive, Bergerac or Perigueux, all located in the Dordogne Valley. TGV train tickets must be bought in advance and there are a whole host of special offers available for families, seniors, and groups throughout the year. The SNCF website has information for TGV and national rail service timetables. Trains connect cities and towns all around France and even cross the border into Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. Many routes will begin in Paris, stopping at convenient stations throughout the country before arriving in Dordogne. There are over 32,000 kilometres of railway laid all across the country, a good chunk of them sustaining high-speed services, the world-renowned TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) which reaches average speeds of around 320km/h. ![]() SNCF (Societé Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français) is France's national railway company, owned by the French state, operating throughout continental France and Monaco. ![]()
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