Follow the vin
Grab a grape escape to the Dordogne – and drink in the splendour of a France time forgot
The resort is perfect for kids – the lake has its own beach
For many the Dordogne is “the real France” – they love the wonky old towns with their alluring markets, the grand castles and the vineyards that seem to roll on forever.
It’s no wonder so many have flocked to the region to live since the 1960s. Just jump on a plane to Bergerac Dordogne Perigord airport and Bob’s your oncle.
Soon after arriving, I’m on an e-bike in the vineyards of Chateau Grande Maison in Montbazillac (apolo-cycles.com).
It is a golden September afternoon and effortlessly gliding around allows for greater enjoyment of the scenery.
The sweet white wines produced here come from Semillon and Muscadelle grapes affected by “the noble rot” or “Botrytis cinerea”, a fungus covering the fruit. They are delicious with savoury food and can be picked up at home for under €18 a bottle.
The wines here can certainly hold their own against nearby Bordeaux.
After enjoying a drink with estate owner Benjamin Chabrol, I leave for a stroll around nearby Bergerac.
POOL
The medieval town sits on the banks of the Dordogne river and the temptation is to sip beer and watch the Gabare boats – 18th century vessels for transporting food and wine, now used for sightseeing tours.
But it’s time to check into my wooden cabin at the Pomport Beach campsite, a 20-minute drive from Bergerac.
This four-star resort is perfect if you have kids because it’s unlikely they’ll wander from the lake which has its own beach. The site is also safely set back six miles or so from the river.
And there’s a beautiful pool complex with water slides and massage jets.
For dinner we head for nearby Chateau Tiregand in the commune of Creysse for a barbecue and live music. It’s a ticketed grill open to all in the grounds of the stunning country pile.
We sit at long tables where lamb chops and sausages are washed down with local red. After supper, the Red Fish Quartet tears through some Dixieland jazz.
Next day we make for one of those wonky old towns, Sarlat. Saturday is a market day, an 800-year-old tradition, and tables loaded with typical fare snake through the streets.
Our guide Katia stops at one and extends a fist of black tumour-like objects, the Perigord summer truffle.
The Dordogne sits in the Perigord region, and Katia boasts that the finest examples of the smelly fungus are found
here. After soaking up what Sarlat has to offer at ground level, take the glass lift to the top of the central Sainte Marie church for the best view of the town’s 14th century layout.
On the eastern edge of the town you’ll find Huttopia, with its heated outdoor pool and cosy woodland setting with pizza-grill and bar.
It’s an ideal family campsite for Sarlat, and other Dordogne attractions. Rent a wood and canvas tent, a gypsy caravan, a mobile-home or a stone cottage.
From here, it’s easy to venture out to the countryside for a picnic – with some of the delicious produce you’ve bought at the market.
But just 20 minutes away by car, I head off to explore Chateau de Beynac, the 900-year-old castle that looms over the Dordogne valley. It’s fascinating to learn that the river once formed the
border between France and England, and the castle’s conquerors include Richard the Lionheart in 1197.
But there are more visual treats aboard a Norbert Gabare boat. The motorised replicas make a four-mile round trip from La Roque-gageac – one of France’s most beautiful villages – to the glorious Chateau de Castelnaud.
And you’ll find plenty more sights to rival it as you delve into the Dordogne.