Recently got back from an amazing week long trip to the Dordogne and Lot regions of France. Rode down to Nantes to meet up with up with a friend, the two of us then heading off on our road trip. We visited grand Chateau’s, hillside forts, caves and rode some brilliant, empty, roads. The scenery was stunning. Not the wild rugged views I saw in Scotland last month with Hels, but deep gorges, forests and the Dordogne river.
We stayed in great hotels that we booked as we travelled. For a week in July, we always managed to get our first choice of room, it really was very quiet in the Dordogne this year. The weather was hot (35c) and sunny every day, but find a remote, shaded ‘D’ road and it was perfect. Want to go back !!
Love the pictures and the stories of the visit, on here and Facebook, sounds fab! I kind of still haven’t got Scotland out of my blood and want to return to the empty roads and fantastic scenery, but also love the idea of tour of France and across Europe. Your pictures make me want to go!
You should post up details of some of the best roads as well that you rode
To be honest the ride down to Nantes to meet Steph and then down to Angouleme was hard going on major roads. This was because of having just a week to tour and get back. However… once there the roads were pretty good, especially the single track ‘D’ roads that we took through the area. We had a wish list of places to see but in the end we looked for interesting roads on the map each night, and visited places they led us to the following day. Not the 60 mile long twistys like Scotland, but beautiful roads along wooded valleys.
First night stop over was in Brantome, a small town built on an island. From there rode to the chateau at Jimilhac along the D78 via Thiviers. Quick break for drinks and photo’s then south to Excideuil again using the back roads. Shower and change at hotel before heading out to Hautefort for a longer visit. More scenic roads to Tourtoirac for dinner followed by a cave tour.
Next day, back to Hautefort to pick up the D71 to Ayen, then south on D95, D51 and D64 to Le Lardin-St-Lazare. South on D704 to Montignac and then D706 for lunch in the hamlet of St Leon-s-Vezere. Hotel for the next two nights was a converted watermill in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil. So we headed down there to change and drop off our gear before heading back to the hillside dwelling La Roque St-Christophe, a truly impressive site carved out of the cliff face.
Luggage free, we took the D47 towards Sarlat the next morning. From there more minor roads to Payrac via Milhac, then onto the amazing town of Rocamadour along the equally amazing D673. Rocamadour is a town literally hanging onto a cliff face and is, to many, a place of pilgrimage. We spent a few hours there and climbed hundreds of steps. Followed this with another great ride down to La Roque Gageac located on the banks of The Dordogne river itself. More food (!) then a warm late evening ride back to the hotel via Beynac-et-Cazenac, St-Cyprien and Campagne.
Next day, the ride back to Nantes, with one more visit to the market at Brantome to buy some fresh local produce for a picnic by the river. Work didn’t permit more time there sadly, but will deffinately be going back at some point !!
Recently got back from an amazing week long trip to the Dordogne and Lot regions of France. Rode down to Nantes to meet up with up with a friend, the two of us then heading off on our road trip. We visited grand Chateau’s, hillside forts, caves and rode some brilliant, empty, roads. The scenery was stunning. Not the wild rugged views I saw in Scotland last month with Hels, but deep gorges, forests and the Dordogne river.
