Dordogne & Vezere – 7 Night Aggressive

The Dordogne is a well kept secret among the French and tour companies alike.  This stunning region is in the heart of some of the most wonderful cycling in the world.  This region’s beautiful countryside and 40,000 years of history to explore make it the perfect area for a cycling vacation. In this tour you explore the Vezere River Valley and it’s prehistory sites, the Dordogne River Valley and its amazing old fortresses hanging from the cliffs, and the Lot Department where you will visit Rocamadour.  The accommodations are small family hotels with delicious food throughout the tour. It includes 5 gourmet dinners and all breakfasts. We strongly suggest that you start on a Monday so that you can visit some of the local village markets on days that they are open. If you desire a longer yet similar tour check out our 10 day option. We offer the best Dordogne bike tours.

Day 1:  Les Eyzies arrival
You are met at the train station in the pre-history capital of France, Les Eyzies.  Your hotel is built into the side of the cliffs and is next to where the Cro-Magnon Man remains were discovered.  Settle in for 3 nights.  Depending on your time of arrival, you either assemble your bicycle or we will fit your rental, have a short orientation and then an afternoon warmup loop. A walk into the village and even a visit to one of the pre-history sites may be in order as well.

Day 2: Les Eyzies to Domme
After breakfast you pedal along the Vezere, to the market town of Le Bugue and visit the Tuesday morning market.  Also, a great place to pick up a picnic lunch.  After the market you can choose to return to Les Eyzies and cycle over the ridge to the Dordogne River Valley and visit Chateau Les Milandes and Castelnaud on your way to Domme.  This route also goes by the studios of several excellent local artists.  OR you can continue a route along the cliffs overlooking the Vezere to Limeuil, where the Vezere joins the Dordogne river. From there head to Cadouin and visit the Bicycle Museum.  Riding totals 60 to 80 km approximately, depending on which route you choose.  The short route has one climb plus the climb up to Domme at the end of the day.  The longer route has numerous climbs. Dinner is at your hotel and will be excellent.  Your hotel sits on the edge of the cliff overlooking the beautiful Dordogne River Valley.

Day 3:  Dome to Meyronne
You start your day with a visit to magnificent Chateau Beynac, high on the cliffs overlooking the Dordogne.  During the 100 Years war this was controlled by the French, and across the river Castelnaud was English.  Then pedal up the Dordogne river valley, and ride through one beautiful village after another; La Roque Gageac, Montfort, Carsac, St. Julian de Lompoc, and Souillac.  Roll into Meyronne and find your old chateau turned hotel overlooking the river. Settle in for 2 nights.  This is a small family run hotel with only 14 rooms, everyone quite unique and different.  Today totals about 70km with hills.

Day 4:  Rocamadour, Gouffre de Padirac, Carrenac Loop Ride
This is a beautiful sight seeing day with two very different destinations: Rocamadour and Gouffre de Padirac.  The Gouffre is a 100 meter deep hole in the ground which leads to caverns formed by the underground river navigable by boat.  The formations in the caverns are amazing.  Then on to Rocamadour, a famous stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Enjoy descending the path down to the sanctuaries and village below, Stations of the Cross, and the incredible view afforded by the ramparts of the chateau overlooking Rocamadour. Be prepared to do some climbing. A very full day of 30km if you just visit Rocamadour and an additional 24km if you go to the Gouffre as well.  There is a beautiful ride option to return to the hotel by the upper Dordogne Valley.  This will make it a 80+ km day, with a number of short climbs. If you choose this option, you will visit Rocamadour first, the the Gouffre, the the loop ride back to Meyronne.  You are on your own for dinner tonight in the village of St. Sozy across the river or again at your hotel.

Day 5: Meyronne to Sarlat
We retrace out route back down the Dordogne river, bypassing Souillac and riding some lovely new roads.  We then get on a bike path (Piste Cyclable) for our ride into Sarlat, the regional capital known for its old town. Enjoy the shops and history dating back tothe 9th century.  It is an easy rolling 51km with one big hill in the morning. Dinner is at your hotel.

Day 6: Sarlat to Montignac
You will wake to the sounds of the morning street market just down the street, which fills the old town.  It is a magnificent market with food, fabrics, clothing and art. Plan on exploring it all before departing after lunch.  In the afternoon you have a hilly but beautiful ride to Montignac along the Vezere River: the center of pre-history sites!  Dinner is at the hotel tonight.

Day 7: Montignac to Les Eyzies via Lascaux and Le Roque St. Christophe
Today is a short and beautiful ride back to Les Eyzies with 2 major sites to visit on the way.  The first is the famous caves of Lascaux II, just 2 km from the hotel.  Then you head down the river through several lovely villages, past the Chateau Losse hanging out over the opposite bank, and then to Le Roque St. Christophe.  The cliffs here have been occupied by man for approximate 20,000 years.  Then you ride on over a ridge and down into Les Eyzies to your hotel.  Dinner is on your own in town.

Day 8:  Les Eyzies departure
We collect your bike if you rented, help you move your bags to the depot, and bid you farewell.

To find out more about how our Self Guided Tours operate, what is included, and what is not, click HERE.

Special thanks to our local guides, Roger & Em Boiling, for many of the wonderful pictures included on this page and our other Dordogne pages. All of these images capture the beauty and peace that the Dordogne is known for. Come and discover this hidden cycling destination for your next vacation.