Walking in the Dordogne

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is graded moderate. The trails are a combination of dirt trails, gravel tracks and tarmac country roads. The walking routes are a mix of surfaces, but please note that there will be tarmac walking at times as it is unavoidable. This tour is suitable for walkers with good physical fitness. There are rolling hills in this area and it will also be necessary to walk up some short but steep stretches.

Navigation

The route is generally way marked (when on a GR trail) with red and white GR signs or wooden posts with yellow or green markers. Some sections in the woods can be a little trickier to navigate. However, we provide maps, as well as access to our app, which contains all the information you need to find your way each day.

• 7 Nights accommodation in 2 and 3* hotels and B&B’s
• 7 Breakfasts
• 2 Dinners
• Luggage transfers
• Transfers to walks where mentioned
• Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
• All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
• 24/7 telephone support from our office

• Travel insurance (required)
• Travel to Sarlat and from Les Eyzies
• Lunches
• 5 Dinners
• Drinks and snacks
• Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
• Personal equipment

• Private transfers
• Additional nights before, during and after the walk

When To Go

The best times to travel in the region are spring, early summer, and later in the year in autumn when the temperatures are pleasant for walking.

The summer months of July and August can be very hot, please bear this in mind when booking. The area is also occasionally prone to thunderstorms. Always check the weather the day before; you can ask your accommodation to check for you. 

The weekly town markets are listed below so that if there is one you don't want to miss you can time your trip right. 

• Beynac: Monday
• Carsac: Sunday (Not always weekly so best to check with your local tourist office just to be sure.)
• Domme: Thursday
• La Roque Gageac: Friday (Not always weekly so best to check with your local tourist office just to be sure.)
• Les Eyzies: Monday (and Friday evening)
• Sarlat: Wednesday and Saturday mornings for the traditional market, from mid-April to October the indoor market is held daily from 8am to 1pm (full days on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from mid-July to the end of August)
• St Cyprien: Sunday

In Summer, some villages also have night-time markets with local products, crafts, and souvenirs. These often have a great atmosphere, with live music and food and drinks to sample.

Getting to the Start

There are several different options available when getting to and from Sarlat. You can fly into and out of Brive, Toulouse, Limoges, Bergerac, Bordeaux, or even Paris! Sarlat is close to Souillac, which is on a main train line.

From Brive (approx. 30 mins), Toulouse (approx. 2hrs), Limoges (approx. 1.5hrs), or Paris (approx. 4.5hrs) you can take trains to Souillac. From here you can either take a bus or a taxi (approx €40) to or from Sarlat. Please find information about the bus schedules here.

If you are flying into or out of Bordeaux or Bergerac, you can take trains directly into and out of Sarlat itself as it does have a small train station. To and from Bordeaux the journey takes approx. 3-4hrs, depending on if it is direct and to and from Bergerac the journey takes approx. 1.5hrs. Please check the SNCF website for more details on schedules and prices.

Getting from the End

Les-Eyzies-de-Tayac is also on a train line. It is therefore possible to fly from Limoges or Bergerac (via Le Buisson) as they are both accessible from Les Eyzies. Bordeaux is also accessible via Bergerac or Perigueux. Paris is accessible via Limoges.

If you wish to return to Sarlat, the best way to get there is by taxi.

If you wish to drive it’s best to park your car in Les Eyzies as there is free parking in the town centre and then you can retrieve your car easily at the end. Macs Adventure can provide private transfers to and from all the train stations and airports. We can also provide taxi transfers from Souillac to Sarlat and Les Eyzies to Sarlat/Souillac and Les Eyzies to Le Buisson. Please ask your Destination & Adventure Specialist for details.

Luggage Transfer

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.