The Dordogne: a département in the Aquitaine region

Surface area: 9,060 square kilometres / Population: 388,334.

Prefecture: Périgueux / Sub-prefectures: Bergerac, Nontron and Sarlat-la-Canéda.

The wide valleys of the Dordogne, Vézère, Auvézère and Isle rivers cut into the chalky plateaux of the Périgord and the Périgord Blanc to the north and the Périgord Noir to the south and extend over most of the département of the Dordogne. Farming is represented by cereals, fruit trees (walnuts), early produce, tobacco and vines (Bergerac and Monbazillac wines), with livestock dominating in the north.

There are major industrial activities in Périgueux, Bergerac and Terrasson-la-Villedieu in the agribusiness, mechanical engineering, aerospace and stationery sectors.

A gastronomic region (truffles and foie gras) and with some of the finest prehistoric sites in Europe ((Lascaux and Les Eyzies-de-Tayac), the Dordogne attracts large numbers of tourists.

Situated on the north bank of the river Isle, Périgueux is the administrative, commercial and industrial centre of the département: rolling stock repairs, postage stamp factory, leather, tobacco and chemicals. The city features some Roman remains (amphitheatre and Vésone tower), an eleventh-century edifice in the Byzantine style, Saint-Front cathedral and Saint-Etienne cathedral, in the twelfth-century Perigordian Roman style.

Founded by the Gauls, the city takes its name from the tribe of the Petrocorii, or four (petro) armies (corii).

The Périgord Vert

District with a population of 44,434, an area of apple-trees, suckling calves, mushrooms, ostriches, chestnuts, walnuts and walking, comprising eight cantons and eighty municipalities.

Nontron is the administrative centre of the Périgord Vert, which contains the “Venice of the Périgord”, Brantôme, and Saint-Saud, a little village in the Parc Naturel Régional Périgord Limousin.

To find your route:

www.viamichelin.com

www.mappy.fr