and drink
One cannot write any sort of book about the Dordogne without mentioning the food, and there is nothing more delightful than sitting down to a menu de terroir (menu of local specialities) in a village restaurant after a long day’s walk, when you feel justified in being really hungry!
The Dordogne is generally referred to as Périgord when it comes to food, and is well known as the home of goose and duck, truffles and mushrooms, nuts and fruits – all accompanied by a good wine from the Bergerac vineyards.
A traditional meal often starts with the renowned foie gras, a smooth, rich paté made from the enlarged livers of goose or duck after they have been force-fed, best eaten with slivers of toast. Another regional entrée is salade du gesiers, preserved duck gizzards served warm on crisp lettuce, or tourin blanchi, a soup made from goose fat, garlic and eggs.
For the main course confit often appears, where the meat of the duck is preserved and then cooked in its own thick fat and often served with pommes sarladaise, consisting of thickly sliced potatoes fried in goose fat and garlic. Magret de canard (grilled duck breasts) is another speciality often on the menu. You will also find duck and goose served up in sausages or cassoulet (a sort of meat stew with haricot beans). In fact, the fat of ducks and geese is used for cooking just about everything, and gives every dish a delicious taste.
Geese ready to be fattened
Alternatives to duck or goose are local lamb, raised on the nearby causses in the Quercy; pork, which is often stuffed with garlic, prunes and truffles; game such as rabbit, hare or wood pigeon (pigeonneau), served in a variety of ways; or beef from nearby Limousin.
Freshwater fish often appears on the menus around Bergerac and along the river, where trout, pike and perch are fished, and you will come across eels and lampreys poached in wine. Nearer to Bordeaux a wide range of fresh sea fish from the Atlantic is available.
Truffles appear in many menus, sometimes in foie gras, or in an omelette or a sauce, and in autumn there are other types of delicious mushrooms, such as morilles, chanterelles, girolles and bolets to add flavour to the meals.
The only local cheese readily available is a goat’s cheese called cabécou which comes from the Rocamadour region. In contrast, the desserts are delicious, consisting either of fresh fruit or fruit tarts, one speciality being clafoutis, where the fruit is cooked in a batter-like cake mixture. The juiciest strawberries in the whole of France are said to come from the Dordogne, and cherry, peach and plum orchards abound, especially south of Bergerac. Walnut cakes and tarts are also popular, and nut liqueur is much appreciated.
The vineyards of Bergerac produce both red and white wines which are generally better value than those of the more prestigious Bordeaux nearby. It is worth trying the sweet Monbazillac white wine, which is often served with foie gras, and the less sweet Saussignac white. The red wines are mostly sold as Bergerac or Côtes du Bergerac, and another strong red is Pécharmant. When eating out it is a good idea to order the local house wine (vin de table), which is usually served in a jug.
Regional food and wine can always be found in the many local markets which are held once or twice a week and are great fun to wander around. In addition, there are special foires or food festivals at different times of the year, and some of those worth seeking out are at Sarlat, which has a Truffle Festival in January and a Goose Fair in March; Rocamadour, which has a Cheese Festival at Whitsun; and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, which has a Strawberry Festival in May. Weekly market days are listed in Appendix B.
Colourful stalls at Sarlat market
What to take
The Dordogne does not suffer from extreme ranges of temperature, although in general summers are hotter than those in the UK.
The best solution is to dress in light layers and, even if the weather looks good, take a breathable windproof jacket. Lightweight, quick-drying trousers are the most comfortable for walking – those that zip down into shorts are very practical, as even on hot days you may need long trousers to avoid getting scratched by undergrowth and prickly bushes. When the sun shines the rays are intense, so sun protection is important, as is a sun hat and sunglasses.
Walking in the Dordogne is not comparable to trekking in more rugged country, and many of the walks in this guide could be done in a good pair of training shoes. However, it is preferable and more comfortable to have a lightweight pair of boots with ankle support and soles with a good tread. Proper walking socks can also make an enormous difference to foot comfort. Most hikers now use trekking poles which help with balance, especially if you are tired. The lightest available are made of carbon fibre, and lever-lock adjustments are the easiest to use.
As none of the walks described is long, a light-weight rucksack is quite adequate. It is wise to carry a whistle and a good quality compass, and a mobile phone can be life-saving if you have an accident, although it may not work in certain areas.
A GPS is useful in bad weather or if you get lost, and many GPS units now incorporate a compass and an altimeter, based on barometric pressure and/or satellite trigonometry. There has been no let-up in the evolution of GPS technology over the past 20 years, with increased power of sophisticated hand-held units, including custom maps for downloading, and access to more satellites (including Russian ones). It is worth checking the market carefully before purchasing a GPS unit, putting the accent on good signal reception and battery life, good screen visibility in bright light, easy operation, robust and not too large and heavy. There is also a learning curve, but the effort is well-rewarded and Pete Hawkin’s Cicerone guide Navigating with a GPS gives a useful introduction.
Manufacturers’ maps for GPS download are usually very expensive, and the French IGN 1:25,000 products are no exception. However, there are open software products that are surprising effective and versatile, with special mention for openmtbmap.org (‘mtb’ covers mountain biking and hiking).
EQUIPMENT LIST
The following is a suggested list for your rucksack on a day walk:
the route description from this walking guide
the IGN 1:25.000 map recommended in the walk information box
lightweight waterproof anorak
cape or poncho that goes over everything including your rucksack (useful in the rain and for sitting on)
lightweight fleece or sweater
spare socks
sun hat, sunglasses, high-factor sun cream and lip salve
basic first-aid kit, including insect repellent and moleskins for blisters
picnic and snacks (sweets, chocolates, high energy bars, dried fruit and nuts)
water bottle – it is essential to take lots of water if the weather is hot; do not drink from streams or dubious village fountains
mobile phone, whistle, penknife and compass
optional extras: GPS, camera, binoculars and reference books (for flowers or birds)
Waymarking
The
