Love a Little Travel- France (Dordogne for families)
We rented a place in the country about two hours from Bordeaux in the Dordogne region, one of the prettiest areas of France (France has so many pretty areas).
If I was without children I would have liked to explore some of the bigger cities in the area and try some cool restaurants, bars and maybe a sneaky bit of shopping but it was a nice break for me to be in the country. And some days to do nothing at all, just to enjoy life in the country was bliss. We’ve been lucky enough to live in different areas all over France and Italy before we had children and now with children. Each time it’s always such a new and exciting time that challenges me to try something new. It forces me to live in the moment and makes me feel alive. If you have the chance you should try it.
The weather in this area of France was surprisingly quite cool in May, but come June and July it was warming up and we had some glorious days, it was even quite hot at times.
As we were there for two months we didn’t rush to see anything and we tried to enjoy each day. We spend many days at home by the pool or in the large garden and a few days a week we would venture out and do some exploring of the area. It was lovely not to rush or have an agenda and take it day by day.
I do try to combine some adult-friendly days with children friendly days, to keep everyone happy. I found this area the perfect place to get the children back to nature and away from the material world we sometimes live in back in Australia. We rarely watched TV or used our computers; it was such a refreshing break.
The children experienced so much and discovered new things, ate new foods and learnt new French words. Travel really is the best education and it’s so much more valuable having these life experiences than learning from a book. I always thought I would travel freely with my children but I had my doubts at the last minute about taking my son out of kindergarten. How ridiculous I feel for thinking that now. I guess it is normal for a mother to question all her actions an impact it will have on her children but I believe now more than ever that travel is just the best experience for us all. We loved every breathtaking minute and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Things to do- Dordogne, France with children
Hire bikes -Sarlat
One of my favourite memories from our time in France was the days we hired bikes and went riding around the countryside.
We hired bikes in Sarlat with my sister in law and her family that has teenagers. We had our younger children so we hired bikes with carriages to pull the little ones. We all took turns pulling them along (well actually the men did, being pregnant got me out of pulling the carriage). We followed a track recommended to us called Voie-Verte, which follows an old railway line through forests, pretty green countryside and little villages. It follows a flat road that is perfect for the whole family and all abilities. We ended up doing about 24 km but you can do more or less depending on your plan. It was a flat and very simple to follow track, and it was downhill on the way there and uphill the way back. It would have been better the other way around but it was definitely possible for us all to do, we just slowed down a bit on the way home. There is no traffic apart from bikes and pedestrians. We discovered several villages along the way, Aillac and Calviac were the main ones. We stopped at one village and brought a picnic lunch as most of the restaurants were closed. There are several picnic spots along the Dordogne River. We ended up having a picnic on a little river with old rowboats; it was very rustic but perfect for the day. Even uphill on the way back it was well worth the effort for the lovely experience.
http://liberty-cycle.com/en/bike-rides/greenway-ride/
Hire bikes -Castelnaud
We hired bikes another day with my family and took along our small children again. This time we hired one bike with a carriage and one bike with a child seat so they could take turns trying both different seats. They had plenty of bikes to choose from with one especially for my pregnant self with a comfortable seat. Then even had one that suited my mother in law who is a bit amateur when it comes to riding and she finds it hard to stop. It is very entertaining for us, maybe not so for her!!
We started our ride from the bike shop in the village Castlenaud up to Daglan, it was around 21 km all up. It was an easy ride most of the way with a few hills spread out but nothing too difficult. It was a beautiful track and even prettier than the first trip from Sarlat; the track took us all over the picturesque countryside and through gorgeous little villages. We stopped for drinks and snacks along the way. Halfway we stopped for lunch in Dagalan across the road from men playing pétanque (like bocce or lawn bowls but with a French flair). The game fascinated the children and we watched them play as we had a break. We had lunch at the only place open as they all seem to close at 2pm and it was nearly 3pm when we sat down.
The scenery was so beautiful we had to stop on the way back for photos. We returned the bikes at Castelaud and went down to the river for ice cream while the children had a swim in the river with the locals. It was still warm at 7pm when we left, I love the long summer days in Europe when it doesn’t get dark until 10pm, so much time to enjoy the day.
With fresh air, good company, adventure, exercise and amazing scenery it was the perfect day for a family.
River Cruise- La Roque Gageac and Bergerac
From La Roque Gageac you can take a 55-minute boat trip down the Dordogne River. The trip is short enough to keep small children interested looking at the striking cliffs and dramatic scenery. From the boat, you can also admire some of the stunning Chateaus in the region including Chateau de Castelnaud and the Chateau de Marqueyssac. They supply earphones that give information about everything you see but forget the earphones for small children they won't keep them in or interested. The boats run from April until November.
La Roque Gageac is rated one of the most beautiful villages in France and it is worth a look, however, there is not a lot to see apart from the boats, a few restaurants, and shops. They have a small playground near the river for the children and markets on certain days. We took a walk up to the top of the village where we found a gorgeous church and some pretty spectacular views. On the way down we found a sweet little place for homemade ice cream called Les Terrasses de Marie. It is worth a stop as you can sit outside on the charming terrace with views of the river. They also serve other food and drinks if ice cream is not your thing.
Half a day was enough in this village for us with the children.
Bergerac is an old historic village on the banks of the Dordogne. It is one of the bigger towns in the region and its highlight is the old town and its architecture. You can do a boat trip here also and see the scenery of the area and a different perspective of the town from the river.
You can see both boat trips on this website if you need more information.
Canoeing
You will see people canoeing and companies for this all over the region. Most people agree it ‘s a great thing to do in the area.
You can spend a bit of time researching the companies and what they offer if you want to do a specific area. My family did this and opted for starting the canoeing in the gorgeous village of St Leon de Vézère.
We decided it was best that we left the children and myself (20 weeks pregnant) at home, mainly for safety reasons as the river flows pretty quickly with strong currents. The children can’t swim without help and would have been a little less relaxing with them.
My family all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and said it was a beautiful day. We met them at the end of their trip for a play and a drink at a nearby restaurant on the river in a beautiful village called Les Eyzies de Tayac. This village is well worth a visit with lots of nice hotels, restaurants and lots to do for the children.
Dinosaur Park -St Leon de Vézère
This park called Le Conquil (or as my son calls it the ‘dinosaur park’) walks you through the different dinosaur eras and prehistoric times. You can see the different creatures that lived in this time and even discover some authentic rock shelters that were occupied by humans in prehistoric times. The walk is shaded, hilly and not paved so it’s advised to take a baby carrier and good shoes if you have little ones that don’t walk. We had a pram that was fine but there were a few areas that we had a little bit of difficulty but we managed with a bit of help. A child or baby carrier would be easier, especially if alone and you don’t have help with prams.
My dinosaur-obsessed son was desperate to try this park and I wasn’t expecting much but it was much better than we expected and we all enjoyed the walk.
Limeuil
Limeuil is another village we visited that is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. With its narrow cobbled streets and pretty stones houses, this is certainly one to visit. We spent the day on the riverbank having a picnic and playing with the children. It seems a popular place as there were others doing it too; it has a little beach and the grass to have a picnic. There are a couple of restaurants in the village but we decided to bring a picnic lunch. The children had a great time playing on the riverbank. There is also the Parc Limeuil up the top of the village that has panoramic views of the river and area.
Perigueux
Perigueux is one of the bigger towns in the region. If you are after more shopping, restaurants or a hospital this is one of the places to come. It is an ancient Roman village and you can discover the village walking or if you have children you can take the petit train around to see the main attractions- they love it. We found a few playgrounds around the city; one was in the centre and one in a pretty garden about a 10 min walk from the centre. Both playgrounds were okay and the children had a play but nothing like we are used to in Australia.
Les Jardin de Marqueyssac is the most visited garden in the Perigord and it is easy to see why when you see the stunning gardens and views. Set above a huge valley you have some of the best panoramic views of the Perigord or Dordogne region.
It was a great day for us with the children. We spent time walking around the gardens and chased the children around the maze and labyrinth made especially for kids. We had a walk to a lookout and spent some time at one of the playgrounds for the children. There was something special here for everyone and it is worth a visit. We had lunch at the restaurant in the gardens that has pretty views of the valley.
Le Bugue
It is a small little village set on the river that was not far from our country house. It had a few larger supermarkets we would use and the local markets on Tuesday and Saturday for local produce and tasty cheeses.
The village has a few things to keep the children busy-
Le Big Bird- Is Europe’s highest air route at 22 meters high. This zip line is a great day out for families and the children will love the challenge and adventure.
http://www.big-bird.fr/visite/
Le Bournat- a family outing set back in the 1900’s, this village has been reconstructed to bring you back to the good old days. With so much for the children to see and do especially the younger children, you will go back for the second day and it is free. They have farm animals, rides, attractions, and handicrafts. We spent hours here with our little ones and they loved every minute of it.
https://www.parclebournat.fr/en/
Jacquou parc –Is an amusement park for the whole family. Although it’s a little basic and nothing fancy (even a little tired) the local children still recommended it and seemed to love going here for the day. We didn’t make it here this trip as it was only open certain days on weekends and holidays and it didn’t work out for us.
http://www.jacquouparc.com
There are a few other attractions to keep the children busy near Le Bugue that we didn’t make on our trip - Aquarium du Perigord Nord, Jungle golf, bike riding, canoeing and caves to visit.
Rouffinac Cave- (Grotte de Rouffignac)
A small train will take you into the cave at Rouffignac. It can be a little cold and maybe even scary for some children although mine seemed to enjoy it once they relaxed into it. An interesting look at the history of the area and the caves. The children particularly loved the cave paintings and engravings.