Day 5 unfolds in the self-proclaimed prehistoric capital, Les Eyzies, where limestone escarpments shelter caves and ancient rock shelters. Stroll the lanes, browse terrace cafés, and consider the superb National Museum of Prehistory, which explains how early humans thrived in the Vézère Valley and decorated nearby caverns with vivid animal figures.

Use the morning to enjoy a free afternoon or to trace the riverside path beneath overhangs once used as dwellings. The setting reveals why so many UNESCO-listed sites cluster here: water, shelter, and rich hunting grounds. The atmosphere is quietly powerful—layers of human time pressed into warm rock and the sparkle of the Vézère drifting past.

Day 7 is yours in Montignac. Enjoy a free afternoon wandering the river promenade, peering into timber-framed houses and small galleries. A short uphill walk leads to the ruined château viewpoint, where rooftops and the curving Vézère spread out below—ideal for photos and a moment’s quiet.

Montignac’s streets hint at an older town that prospered from river trade. Today the cafés serve regional tarts and walnut cake, and cyclists compare routes beneath shade trees. It’s an easygoing interlude before tomorrow’s return ride, with time to pause for photos and reflection or relax by your hotel pool.

On day 2 and day 3, sit down to included regional dinners that showcase Périgord’s cuisine. Expect duck and goose specialties, earthy pommes de terre sarladaises scented with garlic and parsley, and seasonal mushrooms. Desserts might feature tarte aux noix, the area’s emblematic walnut tart, paired with a glass from nearby Bergerac or Bordeaux.

Your hosts celebrate the produits du terroir, turning market ingredients into generous, unhurried meals. It’s an invitation to linger—swapping stories from the day’s ride, noting the luminous stone of Sarlat at dusk, and toasting tomorrow’s path along the river valleys.

Trade pedals for paddles on day 5 and canoe the gentle Vézère from Les Eyzies. Drift beneath ochre cliffs pocked with overhangs, watch for kingfishers skimming the surface, and beach on pebbly spits for picnics and photos. The slow current and broad bends make this a relaxing way to see the valley from river level.

All equipment and route briefing are provided locally. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, with distances suited to casual paddlers. It offers a different rhythm of the landscape—the hush of water, the cool under rock ledges, and the soft echo of voices along the banks.

On day 5, extend your exploration with a scenic cycling loop through the Vézère’s wooded spurs, culminating at the Abri du Cap Blanc. Here, a rare frieze of Paleolithic horse sculptures emerges from creamy limestone, offering a striking encounter with Ice Age artistry in situ.

This optional experience combines satisfying rolling terrain with a cornerstone of prehistory. Museum entry is at additional cost and bookable on tour; the ride itself follows quiet lanes and river views, with time to pause for photos and reflection at viewpoints and village squares along the way.

From Montignac on day 7, take a short spin to the celebrated Lascaux cave complex. Join a guided visit at Lascaux II (meticulous replica) or the immersive Lascaux IV International Centre, where the Hall of the Bulls and other panels reveal dynamic bison, horses, and deer painted over 17,000 years ago.

This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (subject to availability). The interpretation sheds light on techniques, pigments, and the cave’s 1940 discovery by local children—an engrossing bridge between modern Montignac and the deep human past beneath its hillsides.

On day 8, add a short detour to visit the Manoir d’Eyrignac gardens, celebrated for sculpted topiary, reflective water mirrors, and elegant green architecture. Wander allées framed by clipped yews and hornbeams, then relax by lily-tipped basins as birdsong rises from the surrounding hills.

This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour. It complements the day’s rural cycling with a moment of horticultural artistry, revealing how Périgord’s classical estates curated geometry and light to amplify the region’s soft, golden landscape.

Round off day 8 back in Souillac with a visit to the Vieille Prune distillery, where copper stills and oak barrels shape the town’s signature plum spirit. A short introduction explains local fruit varieties and aging, followed by a guided tasting that reveals notes of stone fruit, almond, and spice.

This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour. It’s a fragrant, convivial finale that connects the valley’s orchards to a time-honored craft—perfect for toasting the week’s rides and the river valleys that stitched your journey together.

Set out on day 4 to cycle the Dordogne’s river bends, tracing green banks toward Beynac-et-Cazenac. The hilltop fortress of Beynac commands spectacular views once coveted during the Hundred Years’ War, while the cobbled lanes below house artisan studios and quiet courtyards. Roll on to St-Cyprien, where a 12th-century abbey presides over cafés perfect for a leisurely lunch.

After the river flats, climb through oak woods, passing the celebrated Font-de-Gaume area, part of the UNESCO-listed prehistoric landscape. Your day ends in Les Eyzies, a village nestled beneath cliffs, where hotel gardens and a pool invite you to enjoy a free afternoon unwinding amid cicada song and warm stone.

On day 6, a short climb rewards you with a breezy freewheel to La Roque Saint-Christophe, a mile-long cliff riddled with troglodyte terraces once used as a fortified village. Continue riverside to Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, one of France’s “Plus Beaux Villages,” centered on a Romanesque church and stone bridges perfect for a picnic stop.

Pedal onward through meadows and walnut orchards to the medieval town of Montignac. The Vézère runs clear beneath willows, inviting a late-day stroll. This ride connects the valley’s dramatic geology with human ingenuity, revealing how people adapted dwellings to misty mountain passes—well, rather to cliff ledges and sheltered bends—in this storied river corridor.

On day 8, head west through farmland stitched with sunflower fields and chestnut groves. Stop in St-Amand-de-Coly, where a fortified Augustinian abbey watches over slate-roofed houses. Continue to Salignac, and, time allowing, a short detour to the famed Manoir d’Eyrignac gardens with their sculpted topiary and reflective pools.

The final miles unwind through traditional villages—St-Geniès, Eyvignes, Eybenes—before an easy glide into the Borrèze valley and your return to Souillac. It’s a satisfying close-loop ride linking rural heritage and elegant gardens, with the river once again guiding you home.

Choose this day 3 add-on to cycle the panoramic ridge to Domme, a bastide village perched high above the Dordogne. From the Belvédère de la Barre, scan a tapestry of cliffs, walnut groves, and river bends. Swing down to La Roque-Gageac, built beneath overhanging rock, where sun-warmed stone houses line the water’s edge.

This optional ride offers sweeping views and classic village scenes; entrances and refreshments are not included. Available at additional cost and bookable on tour (e-bike upgrades or local guided visits can be arranged), it’s a rewarding loop for confident cyclists seeking extra elevation and photo stops.

On day 3, pick up a device at the tourist office and follow a self-guided audio tour through Sarlat’s winding lanes. Stories of merchants, stonemasons, and town officials bring the medieval facades to life, from sculpted doorways to hidden courtyards and the shadowed nave of nearby churches.

This optional experience deepens your appreciation of the town’s urban fabric and careful restoration. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour (staff will point you to the pick-up point and suggested circuits), leaving you free to pause for photos or a market tasting along the way.

On day 3, enjoy a free day in the old capital of Périgord Noir. Meander Sarlat’s Vieux Quartier, where mansard roofs and sculpted lintels glow in warm limestone hues. Linger around Place de la Liberté, browse delicatessens piled with foie gras and walnuts, and listen to buskers echoing between narrow lanes.

Sarlat’s market (Wednesday and Saturday) brings the countryside to town, with stalls of truffles in season and cheeses from surrounding farms. Pick up the self-guided audio walk at the tourist office if you wish, or simply let the medieval street plan lead you. The day is yours to soak in the lakeside atmosphere—without a lake, this phrase should be omitted—so instead, soak in the town’s timeless rhythm.

On day 2, begin your self-guided adventure with a ride along the Dordogne Valley, where walnut groves and limestone bluffs frame the road. There’s time to pause for photos and reflection near the Château de Fénelon, whose ramparts recall the region’s turbulent medieval past. The route picks up a smooth stretch of disused railway line, ideal for easy pedalling and birdsong.

A final gentle climb leads to the outskirts of Sarlat-la-Canéda, a town famous for its golden stone and lively markets. Check in, cool off with a swim, and savor the anticipation of tomorrow’s discoveries as evening settles over Périgord Noir and the valley grows quiet.

Arrive in the bustling gateway town of Souillac and take a gentle orientation stroll to stretch your legs on day 1. Wander past café terraces and stone facades to the Benedictine Abbey Sainte-Marie, renowned for its Romanesque carvings and serene cloister. Pause to admire the honey-colored masonry and the cool shade of plane trees lining the riverbanks.

Those with time can enjoy a free evening exploring lanes that lead to the quirky mechanical toy museum, a local favorite. Your Tour Documents point out easy walking routes and spots for a pre-dinner apéritif, helping you tune into the pace of Périgord life and the gentle roll of the Dordogne countryside beyond.