{"id":139520,"date":"2025-05-28T16:33:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T14:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/dordogne-entre-chateaux-et-paysages\/"},"modified":"2025-06-10T15:48:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T13:48:51","slug":"dordogne-between-castles-and-landscapes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/dordogne-between-castles-and-landscapes\/","title":{"rendered":"Dordogne: an authentic witness to the past"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cover photo: The Dordogne River in the town of La Roque-Gageac \u00a9Shutterstock\/CristiDumi_<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Article in collaboration with the CRTL Dordogne-P\u00e9rigord, Nouvelle-Aquitaine<\/a>
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Nestled in the heart of southwestern France, the Dordogne<\/strong> is an emblematic department that was created during the French Revolution. Rich in history, it is home to prehistoric treasures such as the famous Lascaux caves, veritable sanctuaries of rock art. The Dordogne is also a territory with an exceptional heritage. It boasts a rich heritage<\/strong>, with numerous monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites<\/strong>, including Cadouin Abbey, Saint-Front Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Bonne-Esp\u00e9rance Abbey and even its own cheese, Trappe d’\u00c9chourgnac. Teritoria invites you to discover the charm of this region, which deserves to be better known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three castles to discover: Teritoria’s selection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Dordogne has 10 castles, but for tourists looking for authenticity and visits off the beaten track<\/strong>, Teritoria recommends these three castles, each with a different style but all representing an era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ch\u00e2teau des Milandes, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Former home of Josephine Baker<\/strong>, the castle blends tradition and modernity, combining the history of this iconic figure with an escape game dedicated to her life. Originally owned by the aristocratic Caumont family since the 10th century, it was purchased in 1900 by an industrialist committed to its preservation. In the 1950s, Josephine Baker created her \u2018village of the world\u2019 here. She fell in love with the place<\/strong> in the 1930s, where she married Jo Bouillon, settled down to write her memoirs and raise her \u2018rainbow family\u2019 of twelve children. She performed here, inviting Duke Ellington and Jacques Brel to join her. In 2025, she has been honoured with a place in the Panth\u00e9on, yet she remains omnipresent at the castle, where visitors can admire her famous banana belt and a statue of her kissing one of her children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ch\u00e2teau des milandes \u00a9shutterstock\/_lev-levin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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ch\u00e2teau des milandes \u00a9shutterstock\/_lev-levin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

However, this is not the castle’s unique feature. The garden, classified as a Remarkable Garden<\/strong> and Historic Monument<\/strong>, was designed by Jules Vacherot, head gardener of the City of Paris during the 1900 World’s Fair.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Garden of the Ch\u00e2teau des Milandes, in the Dordogne \u00a9 Shutterstock \/Martin-Hibberd<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

And, spread over six hectares, the park is home to 60 protected birds of prey<\/strong>, in support of the association for landscape preservation, species and biodiversity protection. Discover the park’s aviary<\/strong> and the projects to reintroduce the Ural owl in Bavaria and white-tailed eagles to Lake Geneva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ch\u00e2teau de Beynac, Beynac-et-Cazenac <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perched atop a cliff, the castle\u2018s been watching over the Dordogne for nine centuries<\/strong>. Its walls still echo with the footsteps of Richard the Lionheart, Simon de Montfort, and the Estates General during the Hundred Years\u2018 War. Surrounded by water in autumn, the medieval castle can only be reached by gabarre<\/strong> (traditional flat-bottomed boat).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ch\u00e2teau de Beynac \u00a9Shutterstock\/travellight<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Highlights include the keep, guard room, P\u00e9rigord Council Chamber, oratory, 17th-century staircase, wood-panelled salons, terrace on the spur, barbican and drawbridge. Enjoy a step back in time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ch\u00e2teau de Hautefort <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The only classic castle<\/strong> in the P\u00e9rigord region, it immerses you in 17th-century elegance. Former home of the Marquis d’Hautefort, it welcomed Colbert, the Baroness of Bastard and several ministers of Louis XIV. Damaged by a fire in 1968, it now offers a 360\u00b0 sensory immersion into the event. The entrance includes access to a 17th-century kitchen with an original bread oven<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ch\u00e2teau de Hautefort \u00a9Shutterstock\/javarman<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The 30-hectare park<\/strong> combines an English garden, designed by royal gardener Choulot and inspired by the poet Alexander Pope, with a French garden in the spirit of Le N\u00f4tre. A monumental park to be admired from the tower, perched on its rocky spur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authentic landscapes of the Dordogne<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is said that prehistoric humans chose to settle in the Dordogne because of its rolling landscapes, winding rivers and limestone cliffs. It’s not surprising why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dordogne gold: nature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The cingles of the Dordogne<\/strong>, between Montfort and Tr\u00e9molat, the river forms spectacular loops called \u2018cingles\u2019. The views from the suspended roads or limestone cliffs are breathtaking.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Admire the cingles of the Dordogne \u00a9Shutterstock\/margouillat photo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The Esplanade de Domme<\/strong> overlooks the Dordogne valley. From the esplanade, the river winds endlessly<\/strong>. Time seems to stand still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, for a different kind of exploration, the P\u00e9rigord Vert rail bike<\/strong> offers a 14 km round-trip bucolic bike ride<\/a> to Saint-Andrieux, combining nature, heritage and simple pleasures.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Villages and legends<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Between Castelnaud, Marqueyssac and Beynac, the castles stand proudly atop their rocky outcrops. From the hanging gardens of Marqueyssac<\/strong>, the view of La Roque-Gageac is spectacular. This village, nestled between cliffs and rivers, alone justifies the nickname \u2018valley of castles\u2019<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The gardens of Marqueyssac \u00a9Shutterstock\/paul prescott<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France<\/strong>, La C\u00f4te de Jor, in Saint-L\u00e9on-sur-V\u00e9z\u00e8re, offers a priceles view from paragliders. The V\u00e9z\u00e8re Valley reveals all its charm<\/strong> and prehistoric heritage. Opposite Lalinde, the Romanesque Chapelle Saint-Front du Colubri<\/strong> watches over the river. The legend of the dragon Coulobre, who was defeated here, gives place to an aura of mystery. The view of the valley is outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Dordogne has much more to offer thant its castles and caves. It is a lively terroir<\/strong>, diverse and deeply rooted in its history. For a truly authentic experience, get off the beaten track<\/strong> and let yourself be guided by the raw beauty of this unspoilt landscape. Plan your stay in the Dordogne and discover our selection of gift ideas in our gift shop<\/a>. If you enjoyed this article, get inspired every month: sign up to our newsletter<\/a> to receive inspiring stories, secret itineraries and travellers’ tales directly in your inbox. Already convinced? Join our loyalty programme<\/a> and enjoy exclusive benefits in every Teritoria establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Emilie FALLOT NGUYEN \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dordogne, from a different perspective. Here, you won’t be guided by crowds, but by forgotten cliffs, peaceful panoramas, hidden paths and villages suspended in time. A region to experience off the beaten track, out of season, far from the clich\u00e9s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":137955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,705],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-our-articles","category-travel-diaries"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139520"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":139635,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139520\/revisions\/139635"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teritoria.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}