Villages of the Dordogne Half-Day Trip From Sarlat (private)

Grab your camera and make a beeline for some of the Dordogne’s most photogenic landscapes on this 4-hour small-group tour from Sarlat. 

8.50 am or 1.50pm - Pick up at your hotel in Sarlat or agreed meeting point.

9.00am or 2.00pm - Depart from Sarlat
- Visit Domme
- Visit Beynac
- Boat trip on the Dordogne River
1.00pm or 6.00pm - Arrive in Sarlat

Pick up at your accommodation in Sarlat or surrounding area.

In the morning or the afternoon we will come and pick you up at your centrally located hotel or accommodation in Sarlat la Caneda. Meet your English-speaking driver guide who will go over the program and itinerary of this private half day tour from Sarlat. Then, board your air conditioned vehicle and begin to make your way towards the Dordogne Valley. Listen to your tour guide explain the local culture & history as your small group begins to admire some of the most stunning landscape of the area.

Learn about the region’s rich history as you visit the medieval town of Domme and explore the 12th-century castle of Beynac. Finally, drift down the Dordogne river onboard a traditional wooden Gabarre and admire the majestic châteaux that loom over the riverside.

A Perfect Half-Day Jaunt Through the Magic of the Dordogne We'll drive to the beautiful village of Domme. With its trapezoid city plan, Domme is a bastide, or a fortified medieval town, adapted to the surrounding terrain, and thus falling short of the rectangular city plan characteristic to bastides. The village is classified as one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (“The Most Beautiful Villages of France”). In 1307, Knight Templars were imprisoned in Domme while during the Hundred Years’ War. The bastide was coveted by the English who first took the town in 1347 and repeatedly changed rulers throughout the war until 1437 when it finally fell under French rule again. 

Then drive to La Roque Gageac and enjoy a peaceful cruise on the Dordogne River on board an authentic Gabarre to admire mighty castles that line the river. The Gabarre were the traditional flat bottom boats that used to sail down the River Dordogne to transport goods to the town of Libourne and eventually Bordeaux. The boats transported timber, staves and hoop-poles that were used in the cooperage trade. Other goods included cheese, skins, wine from the Quercy region, chestnuts, stone and coal. Today, the replicas of these Gabarre are used for tourism purposes and allow guests to discover the stunning scenery and landscape of the Dordogne from the River.

Continuing on, we'll reach Beynac to admire the village and the castle. This Middle Ages construction, with its austere appearance, is perched on top of a limestone cliff; dominating the town and the north bank of the Dordogne River. The castle was built in the 12th century by the barons of Beynac (one of the four baronies of Périgord) to close the valley. The sheer cliff face being sufficient to discourage any assault from that side, the defences were built up on the plateau: double crenelated walls, double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican.