Dordogne Holiday villas & gites

Dordogne, France or the Perigord as it is known to the locals, is a French department situated in the South West of France, and is split into 4 Perigord areas (Noir, Blanc, Vert and Pourpre), dating to the 17th Century. Dordogne, France is known for its caves, castles and cuisine; a self catering Dordogne villa lets you make the most of all Dordogne has to offer. Dordogne villas are perfect for a relaxing discovery of local chateaus, forests, rivers, caves, medieval towns or simply to enjoy the peaceful, unspoilt countryside of France.

Places to holiday in Dordogne

Perigord Noir (Black): History, castles, prehistoric painted caves. You will need a holiday cottage in Dordogne to sample everything Perigord Noir has to offer. Gastronomic delights such as duck, fois gras and truffles are not to be missed.

Perigord Pourpre (Purple): Perigord Pourpre get its name due to the wine growing region to the south. Bergerac, the Perigord’s largest town, is a Dordogne property provides a great base for discovering the area.

Perigord Vert (Green): The most rural of the Perigord, claiming its name from the green rolling hills. The perfect spot for a relaxing tranquil holiday, in a region where ‘green’ tourism and serenity are fundamental.

Perigord Blanc (White): Perigord Blanc contains the Capital of Dordogne, Perigueux. Shady squares and a large pedestrian area in the city encourage a huge variety of open air events and concerts.

Holiday in Dordogne

Holiday rental in Dordogne allows access to the markets, canoeing, wine tasting, extensive walking and cycling on offer, and Dordogne properties for rent include self-catering holiday cottages, apartments, bed and breakfasts or holiday villas.

The Perigord boast some of the most beautiful villages in France, including Sarlat-la-Caneda, which has a distinctly medieval feel and is build around a 9th Century Benedictine abbey, also worth a visit is Rocamador, a historic fortified hilltop town.

The many Saturday markets are stocked with the best of the local cuisine, offering wines, fois gras, truffles and seasonal mushrooms, and enough gastronomic delights to fill any self-catering Dordogne villa.

Not to be missed either are the Lascaux Caves– the most famous of Dordogne’s caves, discovered in 1940, or even the World Conkers Championship in October.

Flights to Dordogne

The closest airport to Dordogne, France is Bergerac (EGC), just 20 minutes away, and it receives flights from Southampton (SOU), Bristol (BRS), Birmingham (BHX), Stanstead (STN) and Liverpool (LPL), provided by Ryanair and Flybe. However, for parts of the northern Dordogne, specifically Perigord Vert, flying to Limogues (LIG) is a far better option.

There are regular Eurostar services from St Pancras to Lille, and high speed trains from Lille onto Bergerac, and other local connections. Journey time is around 9 hours by train.