Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park
Whether you explore it from East to West or from North to South, the Périgord-Limousin regional Natural Park is well worth visiting at any time of year.
Outdoor activities at the heart of the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park
Savour the harmoniously balanced environment between man and nature in picturesque villages, attractive scenery and delicious local products. The Park has so much to see and do for people of all ages, from chateaux and natural attractions to Assiette de Pays® (local food) and drink, so don’t hesitate to go off in search of the treasures of Périgord and the warm welcome that awaits you !
Walking : the Park has a network of over 2,000km of designated footpaths and organises free, themed walks, guided walks and hikes throughout the year. In addition, the GR4, GR48, GR436 hiking paths, the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela all run through the Park.
Mountain biking : a nationally-approved mountain bike centre at the heart of the park offers mountain bike hire and outings accompanied by a qualified monitor.
Traffic-free ‘greenway’ (voie verte) : a 17km stretch of the old 19th century railway line between Thiviers and Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière has been converted into a traffic-free path for walkers and cyclists. Allow 1 hour to cover the whole route by mountain bike and 3 hours on foot.
Walks and treks with donkeys : the donkey and pony centre at Chalais offers walks with donkeys with saddles or pack saddles (2 hours, 1 day or several days with pre-arranged stopovers). Activities for children, farm visits. At Abjat sur Bandiat, donkey hire with pack saddles.
Other outdoor activities in Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park
There are plenty of other outdoor activities to do in the Park like swimming and fishing in the numerous lakes, fishing and canoeing on rivers and even panning for gold ! This unusual activity takes place in the east of Périgord under the guidance of professional gold prospectors. For those with a head for heights, there is rock-climbing (at Jumilhac-le-Grand), treetop adventure trails (Nontron and Brantôme) and hot air balloon trips for a totally different view of Périgord.
Geocaching : armed with the smartphone app "Terra Aventura", set off on an adventure to collect clues, solve puzzles and find treasure – a wonderful way to explore forests and villages and unusual places with family or friends while searching for ‘POÏ'Z’, characters from a fantasy universe.
