Thursday, May 3, 2012

#Canoeing along the #Dordogne river #France






































The Périgord, one of the main battlegrounds of Hundred Years' War between the French and English in the 14th and 15th centuries, is referred to as the ‘Land of 1001 Castles’- medieval and Renaissance castles like Puymartin, Losse, Hautefort and Beynac. Perhaps not as famous as the Loire valley but definitely worth a visit.

The strategic position of the village of Beynac (seen in the picture above) is a point of interest in the Dordogne Valley. From the very start, the village will charm you with its cobbled, steep little lanes and stairways which climb up to the formidable castle, where the view is simply breathtaking. It is not surprising that Beynac gained the prestigious title of “one of the most beautiful villages of France” with its houses clinging majestically to the cliff-face.
After the hike up to the Castle in the mid-day heat, our little family needed to cool off. What better way then to canoe on the Dordogne River. There are a couple of canoe rental companies under the train bridge just down the road from the village. Once we had equipped Mini-Lili with her life jacket, we launched our canoe into the river. It was a relaxing and scenic trip back down to Beynac to view the Castle and village form down below.

After returning the canoe, we joined the many families for an ice-cream and a dip in the river. I stood with my feet in the water looking up to the castle imagining what life was like back when Richard the Lionheart, Duke of Aquitaine, claimed the stronghold of the Castle and entrusted it to his lieutenant Mercadier. Mini-Lili floated in the river enjoying her afternoon on the Dordogne.

The Dordogne Valley is easily accessible by car from Paris, Bordeaux and Toulouse, via the A20 and A89 autoroutes. It is certainly worth the trip!
Happy travels.

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