Gite Dordogne

Do you want to rent a gite in the Dordogne? Do you see yourself enjoying the beautiful nature that this region has to offer? Great food, enjoying the weather, the meandering rivers, the authentic villages, the Dordogne has it all. Does not it look great to you to enjoy one of our gites in the Dordogne. There are a lot of different things to do in the Dordogne, both for sporting activities and cultural trips, there is something for everyone.

Flora and fauna of France

In France, only insignificant remnants of the majestic forests that once covered the plains and low mountains have been preserved. Most of the plains are plowed and the forest areas are limited to poorer soils. However, the plains of France are by no means devoid of trees: plantations usually stretch along roads and canals. They are especially characteristic of the landscapes of the baskets of Normandy and Brittany. The most special vegetation on the Mediterranean coast, where only plants can tolerate prolonged summer drought. Instead of forests, isolated low trees and bushes grow here, between which there are bare foundations. The most characteristic trees are olive, cork oak and Aleppo pine.

The fauna of France is very poor under the influence of economic activity. However, the wild fauna is better preserved than in neighboring countries. There are Central European, Mediterranean and alpine species, especially many of them in nature reserves and national parks. For example, brown bears and wild goats live in the Western Iberian Park, and stone goats live in the Vanoise National Park in Savoy. Predatory mammals in France are widespread fox, badger and otter. Rodents are characterized by rats and mice. There are many bats in the southern regions. In some places rabbits are left, and some ungulates forests include deer, roe deer, wild boar and beaver. On the island of Corsica in the mountains there are mouflons or wild rams.

The world of birds is very rich and diverse. For example, in the Pyrenees, moving from the foothills to the peaks, one can consistently observe the following species: spring flycatcher, snow, spade, meadow mint, songbird, capercaillie, rattlesnake, woodcock, red-winged stenolas, white-throated, alpine lightning, gray and pyramid and alpine hairpin. From the birds they eat carrion, bearded, griffon vultures and vultures stand out. Large feathered predators, including eagles and eagles, have survived in the mountains of France. An exceptional abundance of waterfowl and other birds is the Camargue region in the Rhone Delta.

Lac de Pombonne

Bergerac is far from the ocean, but if it gets too hot in summer, the picturesque lake can make up for the weakness. There is one attractive north of the city, and from early July to late August, the beach of the lake is monitored by lifeguards. Lac de Pombonne is located in a 50 hectare park surrounded by a landscape of meadows, forests and farms where sheep and donkeys graze. There are picnic tables and lawns behind the sandy beach, there are trails for cyclists and pedestrians in the forest, and if you like fishing, you have a designated area on the lake.

Hiking, Monbazillac

The countryside around Bergerac is gentle and green. The hills tend to be rounded and forgiving, such as Monbazillac in the south, which sits on a plateau and has a circular route around this tiny village through a landscape of vines. The Bergerac Tourist Office will provide you with all the maps and guides you may need. Or you could just stay by the river and there are several trails on grassy banks with leafy green waters on one side and gardens, meadows and sunflower fields on the other.

Canoe

You will miss out in summer if you arrive in the Dordogne and don't take a river trip. There are companies that rent canoes and kayaks for full or half days for just a few euros. It's up to you where to start: here in the west of the region, the river is wide and calm, and the banks are flat and green, with plenty of places to take your boat ashore for lunch. But if you want to glide through rocky limestone gorges, you have to drive east upstream and start somewhere, like La Roque-Gageac, which has steep hills, dark forests, and medieval castles, high above the bends of the rivers.

When to go to Dordogne?

The main season for tourism in the Dordogne Valley is from May to September, while July and August are the high season. Small towns can be quite crowded during this time, so it might be worth avoiding these months to avoid crowding the narrow streets of medieval towns. But if you love water sports, that's it! In addition, it is in July and August that most of the festivals are held, including those on medieval themes, and balloon flights are organized.

The lifestyle and culture of the Dordogne Valley attracts both visitors from all over France and tourists from many other countries. However, out of season, most tourists here are French, so you need to be prepared for the fact that all excursions are conducted only in French, and if you do not speak this language, you will be given a brochure with a description at best.