Cycling holidays in Dordogne

Cyclists wanted: Dordogne has 1,200km of cycling routes, 500km created in just the last few years.

It’s part of national strategy for sustainable tourism: France wants to be the number one cycling destination in the world by 2030 and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, where Dordogne is set, is the region that tops most French cyclists’ to do lists.

So, the region wants you, but what’s in it for you? Only one of the most picturesque areas of France, a gastronomic heartland, and a prehistoric ‘Sistine Chapel’ – the caves of Lascaux.

The French call this region by its historic name, Perigord. It contains forests, farmland, and rivers in beautiful variations. There are, too, whole valleys of prehistoric finds and entire towns cut into cliffsides. The Dordogne was once on the frontline of the Hundred Years War between the French and English, but the fault-line is now a peaceful through-way for hikers and cyclists.

Travelling by bike is a great, low-carbon way to go. You could cover 50-60km a day and see a wealth of countryside and culture –or have a gentler route and still hit a handful of pretty villages on the way. 

On our Dordogne cycling holidays you can expect not only picturesque landscapes but a chance to get closer to the culture behind the scenes, too. You’ll stay at quiet, independent hotels, where you’ll need to book in for dinner: because their restaurants, which use only the best local suppliers, are so popular among the residents.

A companion you’ll bump into again and again on your journey, the Dordogne River provides flat cycling and pretty views, the odd fisherman in waders, historic stone bridge or river boat adding interest to the scene. There are numerous opportunities to canoe and swim here, for a break from the saddle.

This entire valley has a UNESCO listing, containing no fewer than 40 prehistoric painted caves – the highest concentration in the world. Cycling and hiking routes make the most of the routes along the valley’s pretty contours, and the same views enjoyed tens of thousands of years ago by our early ancestors.

You need to sneak across departments – out of Dordogne and into Lot – to reach this extraordinary pilgrimage town. Leave the forests behind, and you’ll find yourself cycling instead across limestone plateau to Rocamadour. The town clings to a gorge above the River Alzou, occasionally thronged by hot air balloons, frequently attended by pilgrims – and even more so by tourists, especially in July and August.

Domme is a bastide town – a fortified medieval settlement – that became a frontline in the Hundred Years’ War between the French and English. When Domme was built, its scenic setting was incidental, but now it’s everything, and crowds come to enjoy the extraordinary views of the valley from (cyclists take note) 250m above.

Whilst you can’t cycle in any of the region’s many caves, it’s worth locking up the bike to see them. The world-famous Lascaux Caves can be experienced via a very swanky modern museum containing a perfect replica (the originals are too fragile to be open to tourists); the town of Les Ezies has the National Prehistory Museum, and then there’s Gouffre de Padirac, a cavern near Rocamadour with its own underground river.

You can expect moderate cycling in the Dordogne region. It’s flat by the rivers. Most routes also go up into the surrounding countryside, which is gently undulating, with some hills up to the more dramatically situated towns, and up to the plateaus of Lot. There are quiet roads and traffic-free greenways throughout.

Travel with an e-bike, road bike, or hybrid. Mountain biking is increasingly popular, too.

The best time to cycle is April to October. The tourist season is in full swing by May, which means busier towns but also that more restaurants and shops will be open. The busiest time of year for the region is high summer (July and August) but your route will quickly whisk you away from the crowds.

It might get to 35°C in summer, but temperate weather is more common (though climate change is heating Southern France year on year). The one place that’s always a stubborn 14°C or so is underground – the caves.

You can reach the Dordogne region by train from Paris (five and a half hours) or Toulouse (under two hours); alight at Souillac.