Imagine gliding along one of the cleanest rivers in Europe through stunning landscapes and historic towns. This majestic river is not just a waterway; it’s a gateway to adventure, tranquility, and the timeless beauty of rural France.
I started my waterway adventure in a pretty little city in the heart of France, deep into one of the most famous wine regions in the country. Bergerac is a great place to pick up a trip down the Dordogne river, considered the cleanest in France due to its high water quality. The Dordogne’s cleanliness is a result of sustained efforts by the public establishment EPIDOR and its status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, recognised in 2012. Now in pristine condition, this allows for a variety of recreational activities, from swimming in its clear waters to fishing, to paddle boarding, canoeing or kayaking. Or if you are lazy like me catch a Gabarre!
A gabare is a traditional wooden flat-bottomed boat which have been operating on the Dordogne since the Middle Ages. Their use soared in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the boats would transport materials like wood and slate as well as salt and of course wine produced in nearby vineyards.
It would typically take around six days to descend the river between Argentat and Bordeaux, navigating through Beaulieu, Souillac, Beynac, Bergerac…and over two weeks to return upstream with animals (or men) often pulling the boats with ropes from the river banks.
Today, tourists can embark on replicas for an hour-long cruise at various places along the river, including Bergerac, Argentat and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.For booking and information please contact the Tourist Office on +33 5 65 33 22 00. Tickets cost 10 euros (£8.50) for adults and 8 euros (£6.90) for children.
On board our friendly guide gave a running commentary of all the wildlife to look out for such as leaping salmon and diving kingfishers as we glided through stunning countryside. He pointed out, in both French and English, important historic buildings and bridges along the way, waving to canoeists and fishermen en-route.
The Dordogne (French pronunciation: Dordonha) runs for 300 miles (483km)in south-central and southwest France. It flows generally west through the Limousin and Perigord regions (which includes Bergerac) before flowing into the Gironde, its common estuary with the Garonne, north of the city of Bordeaux.
The upper valley of the Dordogne is a series of deep gorges. The cliffs, steep banks, fast flowing water and high bridges attract both walkers and drivers. In several places the river is dammed to form long, deep lakes. Camp sites and holiday homes have proliferated wherever the valley floor is wide enough to accommodate them. In the towns, which are major tourist attractions because of their history and architecture, the quaysides are lined with eating and drinking places. In Périgord, the valley widens further to encompass one of France’s main gastronomic regions, with vineyards, poultry farms and truffle-rich woodlands.
Bergerac itself has an excellent range of gourmet restaurants to suit all budgets and plenty of opprotunities for wine tastings along the quayside.
Flights to Bergerac from the Uk start from £22.99 with Ryanair from London Stansted and there are also flights from Liverpool, Edinburgh, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands all with Ryanair and Leeds Bradford with Jet2. Bon Voyage!