Today, I invite you to join me on a tour around the best places to visit Dordogne Valley!
Located in the north of the Lot department, straddling the Lot and Corrèze departments, the Dordogne Valley harmoniously blends natural, historical, and culinary gems with charming villages. It is even one of the regions of France with the highest number of classified villages!
So come with me on a wonderful trip to visit Dordogne Valley, from Martel to Rocamadour, via Loubressac and Padirac…
PRACTICAL TIPS TO VISIT DORDOGNE VALLEY
How to get to Dordogne Valley?
By car, the Dordogne Valley is located 2 hours from Toulouse, 2.5 hours from Bordeaux, and 5 hours from Paris.
By train, the Dordogne Valley is accessible via Brive-la-Gaillarde (more convenient for renting a car at any time), or from Souillac station in the Lot department. The train journey takes 2.5 hours.
You will then need a rental car or a bike (and very good legs) to explore the Dordogne Valley!
Rent a car here if you need to.
Best time to visit Dordogne Valley
You can easily spend a week in the Dordogne Valley! In three days, you can discover the must-see sights and activities listed below, but I recommend staying at least four to five days to enjoy it to the fullest! In spring, the landscapes will be green and beautiful! In summer it can be hot, but there is more going on. Also consider September, which is probably the best time to visit Dordogne Valley.
Where to stay to visit Dordogne Valley?
In Souillac, the western gateway to the Dordogne Valley in the Lot department, I highly recommend staying at La Bicicleta Ravito! Romuald and Céline, two cycling and design enthusiasts, have renovated a former foie gras factory into a charming bed and breakfast.
Each room is decorated with a theme based on one of the great cycling races, in a style that is half modern, half vintage… It’s the perfect place to stop for the night, but also to refuel for all cycling enthusiasts passing through!
You’ll also find a boutique selling the couple’s beautiful creations and essential items for cyclists, and you can rent bikes for cycling tours in the Dordogne Valley!
Please note: As the Dordogne Valley is quite extensive, other great places to stay if you visit Dordogne Valley are listed in the guide below, sorted by geographical area.
What to bring back from Dordogne Valley?
The Lot is a department with a strong focus on gastronomy, with specialties that are each more delicious than the last! Between Quercy truffles, foie gras, Rocamadour cheese, and walnut products from Quercy, you’ll be spoiled for choice!
To stock up, you can count on the La Borie d’Imbert farm shop in Rocamadour, or the walnut oil mill shop in Martel (see below).
VISIT DORDOGNE VALLEY AROUND MARTEL
Visit the beautiful village of Martel
For me, Martel is the hidden gem of the Dordogne Valley! I mentioned it in this article seven years ago, but Martel is now a little better known, having recently been listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. A title that Martel richly deserves!
The “village of seven towers” also has the rare privilege of remaining a lively village, far from the postcard villages that sometimes seem lifeless! Under its magnificent market hall, there is a farmers’ market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, and many shops, restaurants, and artisans have also made their home here!
It’s a real pleasure to lose yourself in its white medieval streets, which are incredibly elegant! Carefully maintained and decorated with vines and rose bushes, they are perfect for a leisurely stroll…
You can also discover its superb, well-preserved buildings, particularly on the Place des Consuls. The imposing market hall, which still has its 14th-century framework, the Palais de la Raymondie, the nearby Tournemire tower, and a little further away, the Saint-Maur church are sure to charm you…
Step back in time with the Haut Quercy railway
A great way to rediscover the history and heritage of Martel is to take a 13km round trip on the Haut Quercy railway! Carved into the heart of the cliff and opened in 1884 (for around a hundred years), it linked Bordeaux to Aurillac and was used to transport kilos of truffles to the Martel market, one of the largest truffle markets in the region!
During the trip, you’ll hear fascinating explanations from the guide and enjoy beautiful views of the valley to the sound of the locomotive’s horn and screeching brakes. Depending on the schedule, you may even be lucky enough to ride on the steam locomotive!
Two stops will also allow you to admire the panoramic view of the Dordogne valley, overlooked by the railway line 80 meters above! And you can end your visit on a high note by discovering the various railway vehicles on display at the museum!
Practical information: steam train €13, diesel train €11.50 – reduced rates for children – timetables vary depending on the day, check the website
Visit Dordogne Valley and taste its local products at the Martel walnut oil mill
If there’s one thing you can’t miss when traveling through the Dordogne Valley, it’s the walnut groves! They have been ubiquitous in the region since Roman times, and for good reason: olive trees didn’t grow here…
So instead of olive oil, walnut oil is revered here! And what walnut oil… To discover it, head to the Martel oil mill!
Housed in a former 14th-century hunting lodge, the oil mill is run by Romain Castagné, who proudly represents the sixth generation of winegrowers, walnut producers, and oil millers!
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can watch Romain making walnut oil and let yourself be enchanted by the delicious aroma of roasted walnut shells! The tour ends with a tasting, and that’s where the magic happens…
Practical information: free visit, production demonstration: Tuesdays and Thursdays. The mill is open from April 1 to November 1, Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – more info here
Please note that the mill also offers a farmhouse-style lunch, La Table du Moulin!
My favorite places to eat and sleep in the Dordogne Valley around Martel
The best places to eat in Martel:
- La Maison de Sophie: ideally located opposite the superb Martel market hall on the Place des Consuls, Charlotte and Mathieu’s restaurant is a very good place to eat, offering fine dishes combining local and more exotic flavors in a cozy setting.
- Le Petit Moulin: Adrien, Romain’s brother who runs the oil mill, is at the helm of this welcoming wine bar, which offers a wonderful selection of dishes to accompany its wines!
The perfect place to recharge your batteries
- Le Petit Moulin has a number of attractive, modern, and comfortable rooms just above the restaurant, nestled under the rooftops of Martel. The location is perfect for enjoying the charm of the village from morning to night and savoring a delicious homemade breakfast!
VISIT DORDOGNE VALLEY AROUND ROCAMADOUR
Visit Rocamadour
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the religious city of Rocamadour is undoubtedly one of the top tourist attractions in the Dordogne Valley. Today, people come here on pilgrimage, but mostly as visitors. In the Middle Ages, the city already attracted crowds!
At that time, it had no fewer than 8,000 inhabitants, whereas today only a few dozen live in the string of houses that stretch out at the foot of the town…
Its fame is due to the many miracles of its Black Madonna, recorded as early as the 12th century… and it must be said that today, whatever our beliefs, there is always something quite exceptional about Rocamadour!
Largely rebuilt in the 19th century, its religious city is sublimely perched on the cliff, dominating the valley with all its majesty.
You can discover the imposing staircase that leads to the town, explore the long alleyways of the village, walk along the green Way of the Cross, and visit no fewer than seven chapels and a basilica.
There is something for everyone, from the most imposing to the most unusual (a chapel dedicated to rugby!), not to mention the chapel dedicated to the original Black Madonna…
I also recommend taking the D32 departmental road from Rocamadour to reach the other side of the valley a few hundred meters further on. The views of the village and the religious city are breathtaking!
As you can see, Rocamadour is an unmissable stop in the Dordogne valley! Its rich heritage also hides a fascinating and often little-known history, so I highly recommend hiring a guide like Mélissa, a local who knows the region like the back of her hand, to help you discover it!
Practical information:
Free entry to the sanctuary, opening hours vary depending on the season, check here. Don’t hesitate to go before 10 a.m. to enjoy the sanctuary almost to yourself before the crowds arrive… It’s magical!
Read more on my post dedicated to Visit Rocamadour
Book your guided tour here – various options available: village and/or nature hike around Rocamadour
Learn more about lavender in the Lot
Did you know that French lavender isn’t only found in Provence? On the Quercy plateau, lavender cultivation was commonplace in the 1950s and 1960s, before disappearing in the late 1970s.
But that was before the Ferme des Alix farm revived cultivation in the region a few years ago!
If you want to breathe in the scent and marvel at the purple fields, come to the Dordogne valley in early July! But you can enjoy bouquets of lavender and locally made products all year round in the farm shop!
The farm also offers an unusual activity to discover the hamlet of Les Alix and lavender cultivation: an Explor’games! A kind of outdoor escape game, it is played in groups and invites young and old alike to explore the lavender fields, the production of essential oil, and the Cistercian heritage of the hamlet of Les Alix through a series of puzzles.
Everything takes place while observing your surroundings, guided by a tablet provided by the farm!
The goal is simple: you go back in time and wake up in the hamlet of Alix in the Middle Ages… Your mission: to understand where the mysterious phenomena observed in the village come from and find the magic elixir to deliver it from the curse that has befallen it!
I really enjoyed this discovery, which is perfect for adults and allows you to have a great time, both fun and educational, in the fresh air!
Practical information: shop open to the public. Explor’games last 1.5 to 2 hours and can be booked on the Ferme des Alix website. Price for Explor’games: €19.80 for 2 players, €29.50 for 3 players, etc.
A change of scenery at the fortified mill in Cougnaguet
Another gem to discover around Rocamadour is the fortified mill in Cougnaguet! It’s one of my favorite places from my trip to the Dordogne Valley!
Built by a community of monks in the 14th century, it was used until 1959 and is still in operation today thanks to the passion of Hubert, who has been generously maintaining it and sharing his knowledge with curious visitors for 44 years!
The mill is nestled at the bottom of a rocky Causse canyon, in an absolutely adorable bucolic setting on the banks of the Ouysse River!
Amidst the scent of flour, you can discover how the mill works, the living quarters upstairs, the green “beach,” and many anecdotes skillfully recounted by Hubert in his local accent.
An unusual, exotic, friendly, and welcoming visit that ends on a high note with a local tasting 😉
Practical information: April 1 to September 30, every day from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. – admission: €6 (children: €3) – off-season hours to be confirmed on the website
Discover how Rocamadour cheese is made
Rocamadour is not just the name of a village, but also that of a delicious cheese! And you can discover it by stepping through the door of the “La Borie d’Imbert” farm…
Cabécou cheese is said to have been created by Cistercian monks in the Middle Ages, and it is even said that these goat’s cheese pucks were once used as tithes and taxes! Rocamadour is now a raw, whole milk cabécou cheese, produced in a defined area on the dry limestone plateaus of Quercy, around the village of Rocamadour.
The self-guided tour of the farm will allow you to meet the adorable goats and kids that produce the milk used to make Rocamadour cheese, but also to better understand the cheese-making process!
What’s more, if you go in the morning, you can even watch the cheese being molded, and in the evening, the goats being milked!
Don’t hesitate to pop into the shop, which sells the farm’s cheese creations as well as many local specialties! You’ll find everything you need for a delicious picnic featuring local produce!
Practical information: La Borie d’Imbert – open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from April to September – off-season hours to be confirmed on the website – free admission
My favorite places to eat and sleep in the Dordogne Valley around Rocamadour
The best places to eat in Rocamadour:
- Le Bellevue: under the vine arbor or by the fireplace, you can enjoy regional products beautifully showcased by refined and flavorful cuisine!
- Le Belvédère: if you want to have lunch or dinner with a view of the city, Le Belvédère, just across from Le Bellevue, is the place to go!
The perfect place to recharge your batteries
- Les Esclargies: ideally located on the outskirts of Rocamadour, this hotel is nestled in lush greenery for a complete change of scenery! A true haven of peace in the middle of the bustling listed village, which you can access directly through a gate at the bottom of the garden! You’ll feel like a VIP when you walk through this “secret” passageway… Between the natural materials, the garden and the swimming pool, a change of scenery is guaranteed!
VISIT DORDOGNE VALLEY: THE BREATHTAKING GOUFFRE DE PADIRAC
In the midst of its beautiful villages, it’s impossible to visit the Dordogne valley without diving into the depths of the Lot… There are a multitude of spectacular chasms and caves in the Dordogne valley, but there is one that should not be missed for anything in the world: the Gouffre de Padirac!
In 30 years of exploring our beautiful country, visiting Padirac remains one of my most memorable experiences. An extraordinary visit to an equally extraordinary place!
After descending into a huge green shaft about a hundred meters deep, you will discover the Padirac River, located 103 meters underground, by boat and then on foot.
This exceptional experience will allow you to explore another secret and fascinating world and see one of the largest stalactites in the world! “Impressive” doesn’t even begin to describe the setting, as the limestone formations have sculpted a magical landscape in Padirac!
To find out more, check out my post dedicated to Visit Rocamadour and Padirac
Practical information: more info at https://www.gouffre-de-padirac.com/
VISIT DORDOGNE VALLEY ON FOOT, BY BIKE, OR BY CAR
Visit Dordogne Valley by bike
The Dordogne Valley is perfect for exploring by bike!
So, if you enjoy cycling, you can start your loop in Souillac (where there is also a train station) and rent bikes at Bicicleta Ravito! In addition to the very welcoming setting, where everything is designed with cyclists in mind, Romuald will be happy to offer you enthusiastic advice on creating a customized bike route based on your preferences!
There are loops for all levels and lengths to explore the Dordogne valley!
As you ride along the roads, you’ll discover the banks of the Dordogne, the region’s limestone cliffs, and pretty stone villages, as well as the destination’s must-see stops, such as Martel and Rocamadour!
However, there are a few hills, so electric bikes are a must in the Dordogne Valley!
Practical information: bike rental reservations and prices can be found here – expect to pay around €40 per day to rent an electric bike!
Visit Dordogne Valley on foot
Another way to discover the jewels of the Dordogne Valley is on foot, by hiking!
I particularly recommend the 9 km hike between the listed villages of Loubressac and Autoire, which, in addition to allowing you to visit these two historic towns, will offer you splendid views of the valley.
You can walk along the green paths from the top of the Causse de Gramat to the foot of the imposing limestone cliffs, passing by the pretty Autoire waterfall, the highest in the department with a drop of 30 meters!
There are many different landscapes to enjoy, with a multitude of gems to discover along the way: panoramic viewpoints, dolmens, angora goat farms… According to the locals, this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hikes in the department!
Practical information: 9 km loop with 300 m elevation gain. Allow around 3 hours without stopping for breaks – description and route map available here
Visit Dordogne Valley – a beautiful roadtrip
f you like road trips, I highly recommend the beautiful loop offered by Lot Tourisme in the Dordogne Valley! I had the chance to explore the eastern side of the loop, discovering the pretty villages of Carennac, Autoire, and Loubressac, all three of which are classified among the most beautiful villages in France!
The succession of small roads offers some stunning views and even prettier villages!
With its pretty houses with Lauze roofs and medieval mullioned windows, Carennac was definitely my favorite spot in the Dordogne Valley!
The village is nestled in a green branch of the Dordogne, built around an 11th-century Cluniac priory, whose church and cloister can still be visited.
In Carennac, the stones are sometimes golden in color, while the square bell towers seem to race toward the sky. And the facades of the houses, often adorned with wisteria, beautifully decorate the village’s medieval past…
A few kilometers further on, the scenery changes as you discover Autoire, which seems lost in the middle of a green cirque! Its stone houses are scattered throughout the recuite d’Autoire, a beautiful geological site.
Numerous manor houses and castles adorn the village, whose stone ranges from ochre to brown, a far cry from the white facades of Martel. A lovely contrast in the middle of the greenery!
The last “most beautiful village in France” to discover on the route is Loubressac! Perched on top of a rocky promontory, it is a cluster of charming medieval houses adorned with red shutters! Its maze of pedestrian streets is perfect for strolling…
The views of the surrounding valleys and castles are also superb!
My favorite place to sleep in the Dordogne Valley around Loubressac
The perfect place to recharge your batteries
- Le Cantou 354: ideally located in the heart of Loubressac, with a retro and pop vibe, run by the warm and welcoming Romain and Christophe, who love taking care of their guests!
OTHER IDEAS TO VISIT DORDOGNE VALLEY
Other ideas for activities to visit Dordogne Valley
Here are a few other ideas for things to do if you visit Dordogne Valley:
– The chasms and caves of the valley: the Lacave, Presque, Cougnac, Carbonnières, and Lascaux caves await you for an adventure into the bowels of the earth to discover its geological and rock art wonders!
– Truffle markets in autumn: from November onwards, don’t miss the unique markets dedicated to the region’s black gold (especially the one in Martel)…
– Castles: the Dordogne Valley is also a land of castles, with many fortresses to discover! Don’t miss the Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux, a superb orange-colored fortress that can be seen from afar!
Visit Dordogne Valley and its surroundings
– Collonges-la-Rouge and Turenne (20 minutes from Martel): two other gems of the Dordogne Valley, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, which you can discover in my dedicated article
– Beaulieu sur Dordogne and Curemonte (20 minutes from Loubressac): just a stone’s throw from the Lot, these two villages are also must-see destinations in the Dordogne Valley!
– The Château de Marqueyssac and its sumptuous gardens (40 minutes from Souillac): this 19th-century castle is known for its picturesque hanging gardens, perched atop a rocky promontory.
– The Lot Valley (1 hour south of Rocamadour): the superb meanders of the Lot river hold many surprises! From castles to villages and vineyards, this is one of the richest areas in the department! Don’t miss the village of Saint Cirq-Lapopie!
– The Célé Valley (1 hour south of Rocamadour): a hidden gem in the south of the Lot, the Célé Valley invites you to explore its roads and villages from the beautiful Figeac to the prehistoric cave of Pech Merle…
This blogpost follows an invitation from Lot Tourisme and the Dordogne Valley Tourist Office. However, I remain entirely free to express my own opinions and am completely sincere in my recommendations! A huge thank you to Cathy and all the service providers for their valuable advice and passion for their beautiful region!
Coming soon on La Marinière en Voyage…
Discover Annecy, the troglodyte village of Saumur, Morbihan and many other places! So, to make sure you don’t miss a thing, subscribe to the newsletter!
And if you also use Pinterest, follow me on these networks: La Marinière en Voyage.
