Our Prehistoric ancestors settled in the Vezere Valley more than 460,000 years ago, they choose this region because of an ideal combination of , an abundance of wildlife, plenty of natural shelter ( caves ) and a river winding it’s way through the valley.

Ever since “Man” came and settled in the Vezere Valley, the sheer limestone cliffs have been ideal spots to use as shelters, safe from the dangers that our ancestors faced, wild animals, severe weather, and other tribes.
Some of Dordogne’s best kept secrets are still to be found along the Vezere river, and only accessible by canoe or canoe / hike.

Every morning we leave at the crack of dawn, chances are you will spot deer, wild boar, otters, buzzards, kingfishers, fox and plenty of other wildlife.
We will pass Chateaus, ancient farmhouses, troglodytes, shelters, caves, and lots more.

Our canoe adventure starts at the Central Massief, near Clermont-Ferrant where the waters running off the mountains form the Vezere river.
We follow the river for 190 km and pass through the following “Departments” and “Towns & Villages”

• Corrèze: Pérols-sur-Vézère, Bugeat, Uzerche, Vigeois, Brive-la-Gaillarde
• Dordogne: Montignac, Terrasson-Lavilledieu, Les Eyzies deTayac, Le Bugue , Limeuil

The trip takes  5 days 4 nights, and the nights are spent “Wild Camping” on Islands and alongside the river.
The groups are a min. 2 and max 6 people.

The trip will run from 26 April -30 June and 01 September – October 26. ( No trips in July and August )

More info visit www.walkingdordogne.com

Prehistory at Commarque

The Beune Valley has been occupied for a very long time. Around Commarque, prehistoric man has left numerous traces of his passage. Not far from the site at Commarque, Paleolithic man left two female statuettes known as the Venus of Sireuil and the Venus of Laussel.
On the other side of the valley, in the shelter at Cap Blanc, one can admire a frieze of prehistoric sculptures. Under Commarque Castle there is a cave where Magdalenian man carved animals on the wall, notably a very beautiful life-sized horse (not open to the public).

The Uncertain Origins of Commarque

The most reasonable hypothesis would be to attribute the founding of a keep at Commarque to one of the two abbots of the same name who succeeded the abbey see of Sarlat during the last third of the XIIth century: Garin (1169-1181) or Randolph de Commarque (1195-1201). The building of a tower allowed them to contain the ambitions of their vassals the Beynacs, with whom they had a relationship of conflict. It was a member of their family who obtained its guard. The first Lord of Commarque, thus, was a “milites castri” or knight, who followed orders from the Abbey of Sarlat. In the XIIth century, a concentration of population existed there, made up of a keep with living quarters, a chapel and house towers: it was the castrum of Commarque.

The Beynacs, Lords of Commarque

There is mention of Commarque in archive documents from 1255 onwards. Maynard de Beynac became the lord of the château. The house towers were held by the lineages of lesser nobles, the names of several of which are known: the Commarque, the Cendrieux, the Gondrix, the La Chapelle… Each house tower had an enclosure, its own access, and ditches. The lord and knights fought over the rights of justice, land and other property.

The Rise of the Beynacs

During the course of the XIVth century, two major lineages had the first regrouping of lands by successive acquisitions. The Beynacs succeeded in constituting a veritable castellany around Commarque when they retook the rights of Marquay and of Sireuil from the Cendrieux and imposed their suzerainty on the den of Laussel. The Commarques took back the lands and rights from the descendants of the other knights, either by buying them or through alliances. From the middle of the XIVth century, the entire lower courtyard had become the noble house of the Commarques: they now disposed of a defensive parameter largely exceeding that of the Château of Beynac.

The Patrimony of the Beynacs Combined

In 1379 Pons de Beynac, Lord of Commarque, married Philippa, 12 years of age, heiress of the lords of Beynac. By this alliance, the lords of Commarque acquired the castellany of Beynac and its dependencies.

The Hundred Years’ War

During the Hundred Years’ War, the Beynacs stayed faithful defenders of the throne of France. Pons de Beynac enjoyed several political favors: he was among the clients of Beaufort-Turenne, of the Avignon papacy and of the Anjou party. The extension of Commarque Castle between 1370 and 1380 has been attributed to him. He undertook heightening the keep and the curtain wall, and had the crown of machicolations built which was inspired by the Palace of the Popes in Avignons.

The Decline of the Beynacs and the Commarques

Nevertheless, the Beynacs came out of the Hundred Years’ War badly. First of all, in 1406, the English, driven by Archambaud d’Abzac, seized hold of Commarque. The whole family was brought together and made prisoner. A tax, ordered by the king, was levied on the inhabitants of Perigord and Quercy to pay the ransom. The castellany of Commarque began to break up. In 1395, Pons lost the suzerainty over Laussel . He was unable to retain Domme. And in 1441, the Beynacs went under the influence of the Count of Perigord, a visible sign of their political weakening. During the 1500s, it seems that the resident families had already deserted the castrum of Commarque.

The Wars of Religion

During the Wars of Religion, the Beynacs were loyal to the cause of the Reform. From Commarque, which was his base of operation, Geoffroy, Baron of Beynac and Lord of Commarque, launched several attacks on Catholic hideouts in the area and even furtively took hold of Sarlat. In 1569, Commarque Castle was taken for the first time by the Catholics led by the seneschal and by the Governor of Perigord. It is without doubt following this siege that the vaulted room collapsed. As the new master of Commarque, Geoffroy installed a garrison there which, by way of reprisal, would be hanged the same year.

The Abandon and Renaissance of Commarque

Guy de Beynac, the last castellan living in Commarque Castle, died there in 1656. The site was definitively abandoned in XVIIIth century. A century later the castle was in ruins. In 1968, Hubert de Commarque bought his ancestors’ ruins. He undertook the consolidation of the most damaged parts. Since 1994 there have been successive phases of consolidation and restoration. Hubert of Commarque has given Kleber Rossillon, the creator of the Museum of Medieval Warfare in Castelnaud Castle and the Gardens of Marqueyssac, the task of opening the Commarque site to the public. A program of archeological research has been in place for several years.

Open hours

April and all saints holidays: from 10:00 am- 6:00 pm
May, June, September:
from 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
July and August: from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Last admissions 1 hour before closing.

Free parking
Parking located 600 m from the site.
A specially fitted forest path leads to the entrance of the site.

The Vezere and Dordogne Valley is all about history, so your choice of accommodation should be about history. B&B “Ferme de Tayac”, a lovely B&B in a 12th century former Farmhouse / Monastery situated in Tayac, a quaint little village smack bang in the middle of the Vezere valley and only 5 minutes walk from Les Eyzies, the Prehistoric Capital of the World. The rooms are all en suite, spacious and comfy with views and in former Monks quarters and oozing history. Built up against solid rock, which means there are 2 ground levels, walls of solid rock, ancient oak beam structures, fortified walls 3 feet thick, a massive and original wine press in the huge dining room, monk’s carvings in the stone walls, and lots and lots more

Situated in Les Eyzies de Tayac, in the heart of the Vezere Valley means B&B Ferme de Tayac is the ideal place to use as a base to explore the region.
Evening’s and morning’s can be spent relaxing at the large pool, or anywhere else in their lovely gardens. And for those who have not had enough walking and sight seeing, there are numerous lovely walks that can be done from B&B Ferme de Tayac.
For more info about B&B Ferme de Tayac, visit their official web site: www.fermedetayac.com

The Château de Beynac is a castle situated in the commune of Beynac-et-Cazenac, in the Dordogne département of France. The castle is one of the best preserved and most well-known in the region.

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.

HISTORY
The castle was built from 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 crenellated walls, double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican.

The oldest part of the castle is a large, square-shaped, Romanesque keep with vertical sides and few openings, held together with attached watch towers and equipped with a narrow spiral staircase terminating on a crenellated terrace. To one side, a residence of the same period is attached; it was remodelled and enlarged in the 16th and 17th centuries. On the other side is a partly 14th century residence side-by-side with a courtyard and a square plan staircase serving the 17th century apartments. The apartments have kept their woodwork and a painted ceiling from the 17th century. The Salle des États (States’ Hall) has a Renaissance sculptured fireplace and leads into a small oratory entirely covered with 15th century frescoes, included a Pietà, a Saint Christopher, and a Last Supper in which Saint Martial (first bishop of Limoges) is the maître d’hôtel.

At the time of the Hundred Years’ War, the fortress at Beynac was in French hands. The Dordogne was the border between France and England. Not far away, on the opposite bank of the river, the Château de Castelnau was held by the English. The Dordogne region was the theatre of numerous struggles for influence, rivalries and occasionally battles between the English and French supporters. However, the castles fell more often through ruse and intrigue rather than by direct assault, because the armies needed to take these castles were extremely costly: only the richest nobles and kings could procure them.

The castle was bought in 1962 by Lucien Grosso who has lovingly restored it.

Visitors to the castle can see sumptuous tapestries showing hunting and other scenes from the lives of the lords of the period. The Château de Beynac has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1944.

Beynac castle has served as a location for several films, including Les Visiteurs by Jean-Marie Poiré, in 1993, La Fille de d’Artagnan by Bertrand Tavernier, in 1994, Ever After by Andy Tennant, in 1998, and Jeanne d’Arc by Luc Besson, in 1999. The village of Beynac below the chateau, also served as a location for the film Chocolat by Lasse Hallström, in 2000.

Barons de Beynac

Castle of Castelnaud

Perched with hillside on left bank of the Dordogne, Castelnaud dominates the small borough coiled with its feet. Its former owners, vassal of kings of England, opposed a long time to their neighbors, the lords de Beynac, faithful to kings de France. If the protagonists of these remote quarrels have all disappeared, the two fortresses always continue their immutable face to face, like a mineral challenge with the lapse of memory and the ravages of time.

History

English Castelnaud After the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1259 by Saint Louis and Henry III, which put an end to the dispute between the Capetians and the Plantagenets, the Perigord was restored to the English. Castelnaud thus fell under English rule. In 1273 the castle reverted back to the legitimate feudal line, that of the Castelnauds, who gave tribute to the Count of Perigord, vassal of the king of France.The power of a FortressFor Castelnaud, the end of the 13th century heralded in a period of prosperity and relative calm. The castle established itself as one of the principle powers of the Perigord. The barons of Beynac during this epoch were semi-permanently in conflict with the lords of Castelnaud. Continuously the two rival houses contested control of the region, trailing after them a section of the Perigord nobility divided by the two camps. The two castles watched and spied on each other. Never, however, did an open battle occur. In 1317 the Pope himself intervened to prevent the worst from happening; Jean XXII authorized a marriage between the two families to try and put an end to the endemic conflict. This context of private feud, so common in the Middle Ages, was soon relegated to a position of secondary importance: in 1337 the Hundred Years’ War broke out.

The Hundred Years’ War

The first few decades of the war were favorable to the English. In 1346 at Crecy, the cream of French nobility was decimated by English archers. In 1356, King John the Good was taken prisoner at Poitiers. The Treaty of Bretigny-Calais freed the king but ceded Aquitaine to the English, which was from then on ruled by the formidable Black Prince.In 1368, Magne de Castelnaud, sole heiress of Castelnaud, married Nompar de Caumont. This was a major event for Castelnaud, as the Caumonts would subsequently continue to be proprietors of the castle until the Revolution. During the War, the Caumonts were often in the English camp. Henry IV, King of England, named Nompar de Caumont his seneschal for Agen.

State of SiegeIn 1442, tired of the English hold on Castelnaud, the King of France ordered the town put under siege. The siege lasted three weeks. The English commander ended it by giving the keys to the castle and 400 crowns for his life. Thus the English were finally driven from Castelnaud. They left French soil after the battle of Castillon (1452) which marked the end of the Hundred Year’s War.

Pleasure Residence After a century black with wars, epidemics and hardships, a great period of prosperity unfolded for Castelnaud.
The castle’s reconstruction was begun by Brandelis de Caumont and followed by his son François and his grandson Charles. The old 13th century fortress took on a look that conformed more to the style of the times. François de Caumont, besides enlarging Castelnaud, built a pleasant Renaissance-style manor not far from Castelnaud: Milandes Castle.
Castelnaud, which no longer had a strategic purpose, became a pleasure residence. It was fortified because of its prestigious function as the center of power of the domain.
The imposing artillery tower, built around 1520, had no function other than that of a symbol of power.

The Huguenot Captain

A new chapter in the history of Castelnaud opened with the Huguenot Captain Geoffroy de Vivans. Soldier, companion of the future Henry IV, his life was punctuated by audacious actions which earned him a great reputation in the country. Geoffroy the warrior was feared throughout the Perigord, a reputation which assured that Castelnaud was never disturbed during the Wars of Religion.

Ruins and renaissanceBetween the exploits of Captain Vivans and the 20th century, the castle did not live through any other remarkable events. The Caumont lords preferred Milandes first, then their castle of the Force near Bergerac. The condition of Castelnaud continued to deteriorate until it was completely abandoned. After the Revolution the deterioration accelerated. Soon the castle served as no more than a stone quarry.1969 / 1998 : The Renaissance of CastelnaudIn 1966, Castelnaud Castle was classed as an Historic Monument. Since then, it has undergone two periods of extensive restoration: between 1974-1980 and from 1996-1998. Certain parts of the castle which had collapsed were reconstructed, other parts were only consolidated due to the lack of information regarding their original state.

Sarlat the geographical centre of Périgord-Quercy, is by far the most important tourist site in the region Over a million visitors discover or re discover this medieval jewel every year. This town of l0,000 inhabitants today occupies top spot in terms of tourists and culture. Although this is basically a cultural town, industry is also represented, mainly by food processing firms, many of which produce foie gras. This foie gras, one of the most highly rated in France has contributed to the great culinary reputation of the Périgord in general and the town in particular.

Although it has one of the largest medieval urban areas (13th to 16th centuries) in the world, Sarlat cannot claim a very distant past. The initial Sarlat abbey was most probably founded between 820 and 840 AD by Duke Pepin of Aquitaine. Saint Bernard stopped off in Sarlat in 1147 during his journey through the South of France to spread the gospel to the many Cathars. The plague was predominant at the time. He gave the sick consecrated bread to eat and healed them. This event, this miracle even was commemorated by the building of the strange graveyard lantern which, still today, remains one of the towns symbols.

Lost in the heart of the distant Périgord, Sarlat could have sunk into oblivion if it was not for the Malraux Act of 4th August 1962. Perhaps the minister of culture (Andre Malraux) recalled having taken to the macquis (The name given to some French Resistance groups during World War Two) in the heart of the Sarlat woodlands, when he signed the act of renovation and restoration. The works carried out from 1964 onward have revealed a veritable treasure trove of Medieval and Renaissance art to the public. Tourists and film directors then took charge of bringing this corner of the Earth “which is the closest things to heaven” according to Henry Miller, to the attention of the whole world. The 1978 film version of “Les Miserable” was filmed extensively in Sarlat, but also in nearby Domme, with the stunning Beynac Castle standing in for the famous Toulon Jail. Sarlat’s wonderful architecture and medieval style buildings and stone roofs have made a backdrop for a score of other top motion pictures since, which has added to it’s fame an it’s fortune.

A warren of alleyways, virtually unchanged since the middle ages, lined with warm ochre stone houses, each with its own distinctive facade and ornately sculptured window embrasures, set off by the stone roofs and turrets, make Sarlat a must for any tourist visiting the Dordogne. Sarlat’s Saturday market is excellent, teaming with life, an unforgetable experience from the street artists that throng there, to the wonderful fresh local produce. Sarlat comes to life in summer with its Drama Festival and Film Festival as well as non-stop street shows in the old quarter. Sarlat is an artists paradise with many small galeries including the famous “Herdin”, student of Salvador Dali. Out of season there is also a well packed programme of cultural events, concerts, drama, films (often in the original language), a visit at Christmas is like stepping into a Fairy Tale, with piped christmas carols and Santas scaling buildings everywhere, there truly is something for everyone.

Sarlat Tourist Office

3 Rue Tourny – BP 114
F-24203 Sarlat Cedex

Tél. 33 (0) 5.53.31.45.45
Fax. 33 (0) 5.53.59.19.44
Web http://www.-sarlat-tourisme.com
Email info@sarlat-tourisme.com

⇒To contact the services (direct phone line and e-mail)
General information – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 45 – info
Holiday rentals booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 40 – locations
Individual packages booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 43 – sejoursindividuels
Group packages (seminars..) booking service – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 42 – sejoursgroupes
Guided tours of the Medieval city ,conferences – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 42 – visitesguidees
Walking paths – 33 (0) 5 53 31 45 45 – rando

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A stone’s throw from the Vezere, across from a ford, prehistoric men settled here more than 20.000 years ago.
Preserved in exceptional condition and fully furnished with period furniture, it is the only monument of its kind in France, a “Chateau falaise” fully intact.
Listed a historical monument, this is the strangest, most secret, most extraordinary, and also the most mysterious of all the Périgord châteaux.

Built under the escarpments, this refuge juts out from the rock into which it has been dug and conceals huge rock shelters that have witnessed some interesting events of our civilisation for more than 20,000 years

Vastly larger than one could imagine from the outside, the façade conceals some impressive underground and overhead rooms, such as the great main hall, the armory, dining hall, living quarters, kitchen, bedrooms, chapel, prison cell, dungeon, wine cellar.

In addition to its natural protection, this fortification exhibits many elements of defence : bretèche, murder-hole, cannons, loopholes.
A source of great historical interest, it served for the past 50 years for purposes of scientific and archaeological research. You will be the first to visit this site which has been jealously closed to the public until now.
This showcase of our heritage presents some genuine artefacts from prehistoric times discovered on the premises.

Opening Dates and Times

Open every day from 1st March to 11 November
March, April, October, mi-November : 10am to 6pm
May, June, September : 10am to 7pm
July, August : 10am to 8pm

La Maison Forte de Reignac

24620 Tursac
Tél. 05 53 50 70 45 – Fax 05 53 51 03 21
www.maison-forte-reignac.com
info@maison-forte-reignac.com

The new national prehistoric museum of Eyzies de Tayac bares all

Built in an overhang shelter on the face of a striking cliff, the National Prehistoric Museum of Eyzies-de-Tayac is located in Dordogne, in southwestern France. The museum features unique archaeological collections chiefly discovered at the most prestigious excavation sites in the Vézère Valley, added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List owing to its many Palaeolithic remains. 300,000 visitors annually are expected at the new museum, located in the heart of the Périgord Noir area, land of French philosopher Montaigne – a region acclaimed for its history, beautiful landscapes of dark and mysterious forests, and world-renowned gastronomy

Established since July 2004 in the new building designed by architect Jean-Pierre Buffi, the museum houses some 18,000 pieces and a collection of six million objects.“Although the new museum bears witness to the presence of men and women of the 21st century, its modernity manifests itself through its environment, marked by the sheer height of the cliff it is built on and the small size of the historical village of Eyzies-de-Tayac, with its 900 inhabitants and its medieval ruins”, remarks Jean-Pierre Buffi, architect of the Toulouse multimedia library and of the Façade of the Bercy Park in Paris.

The museum’s collections were established as early as 1913, when indefatigable researcher Denis Peyrony convinced the French state to acquire the Château des Eyzies, built at the end of the 16th century, and to transform it into an excavation warehouse that could double up as a museum. These collections have since been tremendously enriched through excavation discoveries at regional sites as well as private donations.

“The museum made a political choice by deciding not to portray the entire history of the Hominids’ development”, explains Jean-Jacques Cleyet-Merle, the museum’s director since 1988. “Instead, the museum describes the Palaeolithic era: the history of the Neanderthals, who vanished 50,000 years ago, and of the Cro-Magnon man, who lived in socially structured groups, buried his dead and made objects that had a symbolic meaning”.

Visitors enter the new museum as though embarking on a trip to the origins of humanity. At the museum’s entrance, the main chapters of the Hominids’ development are evoked through an anthropological frieze and a brief reminder of Africa’s history, starting with the early Australopithecines. Many themes are explored, including the legendary “Lucy”, the small 3.5-million-year-old woman discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. Next, the staircase leading to the permanent exhibit galleries plunges visitors into the mists of time, revealing seven sequences that cover the entire Palaeolithic era through an “idealstratigraphy”.

Upon leaving the“abysses of time”, visitors – equipped with the keys necessary for interpreting the rest of the exhibit – slide into the lower gallery and discover, along a passageway, the various material cultures that succeeded one another from 400,000 to 10,000 BC. This same itinerary also retraces the development of these different cultures: early tools, furniture, and other artefacts. Many themes are presented, such as the lifestyle of Neanderthal populations and the appearance of modern man.

In the upper gallery, visitors are invited to follow an initiatory path from the outside world of mankind’s ancestors to the semi-darkness of the painted caves. Museum-goers can also admire the replicas of prehistoric hearths, of the homes built under shelters and of the places of origin of the objects on display in the rest of the gallery. The reconstructed grave of “L’enfant de la Madeleine” is of particular interest in this section.

Each object – statuettes, jewels, harpoons, lamps, scrapers of all sorts, to name but some of the pieces – has been selected with great care, based on its representativeness and its state of conservation.

Organised by Jean-Jacques Cleyet-Merle, in close partnership with the Scientific Council chaired by Jean-Philippe Rigaud, honorary director of the Institute for Prehistory and Quaternary Geology of Bordeaux, the new National Prehistoric Museum’s scientific programme has been influenced by the establishment’s location at the heart of the prestigious sites and deposits from which its acquired its exceptional collections. In addition to the famous Lascaux Cave and its colourful cave paintings, many listed sites hark back to 400,000 years of human history, from the Font-de-Gaume cave to the Combarelles and Rouffignac caves, as well as the Poisson, Moustier and Micoque shelters.

Artists at the time had a very basic colour palette, consisting of black, ochre and red, which they skilfully used to make colour gradations, creating astoundingly lifelike animal scenes. In the new museum, “the ochre tones, such as the grey of the cast-aluminium roofs, mirror the cliff’s timeless colours”, points out Jean-Pierre Buffi.

In addition to presenting its collections to the general public, conserving humankind’s heritage and supporting archaeological digs, the National Prehistoric Museum also hosts archaeologists, researchers and students from the world over, and collaborates with various foreign institutions.

The abundance of masterpieces, shelters and grottos that dot the entire Vézère Valley, framed by dark and mysterious forests, vineyards and rivers, should not cause visitors to forget that Périgord is also the land of foie gras, duck confit, walnuts, cep mushrooms and the distinct-smelling truffles. Just 20 km away from Eyzies-de-Tayac, Sarlat – a town full of art and history, whose old streets shelter the former home of humanist writer La Boétie – is well worth a visit. One of the favourite visiting places of film directors, this prestigious site regularly hosts special events such as film festivals, theatre games, village celebrations, and much more.

Nestled in the heart of Périgord Noir, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is sure to captivate you. The entire region, including its soil, beats with the soul of humanity

Located in Les Eyzies, on the Sarlat road, Font de Gaume Cave is a showpiece of Magdalenian engravings and paintings from around 14 000 BC. The flints (chisels, scrapers, blades) and other things found in the cave during the excavations testify to a continual occupation since the Mousterian age, or the age of the Neanderthals.

Discovered in 1901 by D. Peyrony, the Cave, 130 m long, contains about 250 paintings. The visitor can only see 30 of them, the most beautiful ones and the best preserved. After 60 m underground, the “Rubicon” is the beginning of the decorated part of the cave, with red dots on the left wall. These caves were not used as dwellings, they were shrines, according to A. Leroi-Gourhan The Grotte de Font-de-Gaume is famous for its cave paintings from the Magdalénien period. It is entrance is 20 m above the valley floor of the Beune valley, at the lower edege of a huge limestone rock.

There are many polychrome paintings and some engravings. The 240 figures show 80 bisons, which are the dominant motive. Most other pictures are also animals, 40 mammoths, 23 horses, 17 reindeers and deer, eight primitive cow, four goats, a wolf, a bear, and two rhinoceroses. More interesting, but less frequent, are four hand outlines and 19 geometric figures.

The cave was first settled by Stone Age people during the last Ice Age – about 25,000 BC – when the Dordogne was the domain of roaming bison, reindeer and mammoths. The cave mouth is no more than a fissure concealed by rocks and trees above a small lush valley, while inside, it’s a narrow twisting passage of irregular height in which you quickly lose your bearings in the dark. The first painting you see is a frieze of bison, at about eye level: reddish-brown in colour, massive, full of movement, and very far from the primitive representations you might expect. Further on a horse stands with one hoof slightly raised, resting. But the most miraculous of all is a frieze of five bison discovered in 1966 during cleaning operations. The colour, remarkably sharp and vivid, is preserved by a protective layer of calcite. Shading under the belly and down the thighs is used to give three-dimensionality with a sophistication that seems utterly modern. Another panel consists of superimposed drawings, a fairly common phenomenon in cave painting, sometimes the result of work by successive generations, but here an obviously deliberate technique. A reindeer in the foreground shares legs with a large bison behind to indicate perspective.

Location: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. 1km from the centre of Eyzies on the left side of the Beune valley.

Open:

MAR Thu-Tue 9:30-12 + 14-17:30,
APR-SEP Thu-Tue 9-12 + 14-18,
OCT Thu-Tue 9:30-12 + 14-17:30,
NOV-FEB Thu-Tue 10-12 + 14-17.
Closed 01-JAN, 01-NOV, 11-NOV, 25-DEC.

Dimension: Length = 400m. Guided tours : every 40min. Only 200 visitors per day, reservation necessary! Address : Grotte de Font-de-Gaume, BP 7, 24620 Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Tel: +33-553068600, Fax: +33-553352618

Reccommended Accommodation

B&B Ferme de Tayac, a lovely 12th century former farmhouse and monastery in the heart of the Vezere Valley and just 2 min. from Font de Gaume. www.fermedetayac.com

The Dordogne, also known as the Perigord is without a doubt one of the most interesting and diverse regions in the world. The Vezere Valley in the “Perigord Noir” is with it’s more than 250 UNESCO sites of interest, the undisputed “Prehistoric Capital of the World”. Prehistoric dwellings, caves, rock shelters and lots more, most of which are only accessible on foot.
However, Dordogne has much more to offer than just relics from the Prehistoric era, castles, bastides, medieval towns & villages, all of these,and lots more, all in the stunning and amazing scenery the Dordogne is famous for, hills, cliffs, windy rivers, great weather, friendly locals, and lots more make the Dordogne one of the most interesting and exciting places in the world.

Walking Dordogne takes you to all the well kept secrets that are only accessible on foot. To see the “Real Dordogne” you will have to get off the roads, and on the tracks. Let us take you back, to the places our ancestors called “home” more than 260000 years ago.

Walking Dordogne has about 20 excellent walks in their Itinerary, varying from 3 hours to 10 hours, most walks can be combined with other walks to make them longer or shorter. Our walks are guaranteed to show you the REAL Dordogne, and take you to all the main highlights this region is famous for.

Our walks are suitable for all ages, but for most walks a certain level of fitness and stamina is required. Most walks are on tracks & trails, some marked, others not. Certain walks to caves, dwellings, ruins and view points are off the tracks, and up hill walking is often required.
Some of our walks may not be suitable for people with a fear of heights.

The great thing about Walking Dordogne is that our walks are not planned months or weeks ahead, we usually plan the walks together with the customer the day before, depending on the wishes and preferences of the customer, this way we can make sure everyone gets to see what they want to see. If the walks are done in combination, with canoeing or horse riding, then these walks are usually planned ahead, to guarentee the use of the horses or canoes.

Why “Walking Dordogne” you may ask yourself, well we believe there are numerous very good reasons why we are the best choice to see the real Dordogne. A few mayor differences between us and other operators are…

At Walking Dordogne you are based in one spot, your accommodation is at the nicest B&B in the Dordogne, you will feel at home here, you do not need to pack your belongings every morning to move on again to the next accommodation. After any of the walks or other activities, you can just relax at the pool, or stroll into Les Eyzies for an ice cream.

We at Walking Dordogne are local, we live here, we know the area, and we know the best places to go at the best time. We know what and where to avoid. We take you to places unknown to tourists and tour operators that are not local, and not mentioned in guide books or maps, places that are known only to locals.

Walking Dordogne is extremely flexible, the one thing we can not control is the weather, and we all know that getting soaked on a walk is not a nice experience. With Walking Dordogne, the weather is not a problem, if we have a walk planned and it is raining, we just get into a car and visit some scenic attractions, such as the caves of Lascaux, National Prehistoric Museum, Castle of Beynac, etc. There is not a single tour operator that offers such flexibility as we do.

Small Groups. Our groups are very small, hardly ever ** larger than 5 people ( 4 guests and the guide) this way you can bond with your group, decisions are easy to make,the tours have a more personal touch, and we will be able to call you by your real name. (very difficult to do with groups of 20+)

Our large choice of walks and tours are suited for all age groups, we will put together a wonderful itinerary depending on each individuals needs.

Save money: With Walking Dordogne there are plenty of ways to save your money, you only pay for what you want, for example, if you feel you would like to do a few walks or canoe trips without a guide, we will supply you with a detailed map of the walk, arrange for your drop off, and you save money by not using a guide.
Really the only thing that cannot be changed is the accommodation , otherwise like mentioned before, we are very flexible.

Your wish is our command: If you would really like to spend some of your time doing something that is not mentioned in our itinerary, just ask us. We are locals and know almost everything that can be done in this region, so if you would like to do a culinary course, or play a few rounds of golf etc. we can arrange this for you