Walks and hikes in the Dordogne

The Dordogne is one of the largest departments in France, and also oneof the most wooded. With almost 9,000 km of hiking trails, including 8 GR and 2 GR de Pays, there’s something for everyone.

This exceptional network of trailsmarked and maintained allows you to discover a rich natural, historical and cultural heritage, as well as varied and unspoilt landscapes. Ready to go hiking in the Dordogne?

If you’re not sure which route to choose, your hosts will advise you on their favorite trails. They’ll be happy to serve as your guide during your stay.

So make the most of your vacation or a weekend with family or friends to get together and take a breath of fresh air from one of our villages.

Our Villages in the Dordogne!

5 hikes in the Dordogne for the whole family

Set off to discover little-known places

Let yourself be guided to discover these places steeped in history and enjoy unforgettable experiences, as you travel up the Vallée de l’Homme and its exceptional prehistoric sites.
Walk through the Parc Naturel Régional du Périgord Limousin in the heart of the Périgord Vert a rural and forested area and visit Brantôme the famous “Venise Verte”.
Remount the Dordogne Valley to admire its countless castles and medieval and troglodytic villages. A journey through time that will appeal to young and old alike.

So many prestigious sites that your Villages de Gîtes hosts will be keen to help you discover on thepaths of the Périgord.

Hiking ideas summary

1. Hiking in Périgord

Leave from the Village de Gîtes de Combas. Your hosts organize stays to discover the Périgord Noir in the region of Sarlat. Guy, a federal hiking graduate, guides you on the trails, and tells you with passion about the history of the Périgord of yesterday and life in the Dordogne today.

? Local anecdotes

2. On the paths of Périgord

From le Hameau du Sentiers des Sources Dominique takes you “into unknown territory”. Hikes on the trails around Sarlat todiscover hills and valleys, hamlets and small villages and perched castles.

? Village visits

3. Family walks

With over 300 km of trails nearby des Collines d’Eyvigues your hosts offer you to discover the paths that each year are the scene of 3 major events:

✅ La Ronde des Villages in autumn, a hiking weekend in the Pays de Fénélon,
✅ La Ronde des Moulins in spring,
✅ Les Estivales in summer.

In the village of Eyvigues, a botanical and educational circuit, “le sentier des fontaines” will delight children.

? La Ronde des Villages, an unmissable event for lovers of walking and beautiful villages.

4. The Périgord Noir on foot

Hubert, your host at La Truffière, is delighted to take you on a walk every Wednesday morning to discover the Périgord Noir in a different way, without a car, starting from your gîte.
The exceptional location, at the top of a Pech (hill in Occitan), offers an ideal starting point for multiple hikes of varying distances and difficulty according to your desires, in varied and splendid landscapes: the oak forests of the Périgord Noir, the Dordogne valley, the Quercy limestone plateaus…

? The guide’s good humor!

5. Hiking in the Périgord Vert

Located in a very hilly, green and wooded area, in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional du Périgord Limousin, the gîtes de Tartou are the starting point for several signposted trails. You’ll discover authentic, unspoilt landscapes.
Walks along the river la Tardoire are just a short walk from the gîtes, and the GR4 passes nearby. Maps with itineraries are available in the Village de Gîtes.

? River walks

The Dordogne, a land of hikes

The marked trails and numerous loops present on the territory allow everyone to organize tours adapted to their level. In the Dordogne, hiking trails are accessible to families, walkers and occasional hikers alike. Here, the relief, which contributes to the beauty of the landscapes, is never abrupt, and allows the full range of both family and sporting activities. Everyone can practice their sport with family and friends, enjoying a picnic or a beautiful stroll along forest paths.

This fantastic network of hiking trails offers a vast playground open to all hikers, walkers, mountain bikers and equestrians. As for the many cycling itineraries, they will delight cyclists, on the voies vertes as well as on the exceptional network of small roads that criss-cross the Dordogne. Last but not least, water sports enthusiasts can enjoy a canoe trip and views of the jewels on the banks of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, such as the village of la Roque-Gageac and its gabarres, the medieval village of Montfort nestled in the heart of its famous cingle, a large loop in the river, or the many castles such as Beynac overlooking the river.

For all information about hiking in the Dordogne, you can find all the useful information, maps and topoguides at all tourist offices. You’ll also find them on site, with your hosts, who have tourist maps and information useful for the smooth running of your stay and activities.

For hiking and visiting other regions of France, don’t hesitate to discover the Villages de Gîtes.

See all our Villages!

Discovering the Périgord Noir on foot

The Périgord Noir is packed with places steeped in history. Major prehistoric sites such as les Grotte de Lascaux, le site de la madeleine, la Roque Saint Christophe, Les Eyzies de Taillac and so many others make up an exceptional heritage.

Named the department of 1001 castles, the Dordogne includes such marvels as Biron, Hautefort, Milandes, Beynac and Castelnaud, which rival each other in beauty and architectural prowess.

The small villages of the Périgord Noir are also places steeped in history and culture. Their perfectly preserved centers, made up of Périgourdine houses, have enabled some of them to be ranked among the plus beaux villages de France. They are among the region’s remarkable sites and have become tourist hotspots in the Dordogne :

Beynac et Cazenac,
La Roque Gageac,
Dômme
Castelnaud La Chapelle
Saint Amand de Coly
Saint Léon su Vézère

Not forgetting Sarlat la Canédaconsidered one of Europe’s most beautiful medieval cities. Today, Sarlat is the emblematic capital of the Périgord Noir region. Its celebrated market showcases Périgourdine gastronomy through its finest local products, truffles, ceps, foie gras, and duck confits…

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