Location: Cales in France
Car: recommended
Fish in the Dordogne or swim in the river from the fine beaches at Alles, Le Buisson and Limeuil. Cycles can be hired, and there is a network of long-distance paths for the serious walker. Canoes can be hired on the Dordogne or the Vézère; just leave your car and a minibus will take you upriver so you can canoe back down at leisure. Windsurfing and water-skiing are available at the Bassin Nautique at Trémolat. There are several golf courses within driving distance. And of course every town has a petanque court where you can watch the locals play boules or try yourself.
Neolithic caves and prehistoric sites: The Vézère valley is to prehistory what Silicon Valley is to computers. The little villages you pass through have named entire prehistoric cultures: Le Moustier, Crô-Magnon, La Madeleine. Visit the many caves, including the world-famous painted cave of Lascaux, and the rock shelters of La Roque St.-Christophe.
Other sights: The great castles