On the road to vacation: Périgord walk

Périgord is a land of mysteries, a country of a thousand castles. The Dordogne is the French department with the most listed monuments, after Paris. The castle of Castelnau is one of the finest examples. Founded in the 12th century, this medieval fortress offers stunning views over the Dordogne valley. An emblematic place of the Hundred Years War, the Château de Castelnau now houses a war museum with its life-size replicas. HASWhen the clouds pile up around the castle of Castelnau, we go to the Périgord noir, to put ourselves in the green. In this forest, we join Frédérick Viales, the caving guide. He promised us a beginner level outing. Lhe 8,900 caves in the department are accessible to everyone.

After more than two hours of trudging 14 meters underground, it’s finally time to find the light. Back on earth, we set off to discover the culinary heritage. First step, pick the little queen of the local plate, the Périgord strawberry. Once the trays are full to bursting, the strawberries will be cooked in Sainte-Alvère, with chef Rafael Mollica. Direct delivery from producer to restaurateur. Now satiated and enchanted by this preserved territory, head for the Pyrenees.