Five Favorites in Dordogne, France

the first of many new travel guides coming your way!

Let me start by saying that despite being a person who loves to travel and who loves France, I did not know about this area until recently. So if you haven’t heard of it either, do not despair! And, allow me to introduce you to it. It’s so special.

Heads up! Most of this week’s travel edition is for paid subscribers only. Why, you ask? Travel writing includes more of my direct experience and expertise. Plus, you have my commitment that travel guides will be personally written and always ad and affiliate link-free.

Although particularly well-known in France and across the UK, I very rarely came across other Americans in the Dordogne. Paris? Of course. Normandy? Sure. Provence? Definitely. But not here. The relative secrecy around the area, known by locals as the Périgord, is a mystery to me. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been!

via the Périgord’s tourism website

And why choose a place that is a bit off-the-radar? Aside from the chance to experience places and cultures less touched by the impact of mass tourism, you get to escape crowds and higher prices. (A real win these days.)

I’ll attempt to keep this simple by sharing five Dordogne favorites in five categories: villages, châteaus, restaurants, hotels, and experiences. It’s like my little black book from my trip, with only the places I’d go back to in a heartbeat.

I’m looking forward to sharing the many merits of this area with you all here, but shh…maybe don’t tell your friends.

5 Favorite Villages in Dordogne

All just happen to be designated ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de France’ (the most beautiful villages in France.) Many are preserved medieval towns (‘bastides’) dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries.