Dordogne & Lot
Why go?
The worst thing about the Dordogne is its unsurprising but
undiminishing popularity. The best thing about the Dordogne is its
landscape carved by three lazy rivers, its fields of sunflowers
interspersed with maize, its amazing gorges topped by fortified
castles, its medieval villages shuttered against the heat. Further
seduction lies in its world-class wines and rich culinary heritage
(truffles, foie gras, confit de canard). The Dordogne is both a
département and a river, and to add to the confusion the
French call it Périgord, its pre-revolutionary name. The
Brits love the Dordogne, and the Dutch are fans, too.
The pre-revolutionary name of the slightly less-visited Lot is
Quercy. The area is hotter and drier than the thunderstorm-prone
Dordogne, has ruined castles by the hatful, dozy villages fringed
by fields of lavender, houses capped by conical turrets and markets
glistening with produce: walnut oil and cakes, strawberries, prunes
and mushrooms of every size and hue, pigs' trotters and foie gras -
the unavoidable delicacy of the region. Restaurants range from the
Michelin-star-studded to the ferme-auberge where you can be treated
to a luscious, menu-free meal for under €15 – eased down
by a delicious vin du pays. And if the Dordogne has the cave
paintings of Lascaux, the Lot has Pech Merle.