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Jul 21, 2012

Cruise on Dordogne River

On Wednesday July 18, 2012




The name Dordogne come from the Celtic words Du unna meaning fast water. During the Roman Empire, the river was known as the Duranius, and evolved during the Middle Ages to Duranna, Durunia, Durdunia, Dordoigne and finally Dordogne



The river, whose source is in the Auvergne at the Puy de Sancy (1 886m/6 186ft), crosses five departments (Puy de Dôme, Corrèze, Lot, Dordogne and Gironde) before joining the Garonne river to form the Gironde estuary







The cruise leaves from La Roque Gageac:  
welcome aboard the Gabarre!


The Gabarre in front of
the Castelnaud bridge











The gabarres were the traditional flat-bottomed boats used on the Dordogne River for transporting goods between the Massif Central and the city of Bergerac, Libourne and Bordeaux



La Roque Gageac


The magnificent fortified village of 
La Roque Gageac built right into the 
cliff face obtained the title of 
“the most beautiful village in France”


Remain of an old road dating from
 the Gallo-Romain period
The village Hall of La Roque Gageac

In January 1957 a huge rock fell from the cliff face destroying a dozen houses and killing three people 





The little tour goes past a succession of old fortified villages and castles


Paradise for canoeing kayaking










Château de Malartrie



located at the exit of the village of La Roque Gageac









Château de Castelnaud



could have built in the 12th century is one of the most visited châteaux in France with his Middle Ages Warfare museum