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Villages & Caves of the Dordogne Valley

A land of mellow fruitfulness
Changing landscapes | Meandering rivers, farmland, and upland plateaux.
Leisurely routes | With plenty of time for picnics along the way.
Medieval villages | Some of the most beautiful in France.
The Gouffre de Padirac | Visit one of Europe’s most impressive cave systems.
Delicious regional cuisine | There are superb restaurants at many of your hotels.
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 6 dinners
    3 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfers on days 3 & 5
  • Villages & Caves of the Dordogne Valley
    A land of mellow fruitfulness
  • Beaulieu sur Dordogne
  • Fresh food at Autoire's market
  • Walking near Martel
  • A delicious dinner at Hotel Le Turenne in Beaulieu
  • Castelnau
  • Walk between villages near Martel
  • Sample local specialities such as nut oil
  • Loubressac
  • Beside the Dordogne at Carennac
  • Medieval Martel
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 6 dinners
    3 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfers on days 3 & 5

Holiday information

A walking holiday in the Dordogne Valley

Delight in ever-changing landscapes, wonderful views and delicious regional cuisine as you visit picturesque villages and enjoy the freedom of self-guided, hotel-to-hotel walking with your luggage transported as you explore.
The upper reaches of the River Dordogne meander languidly through verdant valleys and ever-changing landscapes. Early morning mists dissipate under the first warming rays of the sun, revealing a rich tapestry of wooded, truffle-scented slopes, rolling farmland and thick orchards, heavy with ripening fruit. Wild plum, sloes and walnut trees edge the old stone ways which link the ancient villages.

Our 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 – some of the most beautiful in France – all of which you visit on this holiday. Our routes are leisurely, with plenty of time for lazy picnics at the numerous viewpoints along the way, and are topped off by dinners of the flavoursome regional cuisine, featuring duck, truffles and wild mushrooms.


Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on almost any day of the week, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 9 11 13 16 20 23 26 26 23 19 13 9
    mm 87 79 70 71 80 68 50 67 77 74 89 94
  • Arrival in Beaulieu
    Night 1: at Hotel Les Flots Bleus or Hotel Le Turenne (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of walks from Beaulieu: 8km or 12km
    Spend at least part of 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 14th and 15th-century houses hold just as much allure.

    Circular walk from Beaulieu: 8km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 290m
    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.

    Longer option: 12km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 260m
    We also offer a longer option which rises above the River Dordogne, passing through walnut groves and mixed woodland before emerging at an idyllically situated house and château. Return to Beaulieu along the riverbank.
    The Dordogne at Beaulieu
    Circular walk from Beaulieu: 8km
    Longer option: 12km
  • Choice of walks from Beaulieu to Port de Gagnac: 9km or 12km

    Shorter route: 9km, 3.5hrs; ascent 305m/descent 295m
    You cross the Dordogne via a small island to begin this gentle walk southwards towards the Cère, one of its tributaries. Wide, often shady, paths link a succession of tiny rural hamlets, across traditional farmland and through woodland and forest. On the way you gain glorious views back and forth over the river valleys and villages. In the quiet forest, you may spot deer in a clearing. Your destination is the village of Port de Gagnac and the Auberge du Vieux Port. If availability requires, we can also offer the nearby Hostellerie Belle Rive, which too enjoys a peaceful riverside setting.

    Longer route: 12km, 5hrs; ascent 370m/descent 360m
    This slightly longer route is a delightful ramble along country roads and tracks up onto the agricultural uplands. Ascending continually for the first half of the walk, you rise out of woodland to be rewarded with lovely views and a wonderful sense of openess. The second half of the walk then sees you descend through the interesting hamlet of Fontmerle before dropping through the woods to reach the River Cère and Port de Gagnac.
    En route to Port de Gagnac
    Shorter route: 9km
    Longer route: 12km
  • Port de Gagnac to Loubressac: 15km, 6hrs; ascent 420m/descent 350m
    Today’s walk is, in our view, undoubtedly one of the best of the holiday, with sweeping views over splendid countryside. A highlight on the walk is seeing one of France’s most spectacular medieval fortifications, the magnificent Château de Castelnau, on a promontory overlooking four valleys and three rivers. Your path takes you through meadows, between orchards and vineyards, and up steep stony paths through forest. You pass the region’s cheese factory – the Fromagerie de Rocamadour – before reaching Loubressac, a tiny, fortified village perched high on the hillside, with a 15th-century manor house and lovely views back towards the Château de Castelnau. Your hotel for your two nights here is the Relais de Castelnau.
    Château de Castelnau
    Port de Gagnac to Loubressac: 15km
  • Choice of walks from Loubressac: 9.5km or 14.5km

    Gouffre de Padirac option: 14.5km, 5.5hrs; ascent/descent 270m
    Our first option crosses a wild and uninhabited landscape to visit the vast caverns of the Gouffre de Padirac, one of the most impressive cave systems in Europe, where you can take a boat on the underground river. The caves extend for some 20 kilometres, with some caverns 100 metres high. (It is worth booking in advance; pay locally.)

    Circular walk via Autoire: 9.5km, 4hrs; ascent/descent 325m
    Alternatively, enjoy our circular walk along timeless, stone-edged paths and down through a gorge to the picturesque village of Autoire. There are several café-restaurants to offer sustenance before you take the steep route back to Loubressac.
    Gouffre de Padirac on the route around Loubressac © J C Lemee
    Gouffre de Padirac option: 14.5km
    Circular walk via Autoire: 9.5km
  • Loubressac to Martel: 16km, 6hrs; ascent 415m/descent 320m
    The day begins with a short transfer to the delightful village of Carennac. This is another of the ‘most beautiful villages in France’, perched high above the Dordogne, with immaculately restored manor houses and ornate dovecotes typical of the region, clustering round the old Cluniac priory. After you've explored the village, you set off into a quiet landscape, following footpaths and country lanes often bordered by old dry-stone walls. You pass through the pretty riverside village of Floirac to enter the open valley of the River Dordogne, sheltered on both sides by tall limestone cliffs. At the end of the walk, you cross the river to reach the lively medieval market town of Martel and your accommodation for the next two nights, either Le Petit Moulin or Hôtel Maison Turenne.
    Loubressac to Martel: 16km
    Martel
  • Circular walk from Martel: 12km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 305m
    The target of this final walk is Gluges, which you reach via a viewpoint affording a superb view of the River Dordogne. You'll no doubt wish to linger in Gluges, a picturesque village set into overhanging cliffs and with a romantic connection to Edith Piaf. You could even hire a canoe for an hour or two (pay locally) to see the river from a different perspective. When you are ready to return, you head back to Martel along a botanical trail across the limestone plateau that was used by apothecaries of yesteryear. Take time on your return to explore Martel itself, known as ‘the town of seven towers’. Wednesdays and Saturdays are market days.
    Circular walk from Martel: 11.5km
    Gluges

Accommodation

You stay in a selection of charming hotels and a chambre d'hôtes, most of which have restaurants offering delicious regional cuisine.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

Whichever hotels you stay in, we recommend extra nights in Beaulieu and Martel for more time to explore these pretty towns. It's also worth adding an extra night in Loubressac to enjoy both of our suggested walks.

Extend your stay

Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 7 nights: 16 April 2026 - 06 October 2026 & 01 May 2027 - 05 October 2027

    Start any day except Friday | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 28 Sep 2026 From £1118
    15 - 30 Apr 2027 From £1193
    1 - 31 May 2027 From £1123
    1 - 21 Jun 2027 From £1213
    22 - 30 Jun 2027 From £1233
    1 - 31 Jul 2027 From £1153
    1 - 31 Aug 2027 From £1163
    1 - 28 Sep 2027 From £1243

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Price will be tailored to the date of your visit if your stay at Hotel Les Flots Bleus falls on a day that its restaurant is closed (Monday throughout the year and Tuesday all year except in Jul/Aug)

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Brive, Limoges, Toulouse or Paris CDG
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Paris CDG. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Paris CDG Air France,  KLM 
    Aberdeen - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Paris CDG Air France,  KLM 
    Birmingham - Toulouse (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Limoges Ryanair 
    Bristol - Paris CDG Air France,  easyJet 
    Bristol - Toulouse easyJet 
    Bristol - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Limoges Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Paris CDG Air France,  easyJet 
    Edinburgh - Toulouse Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Edinburgh - Toulouse (via Amsterdam) Air France 
    Edinburgh - Toulouse (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Limoges Ryanair 
    Leeds Bradford - Paris CDG jet2 
    Leeds Bradford - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Liverpool - Toulouse easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Gatwick - Toulouse easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Paris CDG British Airways 
    Heathrow - Toulouse British Airways 
    Heathrow - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Heathrow - Toulouse (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Toulouse easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London Southend - Paris CDG easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Brive Vallée de la Dordogne Ryanair 
    Stansted - Limoges Ryanair 
    Stansted - Toulouse Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Limoges Ryanair 
    Manchester - Paris CDG Air France,  easyJet 
    Manchester - Toulouse (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Paris CDG Air France,  KLM 
    Newcastle - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Toulouse (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Southampton - Toulouse (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Teesside International - Toulouse (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Paris CDG. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.
     

    Connecting travel options - flying via Brive Vallée de la Dordogne

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Brive Vallée de la Dordogne airport to hotel (1h) TBA flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Brive Vallée de la Dordogne airport (0h40) TBA flexible

    Connecting travel options - flying via Paris CDG

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    RER from CDG airport to Paris Austerlitz (0h45), rail Paris Austerlitz to Brive (4h20), taxi Brive to hotel (0h45) TBA 1045
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Brive (1h), rail Brive to Paris Austerlitz (4h20), RER from Paris Austerlitz to CDG airport (0h45) TBA 1530

    Connecting travel options - flying via Limoges

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Limoges Benedictins to Brive (1h-1h20), taxi Brive to hotel (0h45) TBA 1700 (1530 Sat & Sun)
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Brive (1h), rail Brive to Limoges Benedictins (1h-1h20) TBA 1200
    taxi hotel to Brive (1h), rail Brive to Limoges Benedictins (1h-1h20) TBA 1200

    Connecting travel options - flying via Toulouse

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Toulouse-Matabiau to Souillac (2h), taxi Souillac to hotel (1h) TBA 1500 (1300 Sat)
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Souillac (0h40), rail Souillac to Toulouse-Matabiau (2h) TBA 1300
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

Please note: any reference to maps in customer reviews is now out of date – we no longer provide these. For information on this, please see our FAQs page.


 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to France, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is French. The currency is the Euro. French time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
Villages & Caves of the Dordogne Valley
7 nights
Villages & Caves of the Dordogne Valley
7 nights
Hotel-to-hotel walking
Grade: Easy-to-moderate
Last fetch time is : 9/4/2026 4:25:42 AM

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