Cycling Southwest France - Biking the Dordogne
Description and Planning of the Trip
Choosing the itinerary and the route. Getting information from a guidebook, maps, software, and the web. Thinking about roads and elevations. Packing for the trip. My highlights and lowlights of the trip.
Day 1 - St-Emilion to Bergerac
Starting in a tiny picturesque, cobblestoned town on top of a hill. Biking through vineyards. Having trouble with a bike. Pretty roads alongside the Dordogne River. Some boring final miles into Bergerac, where the old town exceeds our expectations. Statues of Cyrano de Bergerac.
Day 2 - Bergerac to Les Eyzies
Biking on a tree-covered road on a ridge overlooking the river. Lunch in a charming town across the river. Some hills and then past cliffs dotted with prehistoric caves as we enter Les Eyzies.
Day 3 - Les Eyzies to Montignac
A visit to the National Museum of Prehistory. Detour to La Madeleine, where cliffs overlooking the river have ancient caves and a castle from the middle ages. The town of Montignac on the river Vezere, where I have memories of two dogs.
An exhausting climb to the famous cave of Lascaux with its prehistoric paintings. Across lonely, deserted roads, up hills, and finally into the town of Sarlat -- one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. Outdoor restaurants fill the narrow streets on a perfect evening of deep colors.
Through the busy crowds on market day in Sarlat, across a ridge and to the hotel in Vitrac. From there a loop featuring the hilltop town of Domme.
Biking along the Dordogne on a misty morning. Finding a delightful bike path. Up big hills to the spectacular cliff setting of Rocamadour.
Biking due south on deserted, hilly roads to get to Cahors. Seeing the ancient bridge there that defended the city in the middle ages.