Mr Jenkinson says...
Superb holiday! Andrew and Janet were extremely helpful and made for an extremely relaxing holiday. Accomodation and food was generally excellent, with ...
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Explore one of the most fascinating corners of the Dordogne on this varied and flexible, walking, cycling and canoeing holiday. The Perigord Noir, arguably one of the most attractive parts of the Dordogne, is named as such for its rich dark oak and chestnut forests which fill the very heart of this region. The area offers spectacular scenery with ancient chateaux perched high above the rugged cliffs overlooking the entire valley. You'll find mediaeval villages full of character and a plethora of historical sites including the Benedictine Abbaye Sainte-Marie in Souillac, founded during the 12th century and which suffered badly during the Hundred Years' War.
On foot, bike and by canoe, venture through the Perigord experiencing what this picturesque region has to offer. You have total flexibility with the choice of either walking or cycling routes when you're not canoeing. The canoeing is safe and undemanding, and we will give you a lesson in handling your canoe before you set off. Your journey starts in Rocamadour, a spectacular cliff-clinging town and home to one of France's most venerated sites, before moving on to Meyronne, on the banks of the Dordogne. From here you pick up your paddle, canoeing downstream to Souillac and on to Beynac with its hilltop castle, captured by Richard the Lionheart in 1179, finally arriving in medieval Sarlat.
You will stay in characterful 3 star hotels throughout, all with outdoor swimming pools. These range from a stunningly converted 11th century chateau to a panoramic country house, set in its own private parkland.
NB: 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.
Arrive at your 3 star hotel, just a stone's throw from Rocamadour's ancient town walls.
You stay at the Hotel Les Esclargies (breakfast included)
Before you leave UNESCO Rocamadour, why not explore its pretty medieval alleyways, in particular its famous sanctuary and revered shrine to the Black Madonna? Walkers and cyclists then make their way to Meyronne via the Grottes de Lacave.
You stay at the Hotel La Terrasse (breakfast and evening meal)
Lots of choice today. Either relax by the hotel pool, walk to the panoramic Roc des Monges or head to picturesque Martel, where the son of Henry II, (called Henry Court-Mantel for the new short cloak he made fashionable) died during the Hundred Years War; the house where he died is still visible today. Alternatively, travel by taxi to the Gouffre de Padirac, an enormous chasm where you descend into an underground cave system which you then explore by boat along the subterranean stream.
You stay at the Hotel La Terrasse (breakfast and evening meal)
We meet you after breakfast for your briefing and canoeing lesson before you set off on this easy paddle, taking you below pinky-gold cliffs with buzzards and kites soaring overhead and the imposing chateaux of Belcastel and de la Treyne (to name but two), perched up high above the river.
You stay at La Vieille Auberge (breakfast included)
Wander round this bustling town, people watch or visit the Musee de l'Automate which holds the largest collection of mechanical toys and dolls in France. You might also like to walk to La Durantie for some of the most stunning views along the Dordogne Valley or cycle to the Chateau de Fenelon, a Cathar stronghold during the 12th and 13th century. There is also the option to cycle to the impressive Jardins de Cadiot made up of ten gardens within two hectares of land - the choice is yours!
You stay at La Vieille Auberge (breakfast included)
Its gentle paddling again today down to Grolejac through the heart of peaceful and prosperous Perigord countryside, leaving plenty of time for swimming, picnicking or just lazing by the river. We pick you up and take you to the tranquil Chateau de Monrecour where you stay for the next two nights.
You stay at the Chateau de Monrecour (breakfast and evening meal)
Stroll to Beynac and climb the steep footpath lined with 15th to 17th century stone houses up to the spectacular 13th century hilltop chateau; the reward for your effort is the breathtaking view of the serpentine sweep of the river. Or you could visit the beautiful Jardins de Marqueyssac and the impressive Chateau de Castelnaud (approximately 6km/4mi away).
You stay at the Chateau de Monrecour (breakfast and evening meal)
Today you can choose to go on foot or pedal through pretty villages and shaded woods before arriving at medieval Sarlat with its Renaissance facades and richly ornamented buildings now protected by law. Wander through the narrow streets, discovering ancient courtyards as you peep through ornate archways, then its on to the tranquility of your hotel, in time for a last dip in the pool before dinner.
You stay at the Hotel Meysset (breakfast and evening meal)
Please note that cycling helmets are compulsory in France for children under 12. As we are unable to provide these, we strongly recommend that you bring your own.
Please see our Planning you holiday page for full details.
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Superior Room or Suite.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Luxe Room.
Luxe rooms are larger rooms with 4 poster bed and jet shower.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Superior Room or Suite.
Suites are larger rooms suitable for families. Supplements are per person per night.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades: Deluxe room.
The deluxe room is larger than the standard room.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Souillac train station at 16:30 Mon-Thurs & Sat, 15:18 Fri and 18:34 Sun and back to Souillac train station at 10:30 Mon-Sat 07:30 & Sun.
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 1-800-267-3347 or email us at usa@exodustravels.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Superb holiday! Andrew and Janet were extremely helpful and made for an extremely relaxing holiday. Accomodation and food was generally excellent, with some really exceptional meals (wine lists were extensive but quite expensive, generally minimum about €20 a bottle). Activities were well planned and clearly explained. Holiday does require a good level of fitness for the activities and the hotels, twice we were on the third floor but no lift (lots of stairs to carry suitcases up). Would highly recommend this holiday.
An excellent week mixing Canoeing and biking around the Dordogne with our 11 year old son. There are loads of places on route to stop off for a swim in the river, which is beautifully clean. There are also plenty of places to stop for drinks and a bite to eat.
We had a fantastic holiday. We stayed in some great places, had some wonderful food and cycled / canoed through some fantastic scenary. The local reps Janet and Andrew were superb and always available to help if needed. The bags, bikes and canoes were always in the right place at the right time. All we had to do was enjoy ourselves.
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday. Château Monrecour was the highlight for accommodation and food but we also found Relais Saint Anne to be very special. Our tour reps Janet and Andrew were fantastic. They went above and beyond to help us out and make sure everything went well. Everything went very smoothly with luggage transfers, bikes and canoes.
A super family break with relaxed canoeing and more challenging cycling. The pool at every hotel was very welcome, the bag transfer service slick and efficient and nothing was too much trouble for the reps. Chateau de Monrecour was a particular highlight, as was trying the via ferrata above the Dordogne!
The holiday overall was very good, with some excellent and some distinctly average hotels. The holiday overall is about the activities and the surroundings that you are in and in this respect the holiday was excellent. The reps were excellent and no complaints there at all. The quality of the equipment was excellent and the introduction to the use of was also excellent. Two things to note, the walk from the river to the hotel in Souillac does take the a while and although flat, carrying all the equipment and if you have young ones is a task in hot temperatures. Secondly the position of the hotel in Sarlat is stunning for the views but is overall poor and is situated as stated out of town. After a hard day walking or cycling, to walk into town and and back (back is uphill and 2.8 k ) is not easy in heat, and the hotel said that it was almost impossible to get taxis to do the short distance (for them) to and from the hotel. These two things aside the holiday is a good one and we would reccomend to others and Headwater are a good company, we have had two holidays with them now and would use again. To clarify the earlier statement about some of the hotels being average, we have had several of this type of holiday with other companies as well as Headwater and they all seem to throw in one hotel that is a bit of a let down, we are now used to this and it becomes a bit of a game to guess which it will be. As with this type of holiday you are only in one place for a couple of nights before moving on you can put up with a poorish hotel as you are not spending that much time there, but if you like top notch all the time then research the hotels closely.
professionally organised, good hotels in the main with excellent food. Local tour staff were first class, Jude and Tim were thoughtful, considerate and extremely helpful in every way. They provided excellent service and delivered a slick, personal service. The cycle routes were well mapped and very sensible quiet roads providing superb countryside views and charming tiny villages. The river canoe trips down the Dordogne were a highlight, so peaceful and the most relaxed activity we have ever done.
It was a great opportunity to take part in activities I might not otherwise have tried. You can only get the magnificent views of the Dordogne river that we had from a canoe.
Thoroughly enjoyable week of mixed canoeing and cycling. We had intended walking days too, but found there was so much we wanted to see cycling was the only way to encompass as much as we could. Canoeing down the Dordogne was truly serene and magical. Most accomodation and food really excellent.
A relaxing holiday with positive together time as a family - nothing gets everyone working together as well as arguing more - than getting lost in the Dordogne countryside an hour before lunch !
We last took on a headwater holiday15 years. Now we have an 8 year old daughter and 11 year old son. The dordogne was lush, warm and beautiful. The reps were helpful and knowledgable. The hotels were very french with great food. The activities were well balanced with relaxation at the pool. Super holiday i hope we dont wait another 15 years.
Dordogne is utterly beautiful, medieval chateaux rising from open woodland dotted with ancient villages. We hit a heatwave, so cycled rather than walked. Excellent maps (but read their key!) allowed us to discover our own way sometimes. The two days canoeing — we chose an open two-person canoe — were a revelation: clean river, beds of long green weeds flowering at the surface, home to dragonflies; real bliss, with occasional bursts of not-really-threatening adrenalin as we avoided shallows and bridge pillars. (Hard-working) Tim and Jude created a lovely laid-back, friendly, helpful feel for the 8 days. Hotels and food were superb.
Headwater provide gently active (this interpretation depends on one's level of fitness and expectation!) holidays in comfortable, interesting hotels and places. The restaurants vary, some are better than others, but in general they reach a very satisfactory standard. I think they are a great way to spend time exploring an area but with always the fall back of a pleasant hotel.
We had a wonderful mixed activity holiday cycling and canoeing down the Dordogne knowing we had excellent food and drink to look forward to after a hard days work. Pure bliss !!
We have just returned from an excellent 10 days in France, having never been to this area before, we now are keen to return! The walking and cycling was definitely 2 boot, but worth the climbs. And we really enjoyed the relaxed canoeing down The Dordogne. All hotels were excellent with fabulous food. Sarlet is very pretty and well worth the extra night, although it is a long climb up back to the hotel from the town.
Excellent holiday.
As a family of six, headwater is a great holiday choice for us. We enjoy spending the time together and the activities give us a shared focus and shared sense of achievement. The children age between 16 and eight, and they all enjoyed the holiday. It challenged their palates as well as their legs, as most of the hotels don't offer kids menus, but this worked out fine and they all discovered things they didn't know they might like. Canoeing was harder work than expected, but such a beautiful way to see the river. I really love headwater holidays, this is our third time and it definitely won't be our last. Now that all the children are confidently able to cycle we will try some more ambitious ones next time.
Excellent, good location, helpful reps, fantastic hotels, good food, well maintained equipment with all necessary ancillaries. It all makes to an active but stress free holiday.
Fantastic. The whole experience was wonderful. Travel was smooth - the 'local reps (Keith and Claire) were lovely, informed, committed and really, really nice couple. The itinerary was easy to follow and worked very well. Food superb and hotels great. thank you
A brilliant and well thought out holiday, with super routes and excellent hotels - well worth adding extra days to.
An excellent family activity holiday with a lovely range of hotels and universally excellent food. Chateau de Monrecour was a particular highlight. Look at the cycling routes carefully and plan the day especially with regard to food stops and water refills.
The holiday offered varied activities which were not too strenuous, although you needed some degree of fitness to enjoy them. The support offered by the local reps was excellent as was the food at the various hotels.
Excellent Holiday with easy walking and kayaking
A wonderfully relaxing holiday featuring the opportunity to mix a range of outdoor activities in a beautiful part of France with the chance to explore its towns, villages, sights and cuisine.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 8 night multi activity holiday holiday includes:
Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of hotels
All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
GPS route directions and maps
Headwater navigation app
High quality bikes
GPS route directions and maps
Headwater navigation app
Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)
Buoyancy aid and helmet
Canadian canoes or sit-on top kayaks
How to book:
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
We do not currently have departure dates and prices available on-line. The season may have ended for this tour, or we are still in the process of adding these details to our website. Please contact us for further details.
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Independent multi-activity holiday Managed locally by Headwater appointed agent.
Departures
Meals
All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals
Other details
This holiday is unsuitable for children under 8 (under 12 for kayaks) and is based on a minimum of 2 adults.
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Souillac train station at 16:30 Mon-Thurs & Sat, 15:18 Fri and 18:34 Sun and back to Souillac train station at 10:30 Mon-Sat 07:30 & Sun.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 1-800-267-3347 or email us at usa@exodustravels.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
