Holidays in Périgord

Périgord is customarily divided into four parts, each referred to by a different colour and each with its own distinctive features :  Périgord Vert (green), Périgord Blanc (white), Périgord Noir (black) and Périgord Pourpre (purple).

In the north, Périgord Vert gets its name from the vast oak forests which make it an area highly suited to outdoor activities and walking. There are also quite a few superb heritage attractions, like the Château de Puyguilhem, which dates back to the Renaissance and has a style very similar to the ‘Châteaux de la Loire’, and the Grotte de Villars (caves), where you can see Palaeolithic cave paintings very like those at Lascaux.

Lascaux itself with its amazing cave paintings is in Périgord Noir, an area with many medieval towns and places of interest to visit. For example, you can learn lots about the history of the region, from Prehistory to the Renaissance, in the Gardens of the Manoir d’Eyrignac.

Périgord Blanc is mainly rural but with the largest town in Périgord : Périgueux. Périgueux is an Art and History town with a very rich heritage of 44 listed historic buildings ranging from Antiquity to the Renaissance. With its multiple restaurants, it is a favourite place to enjoy Périgord gastronomic delights including famous black truffles and local walnuts which enhance many typical dishes. Lastly,

Périgord Pourpre takes its name from the colour of its vine leaves, making it a great destination for wine tourism, in particular the Bergerac area and the Château de Monbazillac. Four different colours for four different, but complementary, destinations in a varied landscape with age-old traditions, offering the opportunity to make the most of the great outdoors, to explore a very rich heritage dating back to prehistoric times,  to enjoy excellent gourmet food and to follow the regional wine trail.  .