The Dordogne, France 🇫🇷 2023

Date: 16th July 2023

Travelled: 20 kms around Vézac on the scooter  

Visited: Beynac-et-Cazenac and the Dordogne  

Stayed: Vézac Aire CC, €13, N44.82450, E01.16950  

Budget: 55 days @ €85 per day

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It’s a beautiful morning on the Dordogne, a little bit of mist hangs just above the river. Once we’ve done with breakfast, we set scooter along the river road west to Beynac-et-Cazenac.

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From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages in France you’ll find Beynac-et-Cazenac on page 172. With its fortress standing high above the River Dordogne it commands the waterway and the valley beyond. Richard the Lion Heart captured and held Beynac for some time. During the Hundred Years’ War it would be English and then French many times.

These days its château/fortress museum is a tourist attraction and one of the better we have visited. But it’s a long steep walk up to the château …

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Arriving at the fortress we cough up €11.50 pp entry. Then there’s still a lot of stairs to climb over in the next hour, doing the tour. The castle and views of the chapel above, below the rooms open for viewing within the keep and living quarters.

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Views of the Dordogne from the top of the keep. We thought the Château de Beynac was one of the best castles we’ve visited. A QR code provided the link to the walking tour to your phone. It was simple to use and easy to listen too.

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So Beynac is done we make our way back to the scooter and home to the Hymer for lunch having a quick stop at a boulangerie for quiche.

We have booked a canoe trip along the Dordogne this afternoon and our ride arrives promptly at 1.30. For our €18 pp we get picked up and dropped off and 9 kms section of the Dondogne to paddle.

After our minimal safety briefing where on our way, with 3 bridges and several château to pass on our way. Its not a group thing they just point downstream and say bonne chance.

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It was great fun and the views fabulous. Mind you Pam was damn glad when we sighted the 3rd bridge. We made the 9 kms in two hours which was pretty good going.

Back in the Hymer we make for the pool and enjoy a quiet couple of hours. It’s been a very warm day but lots of sunscreen and big hats kept us reasonably comfortable.

At 6.30 we ride the scooter the 5kms to Cénac to a Thai Restaurant we spotted a couple of days ago. It was very good meal and a nice change. We’ve enjoyed 4 days in Vézac on the Dondonge but it’s time to continue on our travels so tomorrow we cross into the Lot.

An updated map of our travels this year should appear below.

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Michael + Pam