Keys to dicovery
 
Visit the Heritage Centre in Carennac, housed in the Deans’ Castle. From Easter to All Saints’ Day, explore the many different facets of the Dordogne Valley, a Land of Art and History, at the castle where Fénelon is said to have composed his Adventures of Telemachus.

Martel, Saint-Céré and Bretenoux: explore the villages of the Dordogne Valley, a Land of Art and History, in the company of a guide. On the agenda: discovery-tours, shows, theme-based tours and nature tours. Stop off at the National Automata and Robotics Museum in Souillac. This museum is home to over 300 exhibits from the Roullet-Descamps workshops including mechanical toys and automata, musicians and animated scenes. It is one of the largest collections in Europe!

Park your car and follow the Dordogne Valley: • By canoe: the Dordogne offers many sporting itineraries and a long sequence of truly majestic views. Choose from a wide selection of canoe tours and lessons catering to all levels of ability. • Take a trip on the Upper-Quercy tourist train, which will take you through the valley on board a traditional steam train or a 1950s railcar. Spectacular views are guaranteed! In fact, the train tracks are partly cut into the Mirandol cliff face, which towers 80 metres above the Dordogne River.

A large number of festivals and events are held in the Dordogne Valley. Don’t miss the Souillac Jazz Festival in July, the Saint-Céré and Upper-Quercy Music Festivals in July and August and the Eccausystème Sound Festival in July. Sites of interest near the Dordogne Valley: the Padirac Chasm, Rocamadour, one of the Midi-Pyrenees’ Major Historical Sites, the delightful villages of Autoire and Loubressac, Montal and Castelnau Castles and, of course, the studio of Jean Lurçat, who is famous for reviving the art of modern tapestry, in St-Laurent-les-Tours..