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Villages of the DordognePast medieval hamlets & hill-top châteaux
Nights: 7
Starting point: Le Manoir de Beaulieu (3*), Beaulieu. A characterful hotel well located near the centre of the town. Bedrooms are decorated with charm and a simple elegance, while the restaurant serves refined cuisine that is a good introduction to the Dordogne's gastronomy. Day 1: spend your first day exploring historic Beaulieu, one of the most attractive medieval towns on the Dordogne. The focal point is the famed Romanesque church, which was once part of the town's Benedictine abbey, but the maze of ancient streets lined with craft shops and 14th and 15th-century houses hold just as much allure. If you have time, you can explore the area upstream of Beaulieu on a short walk that introduces you to the region's landscape of meadows, copses and rolling hills scattered with stone farmhouses. (7km, 2.5hrs) Accommodation: Le Manoir de Beaulieu, as above. Day 2: leaving Beaulieu, you cross the Dordogne and head across fields and through woodland, passing through several small villages and enjoying lovely views of the Dordogne Valley and the castle at La Marjorie. You reach the banks of the River Cère, a tributary of the Dordogne, and Port de Gagnac. (10km, 3hrs) Accommodation: Auberge du Vieux Port (2*), Port de Gagnac. The Lasfargeas family's welcoming inn overlooks the River Cère, with comfortable, modern bedrooms and a restaurant popular among locals. Day 3 (standard holiday): from Port de Gagnac, your route leads south-west, winding through orchards, vineyards and woodland. It is well worth detouring to the château of Castelnau, which affords splendid views (pay locally), before ascending gently to hill-top Loubressac. (18km, 5hrs) Accommodation (standard holiday): Relais de Castelnau (3*), Loubressac. This is a comfortable hotel, so named because it enjoys views back to the château of Castelnau from the restaurant, terrace and outdoor pool. There is also a tennis court in the grounds. Day 4 (standard holiday): for your day at Loubressac, we suggest a circular walk to the west of the village. You pass through the picture-book village of Autoire and the nearby cirque, where waterfalls tumble down the rocks. Afterwards, take time to explore fortified Loubressac's narrow, winding alleys and to admire the views over the Cère and Dordogne valleys. (12km, 4hrs) Accommodation (standard holiday & gastronomic option): Relais de Castelnau, as above. Day 5: you are transferred by taxi to the delightful village of Carennac, considered by many to be the area's prettiest village. Turreted manor houses cluster round the ruined priory, which boasts atmospheric cloisters and a fine chapter house. Your walk then leads you westwards through farmland and low woodland, across the River Dordogne to Domaine de la Vaysse. Day 6: the day is free to relax by the swimming pool or enjoy a circuit northwards to pretty Martel, known as 'the town of seven towers' and named after Charles Martel, one of the early and greatest Frankish kings of France, and the grandfather of Charlemagne. Recommendations for extra nights: Le Manoir de Beaulieu is a pleasant base, in a pretty small town setting. For a 10-night holiday, combine this walk with our Paths to Rocamadour walk. The route is as follows, with one night at each except where shown: Beaulieu, Port de Gagnac, Loubressac (2 nights), Creysse, Lacave (2 nights), Calès, Hospitalet (2 nights). Extensions: If flying via Tolouse, enjoy undiscovered France by adding 3 nights amid Cantal's rolling hills at the 3* Auberge de Concasty set in its own grounds surrounded by meadows. Similar holidays: Paths to Rocamadour (grade 1-2), Sunflowers & Abbeys (grade 1-2), A Provence Wander (grade 1-2), To the Pont du Gard (grade 1-2), Hill-Top Towns of Tuscany (grade 1-2), A Stroll through History (grade 1-2) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airports: Limoges & Toulouse Extra night prices
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The sunny Dordogne valley, one of the oldest-inhabited areas of France, offers lots to delight the visitor, not least a rich and flavoursome regional cuisine featuring truffles, foie gras and wild mushrooms, and beautiful, ever-changing landscapes. As you walk along paths that echo the twists and turns of the river, you are constantly rewarded with superb views – a hill-top château above a field of walnut trees, an oak-lined meander of the Dordogne, an unspoiled medieval village – making for a thoroughly enjoyable holiday. Our gentle walk starts in Beaulieu, whose origins date back to the 9th century, and explores the area south of the town, which is dotted with idyllic villages of turreted mansions and half-timbered houses with brown-tiled roofs, among them Autoire, Loubressac and Carennac. Our routes are leisurely, with plenty of time for lazy picnics at the numerous viewpoints along the way. 
Beaulieu 
