Over & Under the Dordogne, France
When it comes to choosing a holiday destination for camping in France, the Dordogne has plenty to offer. Because of the geology of the region, some of its most famous attractions are actually under the Dordogne in some of its many cave formations.
The Dordogne departmente in western France is a lovely area of countryside. With the Camping les Granges campsite at Grolejac and two sites at Sarlat, taking a camping holiday here means being close to a number of interesting tourist spots.
The Lascaux Caves
There is almost as much to see underground in the Dordogne as there is above land. One of the notable attractions is at Lascaux where there are surviving cave paintings from the Palaeolithic era. This UNESCO protected World Heritage Site is home to ancient images, mostly of human figures and animals like horses, bulls and deer, that are said to be over 19,000 years old.
It is worth planning ahead, however, as this attraction is often closed for maintenance because of the degradation to the art caused by cave visitors. This includes a fungus that needs to be removed regularly because of the lights and the air conditioning. This means that although you get to see some of the thousands of paintings during a camping holiday in France, you may be looking at reproductions rather than the originals. An interesting piece of trivia about the Lascaux caves is that the original prehistoric treasure was discovered by four boys and their dog, Robot.
La Roque St-Christophe
This is a limestone cliff next to the Vezere River that may have been home to the same artists that decorated the Lascaux Caves. At La Roque St-Christophe you can learn about the history of troglodytes in this region and the lives of cave dwellers through the ages. The way the cave men made a home here is remarkable, carving openings and chambers in the fissure of the cliff, so it appears like they lived in the hillside upon a balcony of stone.
The Grotte du Grand Roc
A fifteen minute drive along the valley is another rock formation to visit while camping in France’s Dordogne region. Although the Grotte du Grand Roc is not as enclosed as the Dordogne’s other cave formations, it is equally dramatic. Simply put, the Grotte du Grand Roc is a large cliff face of striped rock that appears to lean outwards overhead. What makes it more peculiar is that there is a whole street of houses built under the overhang so that one side of them is sheltered by the rock face. It is an incongruous sight, and might cause a little neck ache as you crane to take it in.
The Fortress Castle at Castelnaud
Thankfully, not all the best things to see while camping in France are underground, and this particular rock formation in the Dordogne also happens to be man-made. The chateau at Castelnaud assumes the perfect defensive position at the top of a hill overlooking the steep winding lanes of the quaint village below. Now more picturesque than military, the chateau would look at home in the Swiss Alps. Its walls and keep are built into the hilltop so that the grassy slope of the hill continues inside of the castle. From the top of the walls you can get a great view of the valley, looking down upon the beautiful wooded hillside and lake at the bottom of the hill.
Lorraine Waddell is the brand and advertising manager of Canvas Holidays, a leading European camping operator that provides the best selection of sites for camping in France . With over 40 years of experience, Canvas offer superb camping holidays to France, Spain and a total of 9 European countries.
Related Videos :
- Morning Glory Travel On
From The “This Is No Time Ta Sleep” album NOTE- Hidden song On Divide By when you buy it on Itunes Lyrics so here we are again sleeping on the bridges in the rain under the new sky again i hear the rumble of the train another city to refuse another bout of those hopeless wandering blues you know we' ve still got one more chance to lose do what' s true, true - UNICEF MTV EXIT and The Killers Goodnight Travel Well
LONDON, United Kingdom, 13 July 2009 — Starting today, MTV audiences around the world will see a new music video that aims to raise awareness about *** trafficking. Featuring the rock band The Killers, the video is an exclusive collaboration between UNICEF, MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) and the US Agency for International Development. The track, Goodnight, Travel Well, is from the album Day & Age. The video is the second in a - Shaving with a camping knife
This shaving clip is from our “Advanced Blade Sharpening” DVD, which is a sequel to our “Introduction to Knife Sharpening.” These two DVDs offer a comprehensive guide to sharpening in which Murray Carter, Master Bladesmith and owner of Carter Cutlery, explains what you need to become an expert at sharpening knives. With this knowledge and a little practice, you will soon be able to make a knife sharp enough you - Paris in France Amazing City Exclusive video
Paris is the capital city of France. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the le-de-France region (“Rgion parisienne”). Paris has an estimated population of 2153600 within its administrative limits. An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world' s leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, - Maggie Reilly Mike Oldfield To France 84
Maggie Reilly & Mike Oldfield – To France ' 84 LYRICS: Taking on Water Sailing a restless sea From a memory A fantasy The wind carries Into white water Far from the islands Don' t you know you' re Never going to get to France Mary Queen of chance will they find you Never going to get to France Could a new romance ever bind you
Related News :
- Gulf Air is setting success flight path
FEARS of mass redundancies at Gulf Air were quashed yesterday by new chief executive Samer Al Majali. He dismissed union claims that lists of staff to be sacked had already been drawn up as totally untrue – but admitted that manpower levels would be reduced.
- US economy up 3 5 Done Jones rising 200 points
U.S. stocks rallied and lodged their best day in 3 months as investors rushed into the market on word the American economy grew faster than expected in summer. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 200 points Thursday to recoup most of its losses for the week. The Commerce Department’s report that gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the third quarter reinvigorated…
- ND s longest serving inmate paroled after 40 years
During the 40 years convicted murderer James LeRoy Iverson watched from his prison cell window, he saw a field transform from a nesting ground for geese to a Walmart Supercenter site.
- New Celestial Map Gives Directions For GPS
Many of us have been rescued from unfamiliar territory by directions from a Global Positioning System navigator. GPS satellites send signals to a receiver in your GPS navigator, which calculates your position based on the location of the satellites and your distance from them. The distance is determined by how long it took the signals from various satellites to reach your receiver.
- Bires in the No 11 at Atlanta
Kelly Bires Atlanta Motor Speedway Sponsor: RIDEMAKERZ Owners: Tony & Bryan Mullet Nationwide Crew Chief: Paul Wolfe Nationwide Chassis: 017 Manufacturer: Toyota Engine Builder: Triad Kelly Bires Quick Facts: Kelly Bires will make his first appearance behind the wheel of the No. 11 RIDEMAKERZ Toyota this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway The Mauston, WI native began driving in the NASCAR…
- Rise in sales bolsters Wright Medical
Wright Medical Group Inc. pointed to the higher end of its projected sales range of $475 million to $485 million for the year on higher quarterly revenues but flat earnings. The Arlington-based medical device maker reported third-quarter sales of $117.7 million, a 6 percent increase over the same period a year ago. Earnings for the quarter were flat against the third quarter of 2008 at $4.2…
- Children suffering from chronic headache may outgrow the condition
Most children who suffer from chronic daily headache may outgrow the disabling condition, according to research published in the July 15, 2009, online issue of Neurology?, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Nearly 1.5 percent of middle ****** children are affected by chronic daily headache, which includes chronic migraines and tension-type headaches.
- Open Committee meeting leads to public outcry regarding beach areas
Editor: Note: This story reflects the concerns expressed at the Public Safety Committee meeting last week. That meeting can be viewed in its entirety at www.journalpress.com. Click on Colonial Beach meetings. While press reports about the meeting have been negative so far, the committee is still in the process of attempting to deal with a problem presented to it earlier this summer. Colonial…
- Source Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will appear in court before game
Michael Vick will appear in bankruptcy court in Newport News, Va., on Thursday morning and then fly back to Philadelphia to be eligible to play in the Eagles third preseason game, a source close to Vick told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio on Sunday.