Gallery

    • Fly to Bergerac where we meet our guide. From here it is about a 30-minute drive down to our riverside hotel in Lalinde. The local area is most attractive, and before or after supper there will be a little time to explore the riverside locally where black kites float overhead, black redstarts sing from the rooftops and green frogs cackle along the banks.
    • Accommodation: Les Magnolias, 7-nights on full board basis.

    • Today we visit the dry stony habitats on the local honey-coloured Cretaceous limestone. The trip starts with a visit to the Trémolat viewpoint looking out over the River Dordogne, followed by a short walk to a field with a suprising array of orchids. Nearby we take a deer track through a wood of stunted downy oaks to a clearing with many more orchids including early purple and the scarce yellow bee, amongst others. This is also a good spot to get an idea of typical limestone flora. 

    • In the morning we head for Les Eyzies village, billed as the ‘Prehistory Capital of France’ and home to the National Museum of Prehistory and many settlement sites and caves with paintings locally. We will take a one hour trip on a small electric train at Rouffignac to see some wonderful black and white prehistoric cave paintings. 
    • Peregrines, ravens and crag martins nest on the cliffs along the Vézère valley and the area is also excellent for butterflies and orchids in the marshy meadows. In the woods golden oriole, western Bonelli’s warbler, firecrest and short-toed treecreeper are common. We’ll stop at several hotspots as we tour the valley. 

    • Eymet reservoir lies amongst arable farmland and small woods. As we walk around the smaller lake we will look for waterbirds and waders plus field and woodland birds like golden oriole and turtle dove and a variety of commoner orchids, dragonflies and butterflies. The pastures have rich bird populations including shrikes and black-winged kite whilst the limestone hillocks amongst the vineyards have a diverse flora including the pretty blue dwarf thistle-like Canduncellus mitissumus, whilst some vineyards hold scarce arable plants of earlier times.

    • Bessède is a managed forest on a sandy plateau, where forestry activities create different woodland habitats. We will visit various locations in the forest for birds like hen harrier, Dartford warbler, crested tit, golden oriole, turtle dove and wood warbler. Butterflies are varied and include marsh fritillary. Small ponds may hold some early dragonflies and we will visit a couple of good areas for orchids and heathland flora.

    • Plateau de Faux is a rather special birdwatching area, where species include crested lark, turtle dove, stone curlew, rock sparrow, hoopoe, and occasionally hen harrier and shrikes. Quail can be heard calling from the arable fields whilst nightingales and melodious warblers sing from the scrub. A reservoir site should add to our waterbird sightings and the surrounding low hills harbour a fascinating limestone flora. The plateau is also an excellent site for butterflies, with knapweed and Glanville fritillaries plus the scarcer mazarine and green-underside blue to be looked for, as well as several orchids including long-lipped tongue.

    • The Causse de Daglan is an exceptional area for flora and fauna. In contrast to earlier in the week around Trémolat, this area lies on more ancient white Jurassic limestone. Dry slopes here show a typical limestone flora different from the rest of Dordogne. 
    • We’ll visit sites such as Saint Pompon, Montalieu and Veyrines de Domme to discover the special flora including orchids. Sites include damp meadows where there is a chance of marsh orchids as well. It is also a very rich area for butterflies, including rarities.

    • We should have time for a morning trip on the river at Bergerac in a traditional ‘gabarre’ boat, which provides us with excellent views of nesting black kites as well as species such as kingfisher and grey wagtail. Then we will return to the airport for our flight back to the UK.

All prices are per person and include:

  • Services of the naturalist leader
  • Flights
  • Transfers
  • Accommodation
  • All meals
  • Guided activities

Accommodation

We are based at the attractive riverside Les Magnolias immediately upstream of Lalinde, a beautiful venue with comfortable rooms, fine food and excellent hosts. All rooms are en suite.

Meals

All main meals are included. Dordogne is noted for its excellent cuisine. Breakfast and dinner will be taken at the hotel and lunches in auberges, to sample the local cuisine ‘du terroir,’ or as picnics, depending upon the weather.

Birds

On our tour we will be keeping an eye open for a diverse range of birds, such as turtle dove, nightingale, melodious warbler, Bonelli’s warbler, golden oriole, cirl and corn buntings, rock sparrow, crested lark, stone curlew, hen harrier, honey buzzard, black-winged kite, hobby and hoopoe.

  • Hoopoe
  • Golden oriole
  • Melodious warbler
  • Stone curlew

Flora

At this time of year the flora of the Dordogne is outstanding. Orchids abound with over 30 species recorded. British rarities can be found alongside Mediterranean species. Especially rich are the many limestone habitats.

  • Lady orchid
  • Sombre bee orchid
  • Violet limodore
  • Long-tipped tongue orchid

Butterflies

Many species which are rare or extinct in the UK can be seen including European swallowtail, marsh fritillary and black-veined white. Southern species attracted by the warmer climate include scarce swallowtail, Cleopatra, turquoise blue, Berger’s clouded yellow and spotted fritillary. We will also look out for early dragonflies and other interesting insects.

  • Marsh fritillary
  • Turquoise blue
  • Scarce swallowtail
  • Cleopatra

Scenery

The area is dominated by the classic Dordogne oak forest and limestone meadows, cut through by the majestic River Dordogne. Our tour also takes us into a number of other interesting habitats including river cliffs, arable plains, heathlands and wetlands. The region is studded with pretty honey-coloured villages, ancient churches, chateaux and caves.

Boat trips

River conditions and time permitting, we take an hour-long cruise on the beautiful River Dordogne, in particular to appreciate black kites soaring overhead and nesting in riverside trees.

Photography

Our tour is designed as a gentle introduction to the riches of the region. There will be ample opportunities for photography which we can review each evening at the hotel.

Archaeology

Dordogne is a centre of prehistory. The Vézère Valley around Les Eyzies is a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing many caves with engravings and paintings, both mono and polychromatic, cliff shelters and troglodytic settlements dating back at least 15,000 years. We plan to visit the Rouffignac Cave with its famous mammoth paintings and engravings.

Ground transport

Ground transportation is by minibus, with driver.

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