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Dordogne Caves & Bastides: Périgueux Loop – Route Guide

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A stone lane in La Roque-Gageac in the Dordogne valley
Photo: Benjamin Smith · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

A loop from Périgueux takes you through the Vézère valley’s prehistoric heritage, Sarlat and the castles and bastide towns of the Dordogne. Lascaux IV presents the cave paintings in a replica and interpretation centre; the original cave is closed. Font-de-Gaume, canoeing, market days, guided visits and special events are optional and need separate arrangements.

Dordogne Caves & Bastides: Périgueux Loop is a 275 km loop (self-drive). It works best as 6–7 days; the plan below is the 7-day version for June, built from 16 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

6–7
days
275km
distance
4
Stops
16
curated stops

View ready-made plans 6-day plan · 7-day plan · best time to go

The route

Périgueux→ 50 kmMontignac→ 30 kmSarlat-la-Canéda→ 15 kmBeynac-et-Cazenac

What you'll see

Périgueux Roman and medieval heritage circuit
Begin with the Roman domus context at Vesunna and a measured walk through Périgueux’s medieval centre.
Périgueux
Lascaux IV timed prehistory visit
Give the Lascaux IV facsimile and interpretation galleries a separate timed day from Montignac.
Montignac
Sarlat historic-centre circuit
Give Sarlat’s medieval and Renaissance centre an unhurried walking day, with the market only when the calendar agrees.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Beynac and Castelnaud castle-landscape circuit
Read the valley’s opposing medieval strongholds from Beynac and Castelnaud without adding another major visit.
Beynac-et-Cazenac
Les Eyzies National Museum of Prehistory circuit
Read the Vézère valley’s archaeology in the National Museum of Prehistory, then return to Montignac.
Montignac
Domme and La Roque-Gageac river-village circuit
Link Domme’s bastide panorama with La Roque-Gageac’s cliff-and-river public village circuit.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Marqueyssac garden and belvedere circuit
Use the seventh day for Marqueyssac’s open garden paths and one suitable belvedere circuit above the valley.
Beynac-et-Cazenac

Choose your length

6-day plan6 stops · 7.2 h transit1 stops/day · 1.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →7-day plan7 stops · 7.7 h transit1 stops/day · 1.1 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: May, June, July, August, September

The full heritage loop is supported in these months, but timed Lascaux IV admission, dated museum and castle access, summer heat, roads and parking still need confirmation.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

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View ready-made plans