Dordogne Valley Cultural Walking Adventure

DAY 1-4 BORDEAUX / LES EYZIES
We’ll meet in the city of Bordeaux, and begin with a morning walk in this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage City. That afternoon, we visit the ancient village of St. Emilion, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it’s the flinty vineyards, the limestone caves, and the red vintages that bring us here. And we’ll punctuate our scenic walks with a meal built around a tasting of the region’s finest.

After a short drive to the Dordogne Valley, we take our guide Bart’s favorite footpath to cross farm pastures…clamber over a ruined 12th century castle…and visit the gardens of Château de Marquessac. Settling into Les Eyzies, we strike out on a remarkable walk through a valley studded with the fortifications of Domme, Castelnaud and Commarque Castle. Sworn to secrecy, we’ll go truffle-hunting with our ami Edouard, France’s head master, and lunch on a classic truffle omelet.

DAYS 5-6 – COLY / BRIVE
From Coly, a riverside walk in the Vezere Valley leads to a viewing of 27,000-year-old cave art in a site not open to the public. Then we’ll stroll and shop in the tiny villages on the river’s bank. On our final day, we visit the Lascaux II caves before parting company in Brive.

We believe in creating authentic connections by immersing you into the history and culture of a people and place. So we find the most well-connected local guides who share their relationships and knowledge with us. And with them, we handcraft walking tours in cinematic settings that allow you to see the world on foot and at eye level.

It’s why Travel + Leisure magazine has named Classic Journeys as the #1 World’s Best Tour Operator multiple times, and the editors of T+L say, "Classic Journeys provides unbeatable access to experiences around the globe." Here’s what that access means for you every time you travel with us.

• Experience the world on foot and at eye level. Each day, join your guide on the most cinematic footpaths in the region.
• Exceptional full-time local guides who become your well-connected friend. Our amazing guides are with you throughout each day of the tour, share their lifelong connections as well as engaging anecdotes about the history and culture of the region.
• Small groups that provide you unrivaled access. An average of fewer than 10 guests per departure means we can offer you special access to sites like Stonehenge so you experience the stone circle when it’s closed to the general public, a guided visit to Zion Narrows that other companies cannot arrange because of larger group sizes, and vineyard walks with a count and countess in Tuscany.
• Award-winning hotels are waiting for you at the end of every day. Luxuriate in the finest and most distinctive accommodations in the region you’re exploring, including rainforest lodges, 16th century villas, and award-winning properties that show up on World’s Best and Gold lists.
• Eat like (and with) the locals. Food is a foolproof way into the hearts, homes and history of the places you visit with us. From gourmet picnics to coveted local restaurants, our meals offer you opportunities to explore native food traditions and fine dining.
• Handcrafted itineraries with all activities included. With our long-term friendships, we know our walking tour regions more personally than anyone else. So you get thoughtfully curated itineraries that combine explorations of the villages, organic farms, archeological sites and the people who know them best.
• Sustainable travel that supports the places you’re visiting. We put our local currency into the pockets of the people who live where we travel. It’s your guarantee that you’ll have authentic, up-close experiences on your trip. Best of all, our person-to-person approach helps sustain their ways of life.