Day 1 Arrive at Bergerac Airport or Train Station, where Peter will collect you. Arrive at accommodation in the small hamlet of Gageac and settle in to your beautiful room with ensuite. The remainder of the day is for relaxing by the pool and catching up on sleep, before the first of many delicious meals cooked for you by Kerry. At dinner we will all get to know one another over some wonderful local wines.

Day 2 Bergerac, Tobacco Museum, Wine Museum, Lunch at Local Restaurant. The afternoon will be spent on a Garbare cruising on the Dordogne River.
A cheese tasting and the purchase of some local artisinal breads and gateaux.

Day 3 Lascaux. Today we will visit the awe inspiring pre-historic caves and art works of Lascaux..

Day 4 Our accommodation is set amongst the vines of a vineyard and winery. This morning we will have a tour of the winery with the wine maker and do a tasting of the wines. After a leisurely lunch at the farmhouse we will visit the chateaux of Monbazillac (and perhaps a little more wine tasting).

Day 5 Lunch at our local Sigoulès café then we make a visit to the Museum of Pre-History at Les Eyzies which is home to the premier collection of Paleolithic engravings and sculpture in the world.

Day 6 St Emillion’s history goes back to prehistoric times and is a world heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets. Saint-Émillion is one of the principal red wine areas of Bordeaux. A guided tour (in English) of Saint-Èmillion and lunch with a vigneron will round out the day.

Day 7 La Birondie Tour and Lunch. Today we are lucky to be visiting the home of some friends who live close by. Their ‘house’ is over 400 years old and is truly beautiful. We were lucky enough to be invited to stay there in 2007 and today you are invited to visit and have lunch at La Birondie.

Day 8 The French still (rightly) believe that Sunday is a day of rest and a day to spend with one’s family and in leisurely persuits. Today our leisurely pursuits will be the Sunday Markets at the medieval village of Issigeac and perhaps a local brocante or two.

Day 9 An early start to see La Roque-Gageac which is a truly beautiful village on the banks of the Dordogne – we just need to be early to get there before so many others who have also heard of its beauty. Beynac – the highlight of Beynac is the chateau set on top of a high cliff on a bend on the Dordogne River. Domme is a very attractive bastide town founded in 1283 and in one of the best locations possible. Domme is at the top of a fairly steep hill, and has 180 degree views across the Dordogne river and surrounding countryside from the terraced belvedere area at the top of the village.

Day 10 Today we visit – Monpazier – The bastide of Monpazier is a National Heritage Site and, as well as being the best preserved bastide in the Dordogne, it is considered the most typical example of a bastide in the entire south-west of France. Beaumont – Beaumont is an English bastide town founded in 1272 by Edward I of England. In common with the general plan for bastide towns it was built on the grid pattern.

Day 11 Sarlat Today we will have an early start to visit the beautifully preserved city of Sarlat, capital of Périgord Noir. We will be visiting the food markets at Sarlat as well as the old town, which dates back to medieval and renaissance times.

Day 12 Leisure day to wander about Bergerac for some last minute shopping or simply relax by the pool.

Day 13 Say a fond ‘au revoir’ to newfound friends, wonderful food and wine and the beautiful farm house that has been your home for the past two weeks.

This is a sample intinerary only and should be used as a guideline.