The Middle Ages continued to be a tumultuous period, with the Hundred Years’ War and the definitive Battle of Castillon finally sealing French victory, expelling the English from the land. The region would then experience gradual development in the centuries that followed, until the French and English monarchies took dominion in 1152, with Richard the Lionheart – child of the union between Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitane – inheriting the French land and leaving his mark on the area. Known throughout antiquity as Périgord, the province features restored Roman ruins at Perigueux, evoking the period when incursions by the armies of Rome usurped the ruling tribes. While these remains are among the most treasured in the region, the arrival of later civilisations – the Gauls and the Romans, for example – are also celebrated. It’s estimated that the first settlers made the caves home during the last Ice Age, and the 147 prehistoric sites contain wall paintings depicting the wildlife that was prevalent in the region at the time. Ancient remainsĭeclared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the caves of the Vezere Valley provide a fascinating glimpse into the early civilisations of the Dordogne. Travel back through millennia to see the works of art that decorate cave walls in the Vezere Valley, and uncover the four divisions of historic Périgord – Périgord Vert, Périgord Blanc, Périgord Pourpe, and Périgord Noir – all whilst journeying through landscapes of striking beauty and towns of quintessential French charm.
Whether in search of prehistoric civilisations, exploring medieval castles and grand monuments, or recapturing the events of the French Revolution, the Dordogne has it all.
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