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

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When to go

The weather in the Dordogne is pleasant for much of the year, with mild humid winters and long hot summers, and walks can be done at any season. It is very unusual to get snow in the Dordogne, although hard frosts are not unknown, such as the one in 1956 which killed off many of the vines. When the sun does shine in the winter months it is often possible to sit outside at midday, although the downside is that many hotels and restaurants tend to be shut, and tourist sites have limited opening hours until Easter. Spring can be changeable, in some years with glorious sunshine and others being cold and wet, but temperatures begin to increase in May and June, and there is less rain. More restaurants and campsites open up and there are often spectacular displays of flowers. These are two of the best months for walking, before the really hot weather sets in and the swarms of holiday makers begin to arrive. July and August are months to avoid, for they can be uncomfortably hot for walking, with violent thunderstorms often building up after a day of intense heat, as well as being the months when the French take their holidays, flocking southwards en masse and crowding the roads, restaurants, hotels and campsites, as well as the picturesque old towns and villages. It is much more pleasant to wait for September and October, when the crowds have gone and the sun is less intense, although often more reliable. This is a time to enjoy the bright autumn foliage, the vendange (grape picking) and the colourful markets with their abundance of harvest produce. However, with global warming the climate has become so capricious that one never knows what to expect at any time of year.