Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Holidays in Dordogne

Holidays in Dordogne

Dordogne Visit to ancient history

Dordogne department is located in the region Aquitaine on the southwestern side of France. Dordogne is said to contain some of the best kept secret palaces and castles in France. There are around 1001 estimated palaces and castles in this area.

The region of Dordogne is marked by an array of beautiful medieval villages along a scenic countryside. The climate is mostly warm and thus it is a very ideal place for travel and exploration.

Historical Destinations in Dordogne

Dordogne is heaven for those who love history. Apart from its numerous castles and historical monuments, the V�z�re Valley is a hosts many sites of much prehistoric significance. It is because of the presence of these sites that UNSESCO has given Dordogne the status of world heritage. It is a place which has witnessed important historical events. The notable places to be visited in this area are Grotte des Combarelles for the unique kind of engravings found there. Similarly Grotte du Grand Roc features adequate� cave system� and cave paintings. Also another place at Abri du Cap Blanc hosts the prehistoric sculpture. Because of such noteworthy places, the valley is also referred to as the �Cradle of human race�. Declared as national monuments, V�z�re Valley has about 147 sites listed with UNESCO as world heritage sites. Found in 1940 are the world famous Lascaux caves. Believed to be over 17000 old, these caves are rich in paintings of various animals. There are lot of efforts going on for the preservation of the carvings and paintings in these caves.

The other major attractions in Dordogne are its 1001 castles. Some of these are open to public while many others are not open to public visits. Some castles are very old and seem un- touched since medieval periods. However, one can see clear marks of English - French wars on numerous castles.

Culture and Cuisine

Many houses here have been centers of wine production. These are typically called as the chateau. The Dordogne area sports many chateaus. The place has traditional markets which are held periodically on the same place for several hundred years. One can indulge themselves in variety of traditional delicacies made from local farmers� organic produce. The visitors can eat in the market on the stalls and can also enjoy traditional music. The Nocturnal markets present very good opportunity for enjoying this kind of traditional dinners.

The large area of Dordogne is difficult to be covered in a single visit. Thus, there are plenty of repeat visitors traveling this part of France.

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