Dordogne and Lot: caves and cliff villages

Route description

Montignac, on the river Vézère, is the gateway to Lascaux IV, a full-size replica of the painted cave where aurochs, horses and deer were drawn some 17,000 years ago. Visits run with timed tickets that are best booked in advance, especially in summer. The Vézère valley around it has many more prehistoric sites and cliff shelters.

A short drive south brings you to Sarlat-la-Canéda, a medieval town of honey-coloured stone whose centre is mostly pedestrian; the Saturday market is the big event of the week. From here drop to the Dordogne and follow the D703 along the river to La Roque-Gageac, where houses line up beneath an overhanging cliff and traditional gabare boats take visitors on the water.

Continue east past the castles of Beynac and Castelnaud towards Rocamadour, a pilgrimage village stacked up the side of a gorge. See it first from the viewpoint at L’Hospitalet, then walk or take the lift down through the sanctuaries. Carry on south to the Lot valley and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, a village of steep lanes perched high above the river.

The roads are narrow and winding, particularly along the Dordogne at La Roque-Gageac and on the final climb to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, and car parks near the famous villages fill quickly in July and August. Late spring and September are quieter and still warm, and most villages have designated motorhome parking a short walk from the centre.