One of the places we travelled to during the time we lived in Paris was the Dordogne region in the south-west of France. The Dordogne is famous for it's stunning vistas, it's food, and it's prehistoric art - and let me tell you, it didn't disappoint on any of these fronts! It's hard to imagine a more picturesque place - beautiful villages and stunning hill-side chateaux dominate the region.
We spent a day kayaking down the Dordogne River, and though I am not much for canoeing or kayaking, it was worth it for the scenery alone, as paddling down the river gives a unique vantage point to take in the natural and man-made beauty of the area.
We also spent a day exploring the prehistoric cave paintings of the region. Before we left we had tickets booked for Lascaux. I know the paintings are reproductions (the original cave, discovered in 1940, is off-limits to visitors so as to preserve the delicate paintings), but this was truly one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen in my life, and the artistry of the paintings is truly amazing. (Since our visit, a new centre at Lascaux has opened, Lascaux 4, so I can't speak to what the experience is like now). We weren't planning on visiting any of the other prehistoric sites, but after seeing Lascaux I became obsessed with the prehistoric history of the region, and we bought tickets to two other sites - the Grotte de Rouffignac (not for the faint of heart as you access the paintings deep underground via a little train - I'm not claustrophobic but this cave certainly pushed my limits on that front) and the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume. Both are definitely worth checking out. I thought the mammoth paintings at the Grotte de Rouffignac looked like something out of a modern-day comic book! It's hard to believe these paintings are from tens of thousands of years ago.
Our home-base in the region was the very beautiful La Roque Gageac, a quaint village nestled along the Dordogne River. We stayed at the Hotel Belle Etoile, whose rooms were charming and serviceable, but whose restaurant was one of the highlights of the trip! I've had few meals in life that compare to La Belle Etoile. (You know that scene in Master of None where Dev and Arnold eat at Osteria Francescana - that's how I felt about La Belle Etoile!) The Dordogne is a foodie's paradise - especially famous for fois gras and truffles - and you could plan a whole trip around eating and drinking your way through the region.
Finally, we paid a visit to Sarlat-la-Canéda, which has a very famous (and touristy - but hey, we're tourists right?) market on Saturday mornings. The market was packed, but full of delicious wares, and certainly not to be missed if local markets are you're thing.
XOXO
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