This was our second visit to The Dordogne, a scenic and popular area, well known internationally for its gorgeous riverside towns, fantastic scenery and truly amazing prehistoric archaeology.
We had in mind several places we wanted to see that we hadn't had time to visit first time round, namely:- Rocamadour, Lascaux and The National Prehistoric Museum and we wanted to have a go canoeing down the river having heard this was a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the chateau and scenery. (Not sure we relaxed much but we certainly laughed a lot, saw some wonderful chateaux and managed to hit both banks and travel quite a length of it backwards! See Youtube for more laughs.)
We stayed at Camping Domaine des Mathevies just outside Sarlat, in a wonderful rural location. An eclectic family run site, very relaxed and laid back with a swimming pool and cafe bar/restaurant area. The weather whilst we were here was rather mixed, we experienced some real downpours and some very hot days too, neither of which spoiled our enjoyment or stopped our explorations.
ROCAMADOUR
Rocamadour is a mix of chateau, medieval village and historic pilgrimage site all seemingly clinging perilously to the side of a 150m cliff. It is a steep walk if you decide to walk up or down and luckily there is a lift or cable lift if you are prepared to pay. There are several chapels and sanctuaries and the obligatory gift shops set half way down the cliff face, with the chateau ramparts above and the town below, it is a truly memorable sight. On Holy Days up to 30,000 people would stream through the valley here and apparently Henry Plantagenet - King of England, was miraculously cured when he made his pilgrimage to this Holy Site. The village meanders along a narrow main street and is mainly, if not primarily, for the tourists. Again (don't forget we are in France) there are many car parks in strategic locations, some are free and some you pay for.
Although Rocamadour is a major tourist attraction it truly is somewhere we will never forget visiting. In fact I was so overawed by the place I forgot to take many photos, so please look at our Youtube channel for Garry's videos if you want to see more.
(Click on the arrow to view the photos)
LASCAUX IV
Set in an ultra modern building with a lovely wild garden and rooftop walk, this museum pays homage to the wonderful 20,000 year old cave paintings discovered by four young lads just before the second world war. No longer open to the public due to degeneration and mould growth, the original cave paintings are now closed to all but the conservators. Here at Lascaux IV is an identical, digitally produced replica of the caves and hand painted replicas of the paintings have been constructed. We were guided around them in groups and had to purchase a prebooked ticket, but the tour was in English and the Guide was excellent.
We were bowled over by the sheer number of these wonderful paintings. Cleverly using the contours of the rock, these early humans showed amazing artistic skill to paint a total of 700 horses and hundreds of other wild animals, by the light of primitive lamps in total darkness, in cramped conditions. Mixing and using colour and showing movement of the animals and in so doing telling the stories of hunting and herding of the beasts. The one obvious thing missing however are paintings of the humans themselves.
Once out of the reconstructed cave you are free to walk around the museum where you can learn about how they reconstructed the caves and more about the archeologists understanding of the paintings. You can also read about the four lads who, following their dog down a rabbit hole, discovered something truly unique in the world.
Musee National de Prehistoire
Set in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac and built into a cliff this informative and very modern museum is a must for anyone interested in this period of history. In an area full of archeological finds this museum tells the story of early man and showcases the wonderful finds of the area and you can look our early ancestors in the eye! Well nearly anyway.
Les Eyzies is a pretty touristy town hugging the river with numerous restaurants and cafes and is lovely to explore.
So rather than try and describe this lovely area of France further, I will leave you with more photographs for you to hopefully enjoy.
We really enjoyed our six days back in the Dordogne but we were looking forward with great anticipation to what we might discover in The Loire Valley our next stop.
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. Don't forget us on Youtube. Just search for Campervanhygge.
Bye for now.
Comments