Gabarres and boat trips: the Dordogne at the pace of the old boatmen
3 places · 12.4 to 73.5 km from the villa
Photo Père Igor · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
For centuries, boatmen sailed down the Dordogne to Bordeaux, six to eight months a year, aboard flat-bottomed boats called gabarres, loaded with timber for barrel-making, walnut oil or wine. Today, replicas of these gabarres offer guided trips: the most peaceful way to discover the valley, without paddling.
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The gabarres of Beynac
Beynac-et-Cazenac · 12.4 km from the villa
At the foot of the castle, the Dordogne seen from the water
Photo Simon Hermans · Unsplash In Beynac too, gabarres set off on guided trips at the foot of the castle, one of the most spectacular in the valley. You board at the river's edge in the heart of the village: easy to combine the boat trip with a visit to the castle or lunch on a terrace.
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The gabarres of La Roque-Gageac
La Roque-Gageac · 13.7 km from the villa
A guided trip aboard the old boatmen's vessels
Photo Sheila C · Unsplash Gabarres are replicas of the flat-bottomed boats that once carried timber, wine or salt along the Dordogne. From La Roque-Gageac, two companies offer a guided trip of about 50 minutes, telling the story of the boatmen as you glide past the cliff, nearly 150 metres high, and the castles of the valley. A peaceful outing, ideal with grandparents or little ones.
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The gabarres of Bergerac
Bergerac · 73.5 km from the villa
For a day in Bergerac, a trip below the old town
Photo Benjamin Smith · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons Further downstream, Bergerac also has its gabarres, which leave from the Quai Salvette below the old town. The guided trip tells the story of the port and the wine trade; combine it with a stroll through the historic centre and a tasting in the vineyards.
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