Plus Beaux Villages de France
France’s most beautiful villagesWalk through two of them, Beynac and Castelnaud, and add Domme on a longer version.
Read our guide to the villages →- Duration
- 8 days (7 nights)
- Walking each day
- 12.8–17.8 km (8–11 miles)An optional walk on day 7 (8.3 km (5.2 miles))
- Activity level
- Moderate, with a few short steep climbsHow hard is it?
- Daily climb
- Up to 450 m (about 1,500 ft)Measured from our GPX tracks
- Start and finish
- Les Eyzies to SarlatGetting there →
- Owned and run by
- Cassie at Dordogne Experience
- Holiday style
- Self-guided, inn to inn, with your luggage moved for youSelf-guided or guided? →
- Season and start days
- April–OctoberStart any day
- Hotels
- Often family-run 2★ and 3★ hotels, 4 of 5 with a pool
- Meals
- 7 breakfasts, 5 dinners
- Location
- Dordogne & Vézère, France
Castles & Caves of the Dordogne is an 8-day self-guided walking tour from Les Eyzies to Sarlat, 12.8–17.8 km (8–11 miles) a day, from £995.
Our classic Dordogne valley walk: a week through the prehistoric Vézère valley and into the heart of the Dordogne, past cliffside caves, clifftop castles and two of France’s most beautiful villages, Beynac and Castelnaud, ending in medieval Sarlat.
You begin in Les Eyzies, tucked beneath limestone cliffs on the Vézère river, where Cro-Magnon people lived some 15,000 years ago and the National Museum of Prehistory tells their story. A full day here gives you time for the caves and the museum before you head south through woods and valleys to the rediscovered Château de Commarque, then on to the Dordogne river at Beynac.
The walking is mainly moderate, about 13 to 18 km (8 to 11 miles) a day on quiet tracks through woods, along riverbanks and between fields, with a few short, steep climbs up to the castles. The second half is packed: the hanging gardens of Marqueyssac, Castelnaud’s medieval war machines and the Château de Montfort, before a free day in Sarlat and its famous market.
You stay in five characterful, often family-run hotels, four of them with a swimming pool, and five dinners are included. On the free evenings in Les Eyzies and Sarlat you choose where to eat. Your luggage is moved on for you each day, and you’ll have our detailed route notes and support throughout.
This route has been walked by our family, and every hotel is one we know.
The Vézère Valley
Its prehistoric sites and decorated caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Rock shelters, cave art and the National Museum of Prehistory are all within easy reach of Les Eyzies.
A family business, owned and run by Cassie
- Deal directly with Cassie
- Your dates, your length
- Meet Cassie in Sarlat
- Replies within 24 hours
Book early for May, June and September. Our hotels are small and often family-run, and they fill first in those months, so the earlier you book, the more choice of dates you’ll have.
Booking and cancelling
- A 25% deposit secures your holiday. The balance is due 8 weeks before you travel (book within 8 weeks and the full price is due when you book).
- Cancelling, in writing: more than 56 days before departure, 25% of the holiday price (your deposit); 56 to 29 days, 50%; 28 to 15 days, 70%; 14 days or less, 100%.
- Prices are set in pounds, and you can pay in any currency you prefer.
Also available
- Extra nights anywhere on the route
Highlights
Jardins de Marqueyssac
Marqueyssac GardensClifftop hanging gardens with views along the Dordogne.
Four châteaux on foot
Commarque (climb the tower), Beynac, Castelnaud with its medieval siege engines, and Montfort.
Les Eyzies, capital of prehistory
Cliffside village and home of the Musée National de Préhistoire (National Museum of Prehistory).
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Medieval streets, the Saturday market and the panoramic lift in the Sainte-Marie bell tower.
Hotels with pools
Four of your five hotels have a swimming pool.
Evenings on this route
Daily routeOptional walk or extra daySelect a route to jump to that day
Day by day
At a glance
| Day | Route | Distance | Climb | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival in Les Eyzies | – | – | Les Eyzies · Hotel Cromagnon |
| Day 2 | Around Les Eyzies (circular walk) | 12.8 km (8 miles) | ↑ 220 m (about 700 ft) ↓ 220 m (about 700 ft) | Les Eyzies · Hotel Cromagnon |
| Day 3 | Les Eyzies to Boyer | 16.8 km (10 miles) | ↑ 450 m (about 1,500 ft) ↓ 350 m (about 1,150 ft) | Boyer · Domaine de la Rhonie |
| Day 4 | Boyer to Beynac | 17.8 km (11 miles) | ↑ 340 m (about 1,100 ft) ↓ 440 m (about 1,450 ft) | Beynac · Domaine de Monrecour |
| Day 5 | Beynac to Vitrac | 13.8 km (8.6 miles) | ↑ 130 m (about 450 ft) ↓ 130 m (about 450 ft) | Vitrac · Hotel Plaisance |
| Day 6 | Vitrac to Sarlat | 16.2 km (10 miles) | ↑ 250 m (about 800 ft) ↓ 180 m (about 600 ft) | Sarlat · Hotel La Couleuvrine |
| Day 7 | Free day in Sarlat (optional circular walk) | Optional 8.3 km (5.2 miles) | ↑ 180 m (about 600 ft) ↓ 180 m (about 600 ft) | Sarlat · Hotel La Couleuvrine |
| Day 8 | Departure | – | – | – |
Climbs shown where we’ve measured the route.
Arrival in Les Eyzies
Arrive in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, a village tucked beneath overhanging limestone cliffs on the banks of the Vézère. Look up and you’ll see the statue of a caveman marking the caves where Stone Age people lived, and the National Museum of Prehistory is here too. Your hotel has a swimming pool.
Tonight: Hotel Cromagnon ↗Dinner included
Around Les Eyzies (circular walk) 12.8 km (8 miles)Climb 220 m (about 700 ft), descent 220 m (about 700 ft)
An easy circular walk with lovely views of the cliffs and grottos above the Vézère. It’s worth a short detour to the Grotte de Saint-Cirq, set beside a little house built into the rock, and you can combine the walk with a visit to the National Museum of Prehistory.
Bed & breakfast, dinner outLes Eyzies to Boyer 16.8 km (10 miles)Climb 450 m (about 1,500 ft), descent 350 m (about 1,150 ft)
You leave Les Eyzies through woods and quiet valleys to the Château de Commarque, on its rocky outcrop above the Beune valley. Hidden beneath undergrowth for centuries and only rediscovered in the 20th century, it’s still being restored, and you can climb the tower for superb views. Tonight’s hotel has a swimming pool.
Tonight: Domaine de la Rhonie ↗Dinner includedBoyer to Beynac 17.8 km (11 miles)Climb 340 m (about 1,100 ft), descent 440 m (about 1,450 ft)
An undulating walk through shaded woods and fields brings you to the 12th-century Château de Beynac, perched on its crag above the Dordogne and the medieval village below, one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages. You stay nearby in the hamlet of St Vincent de Cosse, at the lovely Domaine de Monrecour, which has a swimming pool.
Tonight: Domaine de Monrecour ↗Dinner included
Beynac to Vitrac 13.8 km (8.6 miles)Climb 130 m (about 450 ft), descent 130 m (about 450 ft)
A day of highlights. First the hanging gardens of Marqueyssac, then across the Dordogne to the medieval Château de Castelnaud, built to face its rival at Beynac and home to a fine collection of medieval war machines. Then a gentle finish into Vitrac. Tonight’s hotel has a swimming pool.
Tonight: Hotel Plaisance ↗Dinner included
Vitrac to Sarlat 16.2 km (10 miles)Climb 250 m (about 800 ft), descent 180 m (about 600 ft)
You pass beneath the Château de Montfort, high on its rocky ledge above the village. Destroyed and rebuilt four times, it has 800 years of turbulent history behind it. Fields and woodland then lead you into Sarlat, whose medieval streets and golden stone facades are protected by law.
Tonight: Hotel La Couleuvrine ↗Dinner included
Free day in Sarlat (optional circular walk) Optional 8.3 km (5.2 miles)Climb 180 m (about 600 ft), descent 180 m (about 600 ft)
A day to enjoy Sarlat. There’s a produce market every Wednesday and Saturday, and on Saturdays it’s the largest in the region. Take the glass lift up the Sainte-Marie bell tower for panoramic views, or simply watch the world go by from a street café. An optional circular walk is in your route notes.
Bed & breakfast, dinner outDeparture
Your holiday ends after breakfast.
Optional extra days
Add one or both of these walks to make your holiday longer, as in the 9- and 10-day versions. We’ll fit them into your itinerary and send you the full day-by-day with your quote.
Circular walk to La Roque-Gageac Optional 7.4 km (4.6 miles)Climb 200 m (about 650 ft), descent 190 m (about 600 ft)
A loop from Le Port de Domme, on the Dordogne below Domme. Quiet lanes and a rocky clifftop path lead down to La Roque-Gageac, one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages, its golden houses squeezed between the cliff and the river. If you have the energy, carry on to the hanging gardens of Marqueyssac and the Château de Castelnaud (dashed on the map).
Circular walk to Domme Optional 10.7 km (6.6 miles)Climb 170 m (about 550 ft), descent 170 m (about 550 ft)
A loop from Le Port de Domme up the old lanes to Domme, a 13th-century bastide perched high above the river, where the clifftop belvedere looks out over the whole valley.
2027 prices
| 8 days (7 nights) | 9 days (8 nights) | 10 days (9 nights) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per person, sharing a double or twin | £995 | £1,120 | £1,230 |
| Single room supplement | +£285 | +£325 | +£360 |
| Travelling solo (on top of the per-person price) | +£430 | +£480 | +£540 |
8 days (7 nights)
Per person, sharing a double or twin£995
Single room supplement+£285
Travelling solo (on top of the per-person price)+£430
9 days (8 nights)
Per person, sharing a double or twin£1,120
Single room supplement+£325
Travelling solo (on top of the per-person price)+£480
10 days (9 nights)
Per person, sharing a double or twin£1,230
Single room supplement+£360
Travelling solo (on top of the per-person price)+£540
- Single room supplement: when someone in your group would like a room of their own.
- Travelling solo: a supplement on top of the per-person price, as the costs aren’t shared. Our guide to solo holidays →
What’s included
Included
- 7 nights’ accommodation, sharing a double or twin room
- 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- Your luggage moved on each time you change hotel
- Our detailed route notes
- GPX files by email, with simple instructions for using them on your phone
- Support by phone and WhatsApp throughout your holiday
Not included
- Travel to the start and from the finish
- Lunches and drinks
- Entrance fees (châteaux, caves, gardens and museums)
- Travel insurance (we strongly recommend it)
- Personal expenses
Practical information
Getting there and away
By air. Bergerac is about an hour from Les Eyzies by road, Brive–Vallée de la Dordogne a little over an hour, and Bordeaux around 2 hours.
From further afield. From Australia, the USA and further afield, most long-haul flights land at Paris Charles de Gaulle, with connecting flights to Bordeaux or Toulouse, or a train from Paris to the region.
By train. Les Eyzies has a small station on the line between Périgueux and Agen, with connections from Paris and Bordeaux. Sarlat, where the walk ends, has trains to Bordeaux via Bergerac.
By car. Calais to Les Eyzies is around 850 km (528 miles). The walk ends in Sarlat, about half an hour from Les Eyzies, and your hotel can book a taxi back to your car.
Route finding
Our detailed route notes come in digital form, so you always know where the next turn is.
We also email you GPX files, with simple instructions for using them on your phone, so you can see exactly where you are on the map.
It varies by route. Some sections are waymarked, and your route notes tell you where. The notes and GPS guide you the rest of the way.
Bring a smartphone with mobile data and a power bank. If you take a wrong turn, the GPX track shows you the way back, and we’re a call or WhatsApp away.
We’ve walked or cycled our Dordogne and Lot routes ourselves, so our notes come from first-hand experience.
Meals and dietary needs
Included: 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners. The day-by-day shows which nights include dinner.
Breakfast is usually French-style: fresh bread and croissants with butter and jam, and coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Some hotels add yoghurt, fruit or cheese.
Lunch is up to you, and it’s one of the pleasures of the day: pick up a picnic from a village bakery or market, or stop at a café along the way. On some days there are few shops on the route, so it’s worth buying lunch before you set off.
Tell us about any dietary needs when you book and we’ll let every hotel know. Vegetarian meals are no problem. Other needs, such as gluten-free food or a serious allergy, are harder for small country kitchens, so please talk to Cassie before you book, and always carry any medication you need.
Drinks aren’t included: anything you enjoy with dinner is simply settled with the hotel before you leave.
Your luggage
Whenever you change hotel, your bags are taken on for you, so they’re waiting when you arrive. Please have them ready at reception by 9am.
During the day you only need a daypack: water, snacks, a waterproof, sun cream and a hat, plus anything you’ll want before evening, such as medication.
Many of our hotels are in old buildings and some have no lift, so expect the odd flight of stairs with your bags.
One bag per person, up to 20 kg.
Hotels and check-in
Rooms are usually ready from mid-afternoon, and check-out is usually by 10 or 11am. If you arrive early, the hotel will normally look after your bags while you explore.
Most rooms have a shower rather than a bath, as is usual in French country hotels.
The day-by-day above lists your hotels night by night, and we’ll send you full details with your booking confirmation.
Weather and when to go
Our season runs from April to October.
Spring brings wildflowers and fresh green valleys, with mild days that can still be showery; April mornings can be cool.
June and September are often the sweet spot: warm, settled and quieter, and September brings the grape harvest.
July and August are hot, often 30 °C or more in the afternoon, so set off early, carry plenty of water and plan a long lunch in the shade. Summer thunderstorms can be heavy but usually pass quickly.
October is golden and peaceful, with cooler days, shorter evenings and a little more rain.
Language
French is the language of the route. Most hotels speak some English, but in small villages, shops and cafés you’ll often find they don’t.
A few words go a long way and are always appreciated: bonjour as you walk into a shop, merci, and l’addition, s’il vous plaît when you’d like the bill.
Markets and things to book ahead
Font-de-Gaume, in Les Eyzies, is one of the very few caves with original prehistoric paintings still open to visitors. Numbers are strictly limited, so book online well before you travel.
The National Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies needs no booking, and makes a good start to the week.
Your free day in Sarlat is a treat if it falls on a market day: Saturday for the big market, or Wednesday morning.
What to expect
See all photos for this holiday →What our guests say
“Had the most amazing few days in and around Sarlat. Highly recommend the castles and caves tour! Cassie is a fantastic host and goes the extra mile to make sure everyone gets the most out of their holiday, everything feels so well organised you can completely relax and enjoy it.”
“Four women over 60, one incredible adventure! We walked the Dordogne Castles and Caves Tour in September and had such a wonderful time. From start to finish, everything was exceptionally well organized. The booking process went smoothly, and Cassie, the owner, was responsive, patient, and helpful from the very beginning, answering all our questions and making us feel confident about our trip. Our luggage was always waiting for us when we arrived at the end of each day’s adventure, which made everything so much easier. And as we pushed through those last few kilometres each day, we found ourselves getting excited about discovering our next hotel and what delicious dinner awaited us. That was our reward at the end of the day, and we were never disappointed! This tour was a wonderful combination of adventure, beautiful scenery, fascinating history, and lovely places to stay. We made fantastic memories together and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. We would not hesitate to book another trip with Cassie and highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a memorable walking holiday. Thank you, Cassie, for such a wonderful experience!”
“Myself and my two children did the Castles and Caves tour - what an absolutely amazing experience. Views out of this world! So much to see and do, we just loved it and most definitely will be back. Thank you!”
Behind the scenes
Questions about this holiday
How far do I walk each day?
Between 12.8 and 17.8 km (8 to 11 miles) on the walking days, with an optional walk on day 7 (8.3 km (5.2 miles)). The day-by-day above gives each day’s distance.
How fit do I need to be?
The level is moderate, with a few short steep climbs. If you enjoy a good day’s walking, you’ll be fine. If you’d like to skip a day or aren’t feeling well, ask your hotel in the morning to book a taxi to your next hotel (you pay the fare locally). In an emergency, call us.
Where does it start and finish?
Castles & Caves of the Dordogne starts in Les Eyzies and finishes in Sarlat. For travel there, see How do I get there? in our FAQ.
Is this an inn-to-inn holiday?
Yes, Castles & Caves of the Dordogne is an inn-to-inn holiday. You walk from one hotel to the next, and your luggage is moved on for you, so it’s waiting when you arrive and you only need a daypack. See What is an inn-to-inn holiday? in our FAQ.
Which meals are included?
7 breakfasts and 5 dinners. The day-by-day above shows which nights include dinner; on the other nights you choose where to eat. Lunches and drinks aren’t included.
Can I add nights or change the dates?
Yes, you can add nights or change the dates on Castles & Caves of the Dordogne. You can start on any day from April to October, and dates, distances and extra nights can be adjusted to suit you. Also available: extra nights anywhere on the route.
Can I travel solo?
Yes, solo walkers are very welcome on Castles & Caves of the Dordogne. As the costs aren’t shared, travelling solo is from +£430 on top of the per-person price. See all prices.
More to read
Castles of the Dordogne: which to visit
Beynac, Castelnaud, Milandes, Montfort, Marqueyssac, Castelnau-Bretenoux and Fénelon: what each is like and which of our holidays pass it.
What you’ll see on our routes, day by day
Castles, caves, bastides and cliff villages: the sights on each of our Dordogne walking and cycling holidays, stop by stop, with what makes each special.
Sarlat-la-Canéda: a guide to the old town, markets and festivals
Sarlat, capital of the Périgord Noir: a walk through the old town, the Wednesday and Saturday markets, the glass lift, festivals and quiet evenings.
Visiting Lascaux and the Vézère valley caves
Visiting Lascaux IV and the Vézère valley caves from our walking and cycling holidays: which routes pass nearby and why to book your tickets ahead.
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