| La Roque Gageac |
| Domme- Hilltop Bastide |
| 2008 Departures- 8/31-9/6; 9/9-9/15 $3,595 per person double occupancy For information, phone or email info@beauxvoyages.com 1-877-362-0045 |
| Chateau de Roumegouse |
| Rocamadour |
| Gouffre de Padirac- Boat Ride 300 ft. below ground |
| Canoe Ride on the Dordogne River |
| DAY 3 Roumegouse to Vitrac 35.6km Total- 17.6km (11.0 miles) bike and 18.0km (11.25 miles) canoe/kayak- shuttle Today is moving day, so we bid adieu to the Chateau de Roumegouse and make our way toward Vitrac. Our travels include both biking and canoeing, however, and this will be a particularly fun day. We leave the Chateau de Roumegouse and head toward Meyronne, on the Dordogne river where we will pick up our canoes and/or kayaks. Kayaks are for more adventurous individuals, and we recommend canoes for groups of two or more. The bike ride is the easiest of the tour, and much of it is a gentle downhill to the river at Meyronne. The canoe ride from Meyronne to Souillac, where we will disembark, is the prettiest part of the Dordogne river. There are lots of white sandstone cliffs, and now and then a chateau comes into view on the cliffs above the river. There is even an area of caves in which one can enter in the canoe!! Stop anywhere along the way and sit on the bank and sun, hike around, or just enjoy the river. The boat ride takes 2 hours, and upon arrival at our drop-off point we will enjoy an excellent picnic lunch on the river bank. Afterwards we will shuttle the group to our next hotel, the impressive Domaine de Rochebois in Vitrac. For those interested, an optional bike ride to the hotel will be offered rather than taking the shuttle. This adds 35k of biking to the day. Lodging: Domaine de Rochebois Route de Montfort F-24200 Vitrac-Sarlat Phone: 05.53.31.52.52 Fax: 05.53.29.36.88 Features: Swimming, golf |
| Aerial Views of our First Two Hotels: Chateau de Roumegouse (left) and Domaine de Rochebois (right) |
| DAY 4 Vitrac area Loop Basic Route- 29.7km (18.6 miles) Today we will visit three of the "100 Most Beautiful Villages of France". We start our trek by heading up the hill toward Domme. Sometimes called the "Acropolis of the Dordogne", Domme is remarkably situated on a rocky crag overlooking the Dordogne valley. From the promontory, the view embraces the Dordogne valley from the Montfort meander in the east, to Beynac in the west. Of all the creative artists who have come here seeking inspiration, the writer Henry Miller was perhaps the most affected, describing the area as the nearest thing to Paradise on earth. Domme is a bastide village that was founded by Philip the Bold in 1283, somewhat later than other villages in the area. People at the time were encouraged to go to newly founded towns, most of which were planned around a central covered market area. There are numerous bastides in France dating from this general period. From Domme we coast downhill toward La Roque Gageac. This charming village is huddled against a cliff which drops vertically to the river Dordogne. It features attractive little streets with interesting homes, churches, and other buildings, including the Manoir de Tarde, a manor house of the locally famous Tarde family. One stretch has semi-tropical plant life in abundance, as the protection of the cliff is such that the flora there can survive even in the winter months. A short distance away is beautiful Beynac. The Chateau de Beynac stands on a remarkable site, rising from the top of a rock as it overlooks the beautiful valley winding between hills crowned with castles. The village tucked at the foot of the cliff by the river is where the recent motion picture "Chocolat" was filmed. In the Middle Ages Beynac, Biron, Bourdeilles and Mareuil were the four baronies of Perigord. When the Capetians and the Plantagenets were at war, the castle, which once had been captured by Richard the Lion Heart, was used as a base by the sinister Mercadier, master-at-arms, whose bands of men pillaged the countryside on behalf of the king of England. In 1214, during the Albigensian Crusade, Simon de Montfort seized the castle and demolished it. The castle was later rebuilt, as we see it today, by a lord of Beynac. During the Hundred Years War, the Dordogne marked the front between the English and the French, and there were constant skirmishes and raids between Beynac under the English in 1360, then the French in 1368, and Castelnaud under the English. There is a sheer drop of almost 500 ft. from the chateau to the river, and the view is spectacular. The panorama includes the nearby castles of Marqueyssac, Castelnaud, and Fayrac. A steeply sloping footpath known locally as the Caminal del Panieraire (basket maker's path- you will recognize it from the film "Chocolat") leads from the bottom of the village, through rows of renaissance houses dating from the 15th to the 17th centuries, to the castle and the church on top. We will take this path on our way up to visit the castle. We'll plan on shuttling to Sarlat for dinner tonight. Lodging: Domaine de Rochebois Route de Montfort F-24200 Vitrac-Sarlat Phone: 05.53.31.52.52 Fax: 05.53.29.36.88 Features: Swimming, golf |
| What's Included? Hotel fees and gratuities at the hotels All breakfasts and dinners. Transfers from train stations at Brive-la-Gaillard (arrival) and Souillac (departure). All baggage transfers to and from train stations and between hotels. All entry fees to attractions visited. Price does not include: Alcoholic or other bottled beverages (except at hosted cocktail parties). Lunches (except 1 picnic lunch) Orders off supplemental menus Fees for optional activities (golf, etc.) Air and train transportation prior to pickup and after drop off at Brive-la-Gaillarde train station. |
| DAY 1- Welcome to the Dordogne! 9.2km (5.75 miles) Orientation Ride We will meet at the café in the train station in Brive-la-Gaillarde at 2:12pm. From there we shuttle to our home for the next two nights, the lovely Chateau de Roumegouse. After check-in we will gather to have a short bike/safety briefing in preparation for the short orientation ride of 9.2km. The route takes us through the nearby villages of Rignac and Alvignac, as well as through nearby back country and farmlands. Although short, the route gives a good overview of the local terrain and ambiance. After the ride guests can explore the lovely hotel grounds prior to an introductory cocktail. We will give a brief overview of the Dordogne region and will encourage everyone to get to know each other. Next we are on to a great French dinner at the hotel restaurant. Lodging: Chateau de Roumegouse 46500 Gramat Phone: 05.65.33.63.81 Fax: 05.65.33.71.18 Features: swimming, hiking |
| DAY 2 Rocamadour-Padirac Loop 38.0km (23.75 miles) Long Option 50.9km (31.8 miles) Our first full day of riding (and longest of the trip) takes us first to Rocamadour. Considered one of the most extraordinary places in France, this village, with its slender castle keep towering above it, comprises a mass of old dwellings, oratories, towers and precipitous rocks on the rugged face of a causse cliff rising about 500 ft. above the Alzou Canyon below. The photo on the right shows a profile view of the village which seems to incredibly defy gravity in its construction. The village was named after St. Amadour, a somewhat mysterious hermit who knew the region well. The village had its zenith in the |
| 13th century and was long one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Christiandom. Miraculous cures were said to occur for some who kneeled before the threshold of the Chapel of the Virgin. Massive crowds of up to thirty thousand would come on days of major pardon and plenary indulgence. Upon arrival, pilgrims would strip off their clothes and climb the famous steps on their knees in only a shirt, with chains bound round their arms and neck. A priest recited prayers of purification and removed the chains from the penitents, who, now forgiven, received from the priest a certificate and a kind of medal in lead bearing the image of the miraculous Virgin. Although pillaged during the 100 years war and the Wars of Religion later, the village was rebuilt over the years. It is essentially three levels, with the castle on top of the cliff, the church area in the middle section, and the village far below. The village is pedestrian only and is very quaint. An elevator is available to take visitors back to the top level. It is one of the "100 Most Beautiful Villages of France". After the Rocamadour visit and lunch, we head off through the countryside to an extremely unique attraction, the Gouffre de Padirac. A splendid example of the cave formations in the area, the Gouffre de Padirac (gouffre means abyss or chasm) offers visitors boat rides more than 300 feet below the earth's surface. Elevators provide access and exit from the cave, which features interesting rock formations, and numerous stalagmites, stalactites, pools, etc. First explored by the speleologist, Edouard Martel, in 1889, the gouffre has been open to the public since 1898. The Grand Dome is an impressive open area, above which the earth's crust is only a few meters thick. A fun and different attraction. It's not often one is in a boat 300 feet underground! After the guided visit to the Gouffre de Padirac, we meander through lovely countryside toward the hotel. En route we pass through several villages, including Padirac, Thegra, and Rignac. Lodging: Chateau de Roumegouse 46500 Gramat Phone: 05.65.33.63.81 Fax: 05.65.33.71.18 Features: Swimming, hiking |
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BEAUX VOYAGES
Dordogne Bike Tour
Day 5- Vitrac to Les Eyzies de Tayac-
Today is another moving day and we’ll be heading out to reach our new home for the
next two nights, the Hotel du Centenaire in Les Eyzies de Tayac. The Centenaire has
an excellent two star Michelin restaurant, and we’ll be partaking of their superb cuisine
for the next two nights. Before dinner, however, we have a few sights to see.
After leaving the hotel, we'll pass once again through La Roque Gageac before
crossing the bridge over the Dordogne river and arriving at Castelnaud, the fortified
Chateau which was a key holding in the Hundred Years War and changed hands a
number of times between the French and English. The chateau now houses the Middle
Ages Siege Warfare Museum, and this is definitely worth a visit.
From there we will follow the meandering Dordogne river until we arrive at its
confluence with the Vezere. From here it is a short jaunt to our hotel where another
superb dinner awaits.
Lodging: Hotel du Centenaire, 2 Ave. du Cingle, Les Eyzies de Tayac, France
Phone: 05 53 06 68 68
Fax: 05 53 06 92 41
Today is another moving day and we’ll be heading out to reach our new home for the
next two nights, the Hotel du Centenaire in Les Eyzies de Tayac. The Centenaire has
an excellent two star Michelin restaurant, and we’ll be partaking of their superb cuisine
for the next two nights. Before dinner, however, we have a few sights to see.
After leaving the hotel, we'll pass once again through La Roque Gageac before
crossing the bridge over the Dordogne river and arriving at Castelnaud, the fortified
Chateau which was a key holding in the Hundred Years War and changed hands a
number of times between the French and English. The chateau now houses the Middle
Ages Siege Warfare Museum, and this is definitely worth a visit.
From there we will follow the meandering Dordogne river until we arrive at its
confluence with the Vezere. From here it is a short jaunt to our hotel where another
superb dinner awaits.
Lodging: Hotel du Centenaire, 2 Ave. du Cingle, Les Eyzies de Tayac, France
Phone: 05 53 06 68 68
Fax: 05 53 06 92 41
CHATEAU DE CASTELNAUD
Day 6- Les Eyzies to Grotte du Grand Roc
Today we'll be riding through some of the most important areas of prehistoric history,
as many sites have been discovered through the years near Les Eyzies. In that spirit
we'll visit the famous Font du Gaume which features prehistoric wall paintings done
thousands of years ago. We'll also see the famous Grotte du Grand Roc (Cave of
the Big Rock) which has spectacular views over the Vezere river valley. Lastly we'll
stop in at the Prehistoric museum which will put the whole day into clear perspective.
It's then off to the hotel and our farewell dinner, once again a spectacular meal in the
Michelin 2 star restaurant of our hotel. There are only about 70 Michelin 2 star
restaurants in all of France, so we have the pleasure of dining in one of the top
establishments in the country.
Today we'll be riding through some of the most important areas of prehistoric history,
as many sites have been discovered through the years near Les Eyzies. In that spirit
we'll visit the famous Font du Gaume which features prehistoric wall paintings done
thousands of years ago. We'll also see the famous Grotte du Grand Roc (Cave of
the Big Rock) which has spectacular views over the Vezere river valley. Lastly we'll
stop in at the Prehistoric museum which will put the whole day into clear perspective.
It's then off to the hotel and our farewell dinner, once again a spectacular meal in the
Michelin 2 star restaurant of our hotel. There are only about 70 Michelin 2 star
restaurants in all of France, so we have the pleasure of dining in one of the top
establishments in the country.