![dordogne valley geologic map dordogne valley geologic map](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2b/a0/a8/2ba0a84c09d4efa8ef059bad299d9ce0.jpg)
As you descend, you’ll have a 360-degree view of the awe-inspiring and beautifully lit stalactites and stalagmites, but those who prefer to keep their feet on solid ground can take it all in from designated pathways.Ī short drive away - at the heart of the Dordogne - is the medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda, where superb markets are held each week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Gouffre de Promeyssac is up there, too, and allows visitors to descend into the vast underground cavern known as the ‘Cathedral of Crystal’ in a gently rotating basket (like that of a hot-air balloon). The Dordogne is pocked with extraordinary caves, from the exquisite replica of the cave paintings at Lascaux IV to the Rouffignac’s ‘Cave of the 100 mammoths’. Keen to learn more? The chateau’s new Pavillon des Arômes gives visitors the chance to taste under the guidance of wine experts. The rich, golden, honey-noted Monbazillac dessert wine develops its sweetness thanks to so-called ‘noble rot’, a type of fungus that has been deliberately cultivated because it causes the grapes to shrivel like raisins. Toast the start of a trip with a glass of local wine at the turreted Chateau de Monbazillac. From nut-studded bread to nutty oils, this humble nut is particularly celebrated in the town of Martel, where the most delicious reward at the end of a day’s exploring is a glass of vin de noix (walnut wine), sipped on a restaurant terrace in the evening sun. The valley continues into the Lot department, where its banks have been home to walnut groves for a millennium. This corner of southwest France is best experienced on a four- or five-day road trip, starting in Bergerac and ending in Brive-la-Gaillarde, following the Dordogne as it loops past vineyards, clifftop chateaux, immaculate gardens and mysterious subterranean caves along the way. It’s a time to indulge, too, for local markets abound with produce: glossy vegetables, golden walnut oil, tins of duck confit and local wine. The forested banks of the eponymous river turn a riot of colour at this time of year, and the lanes of its golden-stone villages are bathed in rich, equinoctial light. The Dordogne is one of France’s best destinations for autumn. Once at the bottom, you can’t help but look up in wonder at the small circle of sky that now looks decidedly faraway.This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK). This enormous sink hole then leads into a cave system, created by millennia of subterranean underground water erosion which has carved out spectacular caverns in the limestone, full of enormous stalactites and stalagmites deep under the ground.įirst, you descend by lift or the impressive metal staircase, the design of which was inspired by the Eiffel Tower of Paris. In times gone by it was often referred to by the local population as the devil’s hole, and it’s a sight to behold as you and other awestruck visitors gaze down into the enormous 75-metre chasm into the earth, 33 meters wide.
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More than 24 million visitors (and counting) have come to marvel at this natural wonder, and it continues to enthrall those who see it.
![dordogne valley geologic map dordogne valley geologic map](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/43/37/9d/43379dd704f1d25907bfdd7040c7112b.jpg)
Discovered by the famous French cave explorer Edouard Martel, it was opened to the public in 1899. The Gouffre de Padirac is one of the largest chasms in Europe.