La Riviera Limousine

Start with a bimble over the bridge to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne – the pretty medieval town’s 12th-century church is a bit of a stunner, and you can board barge trips or hire canoes to roam along the river, or head out on a five-kilometre circular hiking trail to admire it from afar. About five kilometres along the river (or a 10-minute drive if that’s beyond paddling range) is 15th-century Château d’Estresse; it’s worth then carrying on as far as Château Castelnau-Bretenoux (20 minutes’ drive/a lot of canoeing) to peruse the somewhat eclectic mix of art and furnishings collected by previous owner and opera singer Jean Moulierat. Heading away from the river, get set to sink a hundred metres below the surface of the earth at the Gouffre de Padirac (half an hour), a huge cave system to explore by foot and on boat trips. If you like your caves to be adorned with a bit of art, have a crack at rock painting at Archéosite de Fieux (half an hour), an interactive museum that’s also got fire making, flint knapping and spear throwing to try your hand at.