Holiday in the Dordogne :: Dordogne Travel Guide

Dordogne, France Travel Guide

The Dordogne- within Department 24- formerly “Périgord”- lies to the south west of France. It forms part of the Aquitaine region, made up of the Atlantic Pyrenees (Department 64), Landes (Department 40), and Lot et Garonne (Department 47).

French Departments are roughly equivalent to English counties. They are France’s administrative units that include 22 metropolitan and four overseas regions. In total there are 100 French departments, which are subdivided into 342 arrondissements.

The department is named after the river running through the entire region, the Dordogne, and is where many of the most attractive holiday cottages in France can be found.

The Dordogne’s population (Périgourdins) numbers approximately 400,000. As the area is roughly 9,200 km² there is enough space for everyone- so people coming to look for holiday cottages in France aren’t likely to create an overcrowding problem.

Even though it is the third largest province in France the Dordogne has few large towns and cities. The capital Périgueux has only 30,000 inhabitants, although this swells in summer as tourists come to use their holiday cottages in France.

If you are looking for holiday cottages in France the weather in the Dordogne is attractive. Winters are mild and summer temperatures are 5-8 degrees warmer than in the UK. There are many microclimates, affected by the position of the valleys, the rimpeling of the valleys, the profile and the sun's altitude towards the hills. When considering holiday cottages in France the Dordogne offers different climates for open environments, woods and lakes.

The summer is usually long and warm. The best months to visit are May and June, these is a popular period so booking holiday cottages in France in advance is advisable. Visiting holiday cottages in France is also pleasant in September and October. The mornings can be misty, brightening up later to allow you to see the countryside at its best.

Previous summers have been a warm 30-35 degrees. If you like thunderstorms the Vézèrevalley and the south west of the province are great places to look for for holiday cottages in France.

Dordogne is well-known for its duck, as well as geese, truffles, apple cider and walnuts. There are also many delicious Bergerac wines including the renowned Montbazillac dessert wine. There are many walnut plantations, farmed for nut oil and nut liquor. There also many small shops selling local products including vegetables, fruit and wine.