Читать книгу Walking in the Dordogne. 35 walking routes in the Dordogne - Sarlat, Bergerac, Lalinde and Souillac онлайн

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Périgord Pourpre lies to the south-west, and is named after the purple grapes of its famous vineyards. This is an area of rich alluvial soil, with fields of maize and cereal crops, walnut plantations and chestnut groves, with the river flowing through its heart, winding gently round the dramatic meander of the Cingle de Trémolat and passing through Lalinde to reach the town of Bergerac. A port grew up here when the only means of transporting goods to Bordeaux was by boat, and it is now a prosperous town with an attractive old quarter.

The Dordogne river at Bergerac (Walk 1)

Périgord Noir in the south-east is named after the dark colour of its evergreen oak forests, and is perhaps the best known of the four sections. The Dordogne flows more rapidly here, cutting through high cliffs, and many medieval villages and castles are to be found on its rocky banks. The Vézère river comes from the north-east to join the Dordogne at Limeuil, and it was in the overhanging rock shelters and caves below the limestone cliffs of the Vézère that early man first made his home here. The main town of Périgord Noir is Sarlat, to the north of the river. It is a joy to explore, with winding streets and honey-coloured Renaissance-style buildings.