The history of the Jardín de Marqueyssac dates to as far back as the 17th century, when the estate was bought by Bertrand Vernet of Marqueyssac. View from the gardens over the neighboring village of La Roque-Gageac You can easily spend three hours walking the gardens alone. The gardens feature numerous bush labyrinths and scenic paths totaling 6 km of walking. Often named as one of the best things to see in France, and the most visited gardens in Aquitaine region, Jardin de Marqueyssac will surely leave a lasting impression in your memory. The most beautiful Dordogne villages and places that you cannot miss! I would suggest anywhere from 3 days to a week to explore the best Dordogne region has to offer and to give yourself time to relax and try local delicacies.

We have spent 4 days in the tranquility of French countryside and it didn’t even feel enough. But that will involve a lot of driving and very little time to enjoy these beautiful Dordogne villages. Honestly speaking, you can probably drive through all of them in one day. How much time do you need to explore the villages of Southwest France? We quickly skipped Bordeaux, giving it two hours of walking to escape into beautiful Dordogne valley to explore the villages of Southwest France. Though it was too cold for the pool and too early in the year for the lavender fields, this trip to Southwest France ended up just like I have imagined. In my head, I had an image of an old stone cottage in the middle of the lavender field with a pool in the backyard and a total tranquillity. We often discussed taking a trip through villages of Southern France as a relaxing family vacation. This is where our week of exploring the Dordogne villages began and it made us fall in love with Southwest France. Instead, we booked an impromptu flight to Bordeaux. For better or for worse, a trip to Morocco ended up being canceled. But in a rather unfortunate chain of events, which involved a visa problem, it didn’t happen. Together with a couple of friends, I was planning to celebrate my birthday in the colorful riads of Morocco. Let me start by saying that our trip to Southwest France was not planned at all. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Turn off the main road to ponder the crenulated towers and fairytale turrets of Château de Puymartin(24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda 00 33 5 53 59 29 97), supposedly haunted by the White Lady (alias the 16th-century soul of Thérèse de Saint-Clar, locked in a tower to die after her cuckolded husband found her with her lover).This post may contain affiliate links. Start by heading north out of Sarlat-la-Canéda on the D704 and pick up the D47 towards Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. But gravitate away from the crowded national monument and a rash of subterranean caverns and rock shelters unfolds – etched with evocative bestial art evoking Cro-Magnon activity in the region around 15,000BC to 10,000BC. Lascaux’s prehistoric cave paintings are Europe’s most spectacular. Driving the prehistoric Vézère Valley (52 miles) Along the way, the mighty Dordogne River is a constant tease, playing peekaboo as it ducks in and out of sight, taunting motorists to stop and admire more fully its romantic stone bridges, sweep of green river banks and chalky cliffs, the solitary fisherman thigh-high in waders waiting for a bite … Beautiful landscapes aside, these two drives take you on the slow road to some of the Dordogne’s famous prehistoric sites and fortified bastide towns. Hundreds of miles of quiet country roads ribbon through rolling hills and oak forests stitched from a thousand legends and lore. This deeply rural part of southwest France region was clearly created with world-class scenic motoring in mind.

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