Some Final Dordogne Highlights

As we’ve started the long journey home, it’s time to draw this edition of our travel blog to an end.  As mentioned earlier, after Spain we returned to our base in Sarlat la Caneda in France for five more days to wind down and get ready for the final push home.  Though taking it easy and repacking was a priority, there was still plenty to see so a quick resume of some different sights.

First was a visit to Castelnaud.  I’d been before, but didn’t have much time so wanted to see again.  It’s supposedly the most visited castle in SW France.  I don’t find it the most impressive physically that I’ve seen, but what sets it apart are the museum quality displays of medieval armor, weapons and siege equipment as well as live displays of various aspects of castle life.  It’s well worth a visit and offers some spectacular views of the Dordogne valley and neighboring Beynac castle.

Next was one of those examples of ‘you never know what you’re going to find’.  We saw a sign for a ‘fortified church’ and decided to see what that really meant.  So, off we went down a narrow country road for a few kilometers to find a pretty little village with this massive 12th century church that had once been the heart of an extensive abbey complex complete with guard posts and extensive fortifications.  You could even see the repairs in one wall of the church where it had been ‘bombarded’ in the 15th century.

Finally, something that’s kind of unique to the Périgord region of France.  This, of course, is where the famous pre-historic Lecaux cave paintings are located.  The result of the area containing a network of caves and grottos in the limestone cliff formations that are common throughout the area.  One relatively unique one is the Maison de Reignac where a stone façade has been built to enclose the natural cave formations in the face of a cliff to make a naturally fortified and protected manor house.  This one is the only completely intact one and provides an interesting look on a unique style of life in the area.

From here, it’s a quick drive over to Milan for a weekend before the long flights back to New Zealand.  We’ll do a final post once we make it home.  Until then!