THEMED TOURSMarqueyssac
THEMED TOURSMarqueyssac gardens© Alban Gilbert - CRT NABoat ride, Castelnaud© Gabares Norbert - CRT NACollonges-la-Rouge© C Ducourret Gravereau - CRTNAOPTIONSBECOME AN EXPERT• Discover the Dordogne valley and its castlesby air. www.airchateaux.com• The hanging gardens of Marqueyssacoffer an exceptional panoramic viewof the meandering Dordogne.http://marqueyssac.com• Cooking course at “Chez Sylvie” withmorning at the Lot-et-Garonne marketswww.france-cookery-course.comON THE ROAD TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES3 TO 4 DAYSThe “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (Most beautiful villages in France) label recognizes villages ofgreat architectural quality, with a protected and enhanced heritage. These sites share with their visitorstheir way of life, their charm and their authenticity. There are 31 of them in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, beautifulgateways to our great region.THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGESOF THE DORDOGNE VALLEYThe Dordogne Valley is distinguished by thebeauty of its villages, 13 of which are classifiedas “Plus Beaux Villages de France”.DAY 1Beynac-et-Cazenac - La Roque-GageacMorning: 10 km southwest of Sarlat, on thebanks of the Dordogne, Beynac-et-Cazenac ishome to a thousand-year-old castle and fortressfrom the 12th-Century. Visit of the BeynacArchaeological Park, at the foot of the castle.Afternoon: Visit La Roque-Gageac, village ona cliff with houses featuring semi-troglodytelauze roofs. Climb to the village to visit an exoticgarden. From the port, explore the Dordognefrom a gabarre (traditional boat), or a canoe.DAY 2Castelnaud-la-Chapelle - DommeMorning: Castelnaud Castle offers a panoramicview of the villages of Beynac-et-Cazenac andLa Roque-Gageac. It houses the Museum ofWar in the Middle Ages and an eco-museum tolearn about the Périgord walnut.Afternoon: Perched on a 110-meter-high cliff,the royal bastide overlooks the DordogneValley. Guided tour. Curiosity: the concretionsof the natural caves of Domme.DAY 3Saint-Amand-de-Coly - Saint-Léon-sur-VézèreMorning: The village of Saint-Amand-de-Colyis located a stone’s throw from the Lascauxcave in the Dordogne and 20 km from Sarlat.The site includes typical Périgord houses anddovecotes, and a very beautiful fortified church.Discover the city on foot, smartphone in hand,accompanied by an audio guide with the freeapplication, “Villes et Villages du Périgord”.Afternoon: Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère has thecharm and authenticity of the medieval villagesof the Périgord, with its golden stones, its roofs,its maze of narrow streets and the presenceof the river. Visit the Conquil Park. Mountainbiking and hiking.DAY 4Turenne and Collonges-la-Rougewith Curemonte extensionVisit three of the most beautiful villages in theheart of the Dordogne Valley (see page 10 formore details).THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGESOF THE LOT & GARONNE VALLEYSDAY 1MonflanquinMorning: a guided tour of the medievalbastide with its grid of original streets andhalf-timbered houses, Place du Marché witharcades, beautiful church of Saint-Andréfrom the 13th-Century, and a visit to the theBastides museum. Traditional market onThursday mornings all year round.Afternoon: 7.8 km (2h10) walk with beautifulviews of the perched bastide of Monflanquin,the valley of La Lède and the surroundingcastles.DAY 2Pujols-le-HautMorning: The medieval city of Pujols-le-Hautoffers a magnificent view of the Lot Valley. Avillage of character, with a medieval heritagethanks to its 16th-Century half-timberedhouses, and the Saint Nicolas and Sainte-Foy churches. Pujols lies close to the ViaPodiensis, the most famous of the routes ofthe Way of Saint James.Afternoon: 1h15 boat trip on the Lot river inVilleneuve-sur-Lot.DAY 3VilleréalMorning: Villeréal is located betweenBergerac and Agen. Visit the church, a 13th-Century fortress, the half-timbered housesand old enclosed gardens. Don’t miss thetraditional Saturday morning market.Afternoon: Cycle tour of the royal bastide(74 km) in a landscape of foie gras farms,plum and hazelnut orchards, gourmetstops at farms, Romanesque churches, andcastles.16 SMART GUIDE ROUTES www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com
THEMED TOURSSaint Radegonde Church at Talmont sur GirondeWalk in the streets of Sare© P Baudry - CRT NA© Alban Gilbert - CRT NALa Bastide Clairence© Alban Gilbert - CRT NAOPTIONSBECOME AN EXPERT• Enter the intimacy of a 17th-CenturyBasque labourdine house in Sare.www.ortillopitz.com• Visit to a Basque linen weaving workshop.http://onatiss.fr/• Visit the eco-museum of the salt marshes,explore the history of salt production onthe Île de Ré as well as its flora and fauna.www.marais-salant.comIN FRANCETHE MOST BEAUTIFUL BASQUEVILLAGESDiscover the interior of the Biarritz - PaysBasque destination, and immerse yourself ina world of traditions, culture and conviviality:Basque folk song, dance and gastronomy.DAY 1Sare and AïnhoaMorning: walk in Sare and its 17th- and 18th-Century houses, its square and pediment.Visit the caves of Sare with a sound and lightshow, then savour the delights of the Basquecake museum.Lunch in a venta, a typical restaurant on theSpanish border.Afternoon: Visit Aïnhoa and its red and green halftimberedhouses with their flowered balconies.Glass blowers, wood carvers and othercraftsmen animate the village all year round.Late evening: Visit Espelette and discover itsfamed chilli at the Ramuntxo workshop.DAY 2Saint-Jean-Pied-de-PortMorning: stopover city for pilgrims, visit of thefortified city by a country storyteller.Afternoon: outdoor activity of your choice:hiking in the footsteps of pilgrims, cycling inthe Aldudes valley, rafting-canyoning on theNive, and fishing.DAY 3NavarrenxMorning: explore the preservedtreasures of the medieval bastide andthe military stronghold with a tour guide.Afternoon: discover the secrets of Navarrenxcigar making (EPV label), with a cigar-rollingworkshop, plus a tasting of local charcuterie.DAY 4La Bastide-ClairenceMorning: stroll in the medieval bastide, whichhas preserved its original architecture andmaintains its traditional crafts, with sculptors,glassmakers, potters, and weavers.Afternoon: hike on foot, or on donkeys, fromBastide-Clairence or follow the cheese route tomeet a producer from Ossau-Iraty.THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGESON THE ATLANTIC COASTDAY 1La Flotte and Ars-en-Ré (Ile de Ré)Morning: visit La Flotte, formerly a fishingvillage, and stroll along the port and meet at themarket dating from the Middle Ages to tastelocal products (fish, shellfish and crustaceans).Afternoon: visit Ars-en-Ré, with its small whitehouses with green shutters, its alleys pavedwith flowers of hollyhocks. The church isremarkable for its black and white bell tower,used as a landmark by sailors.DAY 2Mornac-sur-SeudreMorning: visit Mornac-sur-Seudre in the heartof the marshes. Charming medieval halls,Romanesque church, traditional housespainted in white and multicoloured huts.Afternoon: From the port of Mornac, you cantake a kayak, paddleboard or river cruise alongthe channels to discover the Seudre estuary,the marshes and the surrounding fauna andflora. Spend the evening around an éclade demoules, a special method for cooking musselsunder a fire made of pine needles.DAY 3Talmont-sur-GirondeMorning: on the banks of the Gironde estuary,nestled on its promontory, walk through thecobbled streets of Talmont-sur-Gironde, atypical village full of charm. Lose yourself inthe flower-filled alleys.Afternoon: to Royan, the seaside resort withits 1950s architecture.www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.comSMART GUIDE ROUTES 17
