Cycling through the Périgord: On a discovery tour in the south-west of France
Text: Dr Heinz Klausmann
Before we can start our investigation, we have to use bicycles instead of police cars and bells instead of sirens. Raynald Aubert from the local tourist office "Fanal" is already waiting with our hire Vélos. After just thirteen kilometres on the "Voie verte", a well-signposted cycle path, we reach Périgueux.
We set off on foot in search of traces in the historic old town. Bronze scallop shells have guided pilgrims on the Way of St James through the cobbled streets for centuries. The Vésone Tower, which dates back to the first century AD, bears witness to the Roman occupation of the city. The museum in the archaeological garden is a reminder of Périgueux's ancient past. On the way to our bikes, we pass the police headquarters at 2, cours Fénelon. Jean-Jaques, Bruno's superior, is probably working on a new case in one of the offices.
Périgord at its finest
The cycle path along the Isle has been relocated. Overnight thunderstorms caused trees to topple. Bruno's colleagues conscientiously reroute us. The situation is reminiscent of volume 17, in which the rivers Vézère and Dordogne burst their banks and everyone has to "roll up their sleeves" on site. We have arrived in Bruno's Périgord. And soon at the "Domaine du Caviar de Neuvic". "Caviar" sounds like "far away" and "expensive". Did you know that French caviar exists? Jean Salkazanov explains the development of local sturgeon farming and caviar production in detail during a tour. Bruno's superior, Maire Mangin, serves this delicacy to the delegation from Paris as an appetiser in "Déja Vu" (Volume 17). "Magnifique".
We reach the "Château de la Thulière" via picturesque little roads along the Isle. Built in the middle of the 19th century by the industrialist M. Petit, the stately manor house welcomes its visitors in the middle of an extensive park. Spacious rooms. Imaginative dinner. An opulent breakfast. What luck that it rains in the morning and our departure is delayed.
On the way towards Monbazillac, tall ferns line the lonely "Routes communales". It rolls well for about 35 kilometres. This changes after Prigonrieux. After crossing the Dordogne, the route follows the busy D936 for about a kilometre. Not a pleasure. Traffic calms down only on the way up to the "Château de Monbazillac". The castle, owned by the "Cave Coopérative de Monbazillac", is enthroned in the middle of an extensive park high above the Bergerac wine-growing region. On the descent to Bergerac, the view extends over seemingly endless vineyards down to the Dordogne, which we cross again after eight kilometres via the "Vieux pont".
In front of the "Quai Salvette", a number of "gabarres", the flat-bottomed boats typical of the region, await excursionists. Cyrano de Bergerac, the town's most famous son, is immortalised twice as a statue in the old town, which is within walking distance. A beautiful bronze statue on the Place Pélissière. Carved in stone with a slightly battered nose on the pretty "Place de la Mirpe" with its colourful cafés and bistros. From the roof terrace of the "Quai Cyrano", you can enjoy a marvellous view of the Dordogne. And you can also enjoy a glass of white wine from the A.O.C. Monbazillac with an aperitif. Bruno favours the sweet wine from Château Belingard.
It also goes very well with fois gras (foie gras) as an appetiser on the terrace of the Bellevue restaurant on the riverbank. Bruno would probably serve a red wine from "Château de Tiregand" from the "A.O.C. Pécharmant" with the "Magret de Canard", the crispy roasted duck breast and speciality of the Périgord.
Heat battle in the Dordogne valley
On the third stage to Le Bugue, we pass through the wine-growing region to the east of Bergerac, the capital of the "Périgord pourpre". Dense foliage covers the idyllic cycle path along the Dordogne like a botanical tunnel on the way to Lalinde and further on towards the Trémolat river bend.
At the picnic at the Mauzat barrage, my companion is beaming in the sun. Not love at first sight. She's not slim! A somewhat shapeless front end. Strong rear end. But I have learnt to appreciate her. "Ma bicyclette", my borrowed e-bike.
After a break by the river, the powerful engine carries the rider and luggage effortlessly up almost 150 metres to the hill above the "Cingle de Trémolat" with a wonderful view of the Dordogne valley, even at 38°C in the shade.
After a rapid descent, the abbey church of St Nicholas of the Trémolat monastery, founded in the 9th century, welcomes us with its soothing coolness. The route over to Limeuil, one of the most beautiful villages in France, is a sweat-inducing ride. We stroll through the narrow alleyways with their natural stone houses up to the "Jardins panoramiques". Founded in 1902, the botanical garden impresses with a wide variety of exotic plants.
The view down to the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers is magnificent. Through the floodplains of the smaller Vézère, it is just under six kilometres to the Hotel Schwan, the "Logis du Cygne", in Le Bugue. This place served author Martin Walker as a model for the fictional Saint-Denis. The terrace of the "Abreuvoir" invites you to dine. "Parmentier de Canard" and "L'Entrecôte Sauce Roquefort" tantalise the taste buds. A cheerful atmosphere at the tables under the lime tree.
We get talking. Julien Montfort is a wine merchant. He bottles the "Cuvée privée" called "Bruno", a red wine "A.O.C. Bergerac". The Chef de Police leaves his mark on his town. Working day is market day. Do we discover Bruno somewhere between the stalls with all the delicacies such as sausages, fruit, nougat, truffles, oils and paté? No, today his colleagues from the gendarmerie are on patrol.
On the "rest day", we visit the nearby "Gouffre de Proumeyssac", the "Devil's Hole", which was first explored in 1907. Visitors descend into the darkness of the abyss in a gondola to the "Cathédrale de Cristal". Afterwards, a paddle tour on the Vézère is on the programme. Aurelia Nazal helps us into our life jackets and pushes the kayak from "Les Canoës du Bournat" into the water. We're already gliding along the river under the bridge of Le Bugue, or Saint-Denis, which is in serious danger of flooding, in the direction of Limeuil.
Through the land of 1001 castles
Well rested, we set off the next day on the road to St. Cyprien. After a gentle roll along the Vézère, we have to climb 200 metres before the steep descent back down to the banks of the Dordogne.
Welcome to Burgenland. The walls of the castle of Beynac-et-Cazenac shine in the background behind fields of red poppies. The ascent to the "Chateau des Milandes" by the famous artist Joséphine Baker high above the Dordogne is crisp. The ride up to the nearby castle of Castelnaud with its catapults is rewarding but arduous.
In "Tête-à-Tête" (Volume 14), Bruno prevents a catastrophic fire with her help. The special microclimate favoured the settlement of La Roque-Gageac, six kilometres upstream, as early as the Neolithic period. After visiting the 12th century cave fortress, the one-hour cruise with "Gabarre Caminade" is another highlight. Alexandre from Québec humorously explains the townscape and history of this unique place.
With fresh energy and a full battery, the route continues via Vitrac and Montfort through hilly terrain to Sarlat, the tourist centre of the "Périgord noir". The narrow streets of the medieval old town with its countless cafés and restaurants welcome a million visitors a year.
The market hall in the former Sainte-Marie church, designed by architect Jean Novel, is impressive with its huge double doors and panoramic lift. From the roof, you have a marvellous view of the houses on both sides of the central Rue de République. In "Le Trufficulteur", Isabelle offers a wide range of truffle products for tasting. She decorates her shop colourfully for the "Félibrée", the annual celebration of Occitan language and culture.
From Sarlat, we follow the well-signposted "Flow Vélo" via Saint-Geniès with its magnificent natural stone roofs, "Les Toits de Lauze", a cycle path totalling 400 kilometres to the Île d'Aix on the Atlantic coast. After 24 kilometres, we reach the turn-off to St-Amand-de-Coly. At 38 degrees, we cycle steadily uphill to the small village with its large Romanesque church from the 12th century. A gem. Lonely little roads lead to the "Manoir de Hautegente" near Coly. The Hamlin couple have converted the 13th century manor house into a 4-star hotel. My favourite place.
In search of the black diamond
The last stage leads over to the tranquil Terrascon-Lavilledieu and further along the romantic banks of the Vézère to Montignac and the world-famous wall paintings in the Lascaux caves. The detailed depictions in Lascaux IV provide breathtaking insights into the culture, beliefs and life of the Cro-Magnon period around 17,000 to 18,000 years ago.
Just seven kilometres away, the imposing Château de Losse bears witness to the cultural wealth of the Périgord. What an experience to enjoy the starry sky of the mystical Vézère valley during the summer "soirées étoilées" in the magnificent park.
Just another half an hour's cycle away, we come across the "cave city" at the "Roque Saint-Christophe" near Peyzac-le-Moustier. The museum provides an impressive insight into the use of the rock terraces from the Stone Age to the Wars of Religion. In the comfort of the "Hotel & Spa Les Glycines" in Les Eyzies, the hardships of the hot June day are soon forgotten. We celebrate the last evening of our gourmet trip with an opulent dinner in the Michelin-starred restaurant "1862".
The "Musée national de Préhistoire" provides deep insights into human history and the development from Neanderthals to modern-day Homo sapiens. Inspired by a discovery in the museum, Bruno succeeds in solving a long-unsolved murder case in "Tête-à-Tête" (Volume 14). The visit is worthwhile. Due to time constraints, we take the regional train back to the "Fanal" and our vehicle at Niversac station. A final trail leads us to Dominique at the "Ecomusée de la Truffe" in Sorgues et Ligueux. A highlight at the end of the journey. Next to the truffle market in Ste-Alvère, this is the best place to learn all about the Périgord truffle, Tuber melanosorum, the "black diamond".
The GPS data for retracing the tour
The route runs along cycle paths, country roads with little traffic and so-called "Voies vertes", which are reserved for bicycles/traffic-calmed paths. Each stage alternates between scenic and cultural highlights. The signposting is mostly precise and reliable. Relaxed navigation is made possible by using the available GPX files. Along the route, bakeries, bistros and small restaurants provide refreshments.
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Info & tips for your cycle tour through the Périgord
Journey
By train Périgueux can be reached by train from Frankfurt in nine hours and from Munich in ten hours. www.thetrainline.com
By aeroplane Périgueux can be reached from German airports via Bordeaux (142 km). www.lufthansa.com/de
Accommodation
Périgueux: Hôtel Kyriad Périgueux Boulazac
Modern, very comfortable motel in an excellent location directly on the cycle path,
https://perigueux-boulazac.kyriad.com
Saint-Front-de-Pradoux: Le Château la Thulière
Manor house built in the mid-19th century with a magnificent park-like garden, www.chateaulathuiliere.com
Bergerac: Hôtel Bordeaux Bergerac
City hotel close to the centre with bicycle garage and garden pool, www.hotel-bordeaux-bergerac.com/de
Le Bugue: Hôtel du Cygne
Centrally located cosy hotel with garden terrace and excellent cuisine, https://lecygne-perigord.com
Sarlat: Hôtel Montaigne
Newly renovated townhouse just 150 metres from the historic old town, https://hotelmontaigne.fr
MYBIKE tip:
Coly: Le Manoir de Hautegente
Beautifully restored property in a unique location on the banks of a river, www.manoir-hautegente.com
Les Eyzies: Hôtel & Spa Les Glycines
Luxurious hotel with Michelin-starred restaurant and marvellous gardens with pools, www.les-glycines-dordogne.com/en/hotel-les-eyzies
Bike hire
Trélissac: "3 A Bike" ,
Solid, well-maintained touring e-bikes with a range of 70 km, https://alliance3a.fr/3a-bikes/
Tourist offices
The websites of the state institutions with their wide range of offers make it easier to plan your trip. Even before travelling, you can find out a lot about accommodation and possible activities.
Périgueux, www.tourisme-grandperigueux.fr
Dordogne, www.dordogne-perigord-tourisme.fr
France, www.france.fr/de/
