{"id":33537,"date":"2023-07-18T19:36:56","date_gmt":"2023-07-18T09:36:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=33537"},"modified":"2023-10-21T05:52:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T18:52:55","slug":"the-dordogne-france-%f0%9f%87%ab%f0%9f%87%b7-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=33537","title":{"rendered":"The Dordogne, France \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Date: 16th July 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travelled: 20 kms around V\u00e9zac on the scooter  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visited: Beynac-et-Cazenac and the Dordogne  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stayed: V\u00e9zac Aire CC, \u20ac13, N44.82450, E01.16950  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget: 55 days @ \u20ac85 per day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s a beautiful morning on the Dordogne, a little bit of mist hangs just above the river. Once we\u2019ve done with breakfast, we set scooter along the river road west to Beynac-et-Cazenac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages in France you\u2019ll 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\u2019 War it would be English and then French many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days its ch\u00e2teau\/fortress museum is a tourist attraction and one of the better we have visited. But it\u2019s a long steep walk up to the ch\u00e2teau \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Luckily there\u2019s an AED on every corner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Cross Patt\u00e9e pictured above marked the site of the original chapel and graveyard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Arriving at the fortress we cough up \u20ac11.50 pp entry. Then there\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Guard Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Banquet Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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King Richard quarters (maybe)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A small Chapel with the castle has some wonderful mosaics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Views of the Dordogne from the top of the keep. We thought the Ch\u00e2teau de Beynac was one of the best castles we\u2019ve visited. A QR code provided the link to the walking tour to your phone. It was simple to use and easy to listen too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have booked a canoe trip along the Dordogne this afternoon and our ride arrives promptly at 1.30. For our \u20ac18 pp we get picked up and dropped off and 9 kms section of the Dondogne to paddle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After our minimal safety briefing where on our way, with 3 bridges and several ch\u00e2teau to pass on our way. Its not a group thing they just point downstream and say bonne chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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