Dordogne Valley: ancient art reveals medieval France’s spirit | The Canberra Times

Discover the verdict: Charming medieval bastide towns full of prehistoric cave art and good food.

Getting there and around: Fly to Bordeaux (or Bergerac) for a journey (less than two hours) through narrow, winding roads into the Dordogne/Perigord region. Rent a car. The villages are spread over a large area and public transportation is limited.

Stay there: Hotel Chateau de Maraval near Sarlat dates back to the medieval period, with its classical stone towers and fortified walls revived as a four-star hotel in Cenac-et-Saint-Julien. Le Vieux Logis is located in a former 16th-century monastery and tobacco farm in Trémolat, Dordogne. chateaudemaraval.com; vieux-logis.com

good to knowHeld in late October, Fete des Bastides transforms sleepy medieval towns into living historical spectacles worth timing your trip for.

Discover more: dordogne-perigord-tourisme.fr; www.bastidesenfete.com