Canoeing on the Dordogne

• One of France's most celebrated rivers: wide, peaceful, calm, flat
• Excellent for families: fun for children, easy for beginners
• Friendly hotels, all with pools; superb cuisine
• Lots of sightseeing all along the river: majestic chateaux, picturesque perched villages, troglodyte cave dwellings
• Canadian canoes, kayaks available too; possibility of bikes for all rest days

This canoeing holiday is a leisurely way to explore one of France's most interesting waterways. There are no major weirs to carry your canoe round, and the flow of the water does much of the work for you! The Dordogne river has glorious golden-pink limestone cliffs and runs through the walnut groves and truffle woods of the Perigord. You have many opportunities for sightseeing as you travel downstream past chateaux (both imposing and magnificent), ancient villages, and world-famous prehistoric sites. Plenty of diversions away from the river, too: from Souillac you can visit the prehistoric sites of Lascaux and Les Eyzies, or, from St Sozy, get to Rocamadour, a spectacular cliff-clinging town.

The canoeing is safe, not demanding, and we give you a lesson on handling your canoe before you set off. We have chosen lovely, friendly hotels throughout, all with their own swimming pools.

Note: All customers must be able to swim at least 50m fully clothed. We provide 2/3 person canoes (minimum age 8 years). Single-person kayaks are also available if specified when you book. Only suitable for children over 12 unless experienced. Should the river, at any point, be deemed too high to safely canoe, we will provide Headwater bikes at no extra charge for all days affected.