Sarlat-La-Canade

We will spend the day at leisure in the charming medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda. One of the most alluring and attractive towns in south-western France, Sarlat has developed around the large Benedictine Abbey since the 14th Century. Saturday is market day, so we can browse amongst the stalls at our leisure and wander through the small winding streets of this largely carfree town centre.

Boats and Trains

After a leisurely breakfast we head to Beynac for a 60 minute circular cruise on the Dordogne River on a gabare, an authentic reproduction of an 18th century boat. There will be some free time to
explore Beynac. In the afternoon, our coach will drive us along the banks of the Dordogne River towards Souillac and on to Martel, the starting point of our steam train excursion with the Tourist
Railway of Haut-Quercy. Enjoy an 8 mile round trip, that ascends more than 80 metres and provides wonderful panoramic views of the Dordogne Valley below. We will then return to our hotel in
time for dinner.

Lascaux II Caves and Les Jardins D'Eyrignac

This morning, we head to the Lascaux II Caves for a guided tour. Hidden for over 17000 years, the caves were discovered in 1940, and hold some of the most complete examples of prehistoric
cave paintings in the world. Sadly, the original caves were closed in 1963 to ensure that they remained preserved for the future. However, an exact replica (Lascaux II) was subsequently created with inchperfect attention to detail and this remains a fascinating, unmissable place to visit. We then continue our journey to the Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac for a guided tour of these gardens which offer an amazing feast for the senses with something to delight everyone. The seven gardens include the beautiful White Garden, the formal topiary sculptures and a wildflower meadow.