Following the route notes while walking in the Dordogne | Ann Beniusis
Blog home / Glorious Reviews of Walking in the Dordogne
Walking in the Dordogne Reviews
Read reviews of our
Dordogne walking holiday, which are just as splendid as the scenery, and discover what 71-year-old Ann thought of her trip.
About the Walking in the Dordogne trip
A region full of elegant stone houses and medieval castles, the Dordogne boasts stunning scenery with a combination of villages, forests and farmland. Focused around the Dordogne River Valley, this itinerary has plenty of scope to absorb the history and culture of the Perigord.
With marvellous food and colourful markets (particularly Sarlat) you will discover the specialities of the region including mushrooms, walnuts, chestnuts, truffles and strawberries. The Benedictine Abbey in Souillac and the delightful villages of Beynac and Domme are fine examples of period architecture that really add to the flavour of the region.
Traveller Tale: Walking in the Dordogne
Ann Beniusis shares her experiences from her Walking in the Dordogne self-guided tour.
Why did you choose to go walking in the Dordogne?
Three reasons:
1. I like walking.
2. I've never been to the Dordogne area.
3. I was due to be in France already for a wedding.
How did you prepare for your trip?
I increased my walking and cycling distance over the previous 5 months. Plus I did strength training twice a week.
What was the overall trip highlight?
Seeing pretty new towns and villages every day.
What was the local cuisine like in the Dordogne?
Tasty croissants for breakfast were delicious! All meals were beautifully presented.
How challenging did you find the trail?
Moderately challenging, nothing I found too difficult and I'm aged 71.
What surprised you the most about your trip?
Enjoyed it more than I had anticipated!
Can you recommend any clothing or gear that is useful for this trip?
Quick dry tops and pants (wash each evening as needed).
Can you share advice for other travellers thinking about doing this trip?
Just do it! So glad we did.
5-Star Reviews of the Walking in Dordogne tour
"All aspects of the trip happened as arranged. All hotels and dinners were beyond expectations, welcoming and well located- a number with absolutely sensational views. The guide notes were generally very good, and the GPS maps were fantastic as support when directions were a little more difficult to follow.
The towns and villages visited - both along and at the end of each day - were sensational and contributed strongly to the overall experience. Market Day in Sarlat was a tremendous experience to spend with locals and visitors alike. The local contact was extremely professional and timely in picking us up and returning us to the train at the beginning and end of the walk, and also for arranging alternative dinner arrangements on our final evening in Souillac.
The weather could not have been much better as well. Altogether, a great experience for us both." I. Jordan, Australia.
"The Dordogne Walk was an excellent trip.
The hotels were some of the best that I have stayed in on a self-guided hike like this. The fact that it is half-board really makes it excellent value for money and all but one of the restaurants were excellent (the one exception wasn't bad...just ok).
All in all, I have to say that I would highly recommend this trip." B. Brown Jr, USA.
"This tour was an amble through fields of corn, groves of chestnuts, forests of oak and honey-coloured stone villages huddled around their ancient churches. Chateaux and castles clung to hillsides while the Dordogne River threaded much of it with silver.
With a baguette, the region’s famed foie gras or duck rillette and the last of summer’s sweet strawberries I picnicked on mossy forest floors or wayside stone benches. I passed not a soul except for the occasional shy farmer.
Hearty breakfasts, delicious dinners in fine restaurants and comfortable rooms in places of character made this a trip that had everything - the historic, the picturesque, the bucolic and the gourmet and all experienced with a walker’s time to wonder." K. Henry, Australia.
Has this got you planning a trip to the Dordogne region in France? Let us know how keen you are in the comment section below!