Les Chalets de Dordogne

Bergerac is an excellent base to explore the Dordogne by water: traditional barge trips leave on long leisurely cruises to deeply Dordognais spots like Beynac and La Roque Gageac, gliding past châteaux and vineyards and ancient villages all the way. Closer to the site, the château at Bridoire (20 minutes) is a castle of turrets and towers, where you can try your hand at dozens of medieval activities and follow themed adventure trails through the surrounding parkland… even the kids should clamour to come back here. For more modern sorts of frolicking, there’s go-karting and an aquapark at St. Laurent-des-Vignes, just outside Bergerac (25 minutes). The latter has a Turkish hammam to soak and steam in, for those less partial to the splashing and sliding side of things. For the riding side of things, the countryside between the site and Montbazillac is bursting with equestrian centres with treks and rambles for first timers and veteran horse whisperers alike. The zoo at Mescoules (15 minutes) has a different style of animal encounter: instead of fluffy pandas and cheeky monkeys, it’s devoted mainly to the beasts with bad reputations, like alligators, pythons and cobras.