Dordogne valley weather7/27/2023 ![]() Perched on a cliff, the Chateau de Beynac-et-Cazenac is the most emblematic, with its austere facade punctuated by a Roman dungeon. Visiting the Dordogne also means going back to the Middle Ages to discovering its dazzling chateaux built at the time of the Hundred Years War (14th-15th centuries). In the near-150-metre-long gallery, you can stroll among the 2,500 animal figures – horses, cows, bulls and deer, painted and engraved – which have been running across the walls for almost 20,000 years. A lifesize replica of the original cave closed to the public, this truer-than-life reconstruction offers an extraordinary journey to the roots of art. But if you had to choose just one site, it would have to be the cave of Lascaux IV. Between Montignac and Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is an amazing collection of prehistoric sites and troglodyte dwellings from the Middle Ages. On holiday in the Dordogne, all roads lead to Sarlat-la-Canéda! The heart of the Périgord Noir beats in old Sarlat, whose heritage is unfurled in its narrow streets, medieval squares and Gothic and Renaissance mansions.Īnother must-see is the Vézère Valley, considered the cradle of human presence in Europe. From ornate caves to châteaux and character villages, visitors learn the stories of prehistoric inhabitants, the knights of the Middle Ages and the blossoming of the arts of the Renaissance.Īnd along the Dordogne river, you can savour the flavours of an exceptional terroir: foie gras, duck breast and truffles are all part of the Périgord Noir heritage, and symbols of the French way of life. Discover too the joys of truffle celebration as this delicacy is traded and celebrated in the winter months with truffle markets and fetes.In the Dordogne Valley, the blonde stone is more than just decoration. The unique thing about visiting at this time of the year though, are wandering through the Christmas markets that lead up to the big day. Most major sites will be closed but some such as Rocamadour, remain open year round. Whatever the weather, you will find that you can walk and explore the Dordogne Valley with almost all of it all for yourself. It very rarely snows, and if it does so the snow will not settle for long periods. It does rain in winter obviously but rainfall is off and on. Temperatures do go negative (averaging from the low 5s to the -5s) and sometimes in the depth of winter it can get down to -10! However, these really cold periods don’t last very long (a week or two at most in either January or February). In the Dordogne Valley, winters are of the crisp variety where you might need to rub your hands together but often under a cold blue sky. It is never very windy in the Valley, although there will be the occasional breeze that calms things down in the hotter months.Ĭold winters : November, December, January and February ![]() Either way you are very unlikely to have your holiday ruined by bad weather in summer. Sometimes it arrives in a summer storm with thundery downpours (often with spectacular lightning) or just a day or two of showers. This means that you do get a bit of rainfall in summer. ![]() Of course the landscape would not be so green without a bit of rain, and the temperate climate of the Dordogne Valley is a major draw for visitors. It generally only gets humid when a storm is looming. Castles, with their thick medieval walls are great at keeping the heat out and you can visit a cave where the temperature always hovers between 13 and 14 degrees Celsius. You can also do a bit of sightseeing to avoid the heat. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve it’s the cleanest river in France –so don’t hesitate to jump straight in. Whether you canoe down it, swim in it or just splash around in it the Dordogne is waiting for you. When the summer sun is drenching the region getting drenched in water is the best way to cool off. ![]() You will always find a choice spot to cool down though - be it a shady beach beside the river or a swimming pool. In general, July is slightly hotter than August and the average temperature in summer hovers around the late ‘20s. It rarely climbs beyond the mid ‘30s for any substantial length of time. Summers are hot in the Dordogne Valley and the temperature often goes above 30 degrees Celsius. The definitive guide to fishing in the Dordogne Valley.Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne Strawberry Festival.Rocamadour Classical Sacred Music Festival.Beers and Spirits made in the Dordogne Valley.
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