Dordogne & Lot

Bradt's Dordogne & Lot, with Bordeaux & Toulouse is the most detailed guide to the entire region, with coverage that includes the Lot-et-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne in addition to Dordogne, Lot and Bordeaux. Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls (authors of the original Cadogan guide to the area) have lived in the Lot valley for over thirty years and are the perfect guides to the region's landscapes, towns, food, art, architecture and, of course, wine: Bordeaux's 8,800 wine châteaux produce on average 650 million bottles a year!Their guide starts with Bordeaux, the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region as well as the world capital of wine, along with the départements of the Gironde, Dordogne, Lot, Lot-et-Garonne, and Tarn-et-Garonne in between. This is a land of great wines and stunning rivers, encompassing long sandy beaches along the Côte d'Argent (with Europe's biggest sand dune on the south end), forests and rolling hills. Here, too, are the UNESCO-listed Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley, and extraordinary Palaeolithic masterpieces (Lascaux, Font de Gaume and Pech Merle). History has been made here, evidenced in medieval castles and bastides, and beautiful old cities such as Sarlat, Périgueux, St-Émilion, Cahors and Figeac. Hundreds of unspoiled villages dot landscapes that are among the most idyllic in France, while Romanesque churches, including the great abbey at Moissac, are a feast for art lovers.Outdoor activities are well covered, too, including cycling, sailing, surfing, canoeing, kayaking and walking the numerous Grand Randonnées (including three main routes of the Camino de Santiago) that pass through here, along with scores of other paths. And last but not least, the food is good: think truffles, oysters, duck, saffron, strawberries and melons, walnut groves and orchards. The weekly markets are gorgeous, and the summers are filled with wine, music and theatre festivals.All of this and more is covered by expert authors Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls in this new title from Bradt, offering all the information you need both prior to departure and while on the road.

Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls have lived in the Lot Valley since 1989, and over the decades have uncovered all the ins and outs (and quirks) of the region. Their children went to school here and they have even picked up the local twangy accent and know how to make garlic tourain soup, pommes de terre sarladaises and cassoulet with the best of them. They've been to nearly all of the festivals at least once, climbed the Dune de Pilat, and poked around every single Romanesque church. After all these years, what they don't know about the region isn't worth knowing.