Villatent at Camping Lestaubière

There are two classic activities one must really tick off on a Dordogne holiday: a canoe outing and a château visit. Tick off the first by heading to a canoe rental place 20 minutes’ drive away, and get your fix of the second by choosing from Château de Montastruc, Château La Renaudie or Château de Barriere, all within 15 minutes (and there are plenty more beyond that if you’re on a proper château-seeking mission). Food and wine should certainly be on the agenda too: perhaps with outings to the markets in Issigeac, Lalinde and Vergt or a trip to Domain Neuvic (25 minutes’ drive) to learn about its caviar. Head south to Bergerac (25 minutes) for winery tours, following the Route des Vins if you need guidance on where to find some of the area’s best. Best skip such things if you’ve got the kids on board – steer instead towards family days out meeting the animals at Parc du Touron (five minutes) or scaling the trees at AccroZarbres (20 minutes).