Each of these activities showcases the diverse experiences available in the Dordogne, ensuring that families can create lasting memories while engaging in fun and educational pursuits.

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1.Hand gel is provided and required when entering the property, breakfast room and pool area. Breakfast (optional for our apartment guests) will be served at the individual tables and not a buffet which is our usual practice, at the correct distance. 

2. POOL : Allocated seating area will be provided at the poolside for your accommodation which is to be used throughout your stay. The pool is of a size to cater to all our guests but social distancing in the water is required. Swimming pool towels will be allocated to you on arrival for the duration of your stay. Pool toys will not be provided this year. Pool hours will be set from 9am to 7pm to enable the pool area to be cleaned in accordance with regulations.

3. The playroom and communal kitchen will be available but limited on the numbers using this at the same time. toys have also been reduced to enable the disinfecting required at the end of the day

.4. All areas will be cleaned in accordance with the rules.

Despite this, we expect that your stay with us will be extremely relaxing. The Dordogne is a spectacular area with wide open spaces and almost no cases of the virus during lockdown. It is one of the best places to stay this Summer if you wish a stress free family holiday.

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Fabulous Kids Adventure Hikes now offered by Walking Dordogne

Look at the new fabulous one day kids hikes and exploring “Walking Dordogne” now offer to families. Even the name of “Ode to the Neanderthal’s Child” gets you excited.

“Ode to the Neanderthal’s Child” is the exact adventure hike as “Ode to the Neanderthal” (which is a well traveled hike styled by Walking Dordogne for many a year), but on this one, the kids take center stage.

Not everyone visiting the area has 3 days to enjoy their “Ode to the Child Clan” hike so they have taken all the best bits of the cave exploring which was the biggest thrill for the young ones [ and the parents ]

So, as of 2016 they will officially be adding “Ode to the Neanderthal’s Child”.

This is a long full day adventure, and the kids LOVE it, they get to climb, crawl, slide and explore real caves and troglodytes.

Because it’s a full day, it really is only suitable for those that are adventurous, curious and preferably have an interest in prehistory. This also goes for the parents.

“Ode to the Neanderthal’s Child” offers quality active time where the family can really bond and at the same time is very hands on educational for both kids and adults.

Your kids will LOVE this adventure, and for the best bit…anyone staying with Le Chevrefeuille awarding winning family friendly accommodation gets 40% off any hike they book……………….what could be more perfect.

For more information please contact Walking Dordogne at : www.walkingdordogne.com

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Terms & conditions 

• Tariff applicable for May to September
• Apartments can be rented per night subject to a three night minimum except in high season, prices include cleaning on departure.  High season is July & August where weekly rentals from Saturday to Saturday are required or Sunday to Sunday on the Petite Maison
• Breakfast is optional and charged extra (see tariff page)
• Cleaning is included on departure or every 7 days if rented for multiple weeks. Daily maid service is available for 30€ per day
• Deposit of 25% is required on booking, the balance is due four weeks prior to arrival date (payable by credit card through paypal, paypal account or bank transfer). Sterling equivalent can be agreed and paid.
• Cancellation Policy- No refund of monies paid if cancellation within 28 days of arrival unless a replacement booking is found.
• Weekly Changeover day is Saturday or Sunday in high season, any day in low/mid season
• Check in between 3pm and 10pm (later checkin can be accommodated by prior arrangement)
• Departure before 10am
• No smoking in the apartments
• Electricity, gas, water, towels and linen included in the price
• Accommodation is required to be left as per departure instructions in regards to bins, laundry and leftover food
• No security deposit taken but breakages caused by guests may be charged.

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Meandering through markets in France is one of life’s great pleasures and a perfect way to get a glimpse of local life in action. There are wonderful markets to explore in the region every day of the week, including Sundays. Here’s a link to a schedule of market days in the Dordogne.

With small kids this is a no-brainer as all the treats and trinkets can easily entertain them. Honestly, the 10-year-old boy in our group wrote in his diary that our market visit was SO boring. So be it, the next day was spent at the zip-line adventure park, Parc-en-Ciel, and any doubt in his mind that the Dordogne is fun for kids disappeared instantly.

Prehistoric Caves

The area around the Dordogne is full of prehistoric caves; some with paintings and others with interesting rock formations. While they are relatively close to each other and easy to find, figuring out how to purchase tickets in advance can be challenging and not all caves take reservations. There is no photography allowed in the caves. We visited three very different caves, all with paintings.

Lascaux II. Lascaux is the most famous prehistoric cave. In order to preserve it, an exact replica, Lascaux II, was built next to it. This tour is a great place to start for first-timers and kids. There are many tours in English, the tour is very educational and because it’s a replica the animal paintings, mainly horses and bulls, are very easy to see. Attempts to book via email in English and French were unsuccessful. My hotel in Paris finally secured reservations over the phone and I picked up the tickets at the tourist office.

Font-de-Gaume. This is widely considered the best cave art in the area and is the most difficult ticket to obtain since they only allow 180 visitors per day (12 people per tour) and only two tours in English. This feels like a cave; it’s cool inside with narrow areas, but it’s an intimate and personalized tour. The guides are very knowledgeable and the main paintings here are of bison. The tour is 45-50 minutes and kids need a good attention span here, as the group is small and talking is disruptive. Our local hotel purchased tickets for us but you may try fontdegaume@monuments-nationaux.fr.

Rouffignac. After seeing the two most famous caves in the area, we went to one of the most popular ones, Rouffignac. This was our kids’ favorite because visitors ride on an electric train to view the famous mammoths. Tours are only in French and no advance reservations. We arrived right when they opened up after lunch and had a 30-minute wait.

View of Château de Beynac from Château de Castelnaud

Castle Visits

There are more than 1,000 castles in the Dordogne. Not all are open for visitors, but there are plenty to explore. I wrote about our visit to Château de Beynac — one of my favorite castles in all of Europe.

Château de Castelnaud is also fantastic with a large collection of medieval ammunition on display. If you are traveling with boys, this is a crowd-pleaser.

You don’t need to go into each castle to appreciate them. The exterior is always a big part of the magic. A boat ride down the Dordogne is the perfect way to view them.

Canoeing is a popular summer activity for families in the Dordogne

Canoeing or Kayaking on the Dordogne River

There may not be a more magical river to canoe or kayak. Every bend reveals a castle or an astonishing medieval city built into the cliffs. There are many canoeing and kayaking companies to choose from and we went with Roquegeoffre which was recommended by our hotel Le Chevrefeuille. They were great – efficient and organized and there is an ice cream store at the end!

With a 5 and 8 year-old we chose the shorter, “highlights” course comprised of a minimum of 2.5 hours of kayaking without stops. Our total time with the kayaks was just over four hours including a stop in La Roque-Gageac for lunch.

With younger children I would recommend packing a lunch and stopping at one of the little beaches along the way instead of going to a restaurant – four hours was too long for my kids. Another option if you want to see the sights without the kayaking is a one-hour ride on a “gabarre” boat.

Boys burning off steam in Les Jardins de Marqueyssac

Les Jardins de Marqueyssac

Garden visits are fun for every age, particularly versions with mazes and trails for kids to romp around. We spent an afternoon at Les Jardins de Marqueyssac and loved it.

Garden touring is effortless and relaxing. This is a perfect destination for all ages.

Bike Riding in Dordogne France with Kids

Bike Riding

When people tell me they are going to bike Italy’s rural roads with kids I always have an eyebrow up as the roads are narrow with blind corners — this combination only seems to make the Italians driver faster.

In the Dordogne, however, many of the back roads are very quiet with gentle hills and are glorious for bike riding. We had bikes delivered to our farmhouse for the week and biked around as a break from sightseeing. Hotels or villa agencies can organize this for you.

Beaumont du Perigord decked out for their summer festival

Going Local

Our favorite part of the Dordogne for families is that it’s so easy to go local and not feel surrounded by tourists all the time. Kids don’t get quite as excited by quaint villages as we do, but if you loiter in a place for long enough, they settle in and discover the fun and freedom of village life in the French countryside.

Summer festivals are plentiful. We were lucky enough to catch Beaumont du Perigord decked out for their celebration. Some villages have evening cookouts of sorts where the community gets together outside for dinner. We joined one for an evening — within no time, our kids were playing tag with kids from all over the world while we sipped wine.

Le Chevrefeuille has an ideal set-up for kids

Where to Stay

For single families, I prefer hotel stays where other kids are likely to be present. Kristi loved her stay at Le Chevrefeuille, a farmhouse-style accommodation with a perfect set-up for kids.

Meals

Regardless of where you stay, be sure and visit our friend Yannick who runs Les Truffières, a working farm with a restaurant. This is one of our most memorable meals in all of France. We returned back for five nights we loved it so much! Your kids will love the animals and garden, you will love the food, the host, and price point. +33 (0) 5 53 27 30 44

Photos by Amie O’Shaughnessy. Le Chevrefeuille photo courtesy of Le Chevrefeuille

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino review of Le Chevrefeuille

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If you are planning to travel to France with your family, your first thought might be of Paris or Provence, but you might want to consider a journey to the southwest of the country and the Dordogne region. The area offers a wonderful variety of experiences for families from prehistoric cave paintings and medieval castles, to stunning gardens and breathtaking landscapes. The villages are charming, the locals are welcoming, and the food is incredible. With all the region has to offer, visitors to the Dordogne will find themselves wishing their vacations would never end.

Where to Stay

We were fortunate to discover Le Chevrefeuille, a bed and breakfast that also offers self-catering accommodation. Centrally located in St. Cyprien, close to all of the aforementioned sights, this stunning accommodation has won Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence every year since opening.

Upon arrival we were warmly greeted by our hostess Sara, who immediately welcomed us and made us feel at home. We rented a self-catering cottage on the property, but there is also the option of staying in one of the bed and breakfast rooms. Next to our place was a toy room, filled floor to ceiling with toys, movies, and games for children of all ages. We stayed in the two bedroom Passiflore gite which was perfect for our family of five. A mix of traditional charm and modern comfort, the unit has a kitchen and dining area, as well as a private terrace. The terrace was perfect for relaxing and watching our children playing in the yard while we enjoyed dinner or a glass of wine.

If you don’t feel like cooking, we would highly recommend the meals prepared by Sara’s husband, Ian, who happens to be a chef. Using locally sourced produce, the dinners consist of four courses served in the beautiful courtyard (when the weather is beautiful) or inside when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Not only is it a wonderful opportunity to experience the flavors of the region, it is a fabulous way to meet guests from around the world. You can also borrow a baby monitor and dine knowing your little ones are safe and sound just steps away. This was our favorite meal during a two week stay in France!

The property has a heated swimming pool with a safety fence, swings, bicycles, and a large grass play area, all of which we could see from our patio. Our kids truly enjoyed playing with Sara and Ian’s lovely children and still talk about the fun they had during our visit. We left the property feeling we were leaving behind our new friends and we can’t wait to return again!

Have you ever been to the Dordogne? What are you waiting for?

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Not only do we live in an absolutely stunning part of the Périgord noir, but we are also very fortunate to have a riding school which is literally on our doorstep! Our daughter, Alice, adores horse and loves attending weekly riding classes at the Equi Périgord centre. The centre is situated within a couple of minutes’ walk from Le Chèvrefeuille and you will be welcomed by a friendly team headed by the owner Sandy. She is a passionate horse lover and fully qualified equestrian trainer. Sandy spent 4 years restoring and improving the centre and it eventually reopened to the public under her new management in 2011. It has enjoyed tremendous success since then with both members and non-members.

All these opportunities are open to non-members so why not take advantage of your next holiday at Le Chèvrefeuille and pop across the road for some equestrian fun!!

Feel free to check out their website for further information and information on prices: www.equiperigord.com or via facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/EquiPERIGORD/269466196427066

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