July 1st, 2009 | 
Author: We’ve had our little holiday home in the Dordogne since the summer of 2000. We’ve stayed there during every month of the year now and so as the summer peak season is about to kick in, I was trying to decide time of year do I consider think is best.
Spring. Warm. Sometimes rainy (although unlike in Britain – it can be both on the same day). It is quiet and you can start to see the crops growing in the fields – the yellow rapeseed fields are usually in full bloom a good month before they appear in the UK. I’d say April and early May are great times to visit this region.. the weather is typically warm but not too hot, fewer crowds and far less traffic on the roads.
Summer. Hot. This is peak season. When it rains, it is not uncommon to have thunder. When it is hot.. it is really hot. The grapes are growing on the vines, the village fetes are in full swing, and there are plenty of tourist attractions around to see (medieval festivals, walking tours of bastides, canoeing on the rivers). This is the season for tourists and sun-worshippers – yet you can still escape from it all and stay by the pool in your gîte / holiday home.
Autumn. Damp. The early Autumn can be beautiful and one of my favourite seasons in the Dordogne region. Around our house are Monbazillac vineyards. Monbazillac is a dessert wine and they let the grapes over-ripen (practically rot) on the vines to get them as sweet as possible. They don’t harvest until October normally and so the views of Autumnal coloured vineyards still heavy with grapes is quite spectacular. Also there is a sweet aroma.. especially when they start to harvest that is amazing too. Sunny days are wonderful.. crisp with strong shadows. When it rains, it pours. This is certainly an under-appreciated time of year for tourism here.
Winter. Crisp. It can get cold here in the winter.. and snow sometimes too. But that’s what log fires are for. This is a nice time to explore the villages and countryside that can almost feel deserted. It is a great time of year for shopping in the large cities – Bordeaux, Perigueux, Toulouse – especially around Christmas time.
My favourites? Well Summer is a wonderful time of year and is hard to beat.. but my favourite time to visit is probably September to early October. It is still warm. The vineyards look amazing. Hard to beat.
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