Road trip in a van through the Dordogne

With its winding roads running along the Dordogne and Vézère valleys and its charming little villages, the Dordogne is a region of France that is perfect for exploring and road trips in a van. We love setting off on adventures in our van life along the water. It really is a destination of choice for all van life enthusiasts. Some will undoubtedly prefer to camp in the great outdoors. But the campsites in the Dordogne will delight vanlifers who like to combine the joys of life in nature with the comfort of a hot shower in the morning! So, head to the Périgord for a weekend or several weeks' getaway in your van!

Exceptional spots by the water

Waking up in the morning to a picture-postcard view of the river is one of the pleasures of van life. Many campsites in Périgord enjoy exceptional locations on the banks of the Dordogne campings en bord de Dordogne, Vézère, Dronne or Isle riverscampings. A spacious pitch with a view of the Dordogne river... the idyllic setting to park your campervan or Volkswagen California for the night and enjoy the moment. Sipping your coffee while admiring the reflections of the morning light on the river as the wildlife awakens is an incomparable experience.

Spacious, green touring pitches

The joy of holidaying in a campervan is being able to get close to nature. The spacious pitches at campsites in the Dordogne create a real haven of nature. Grass-covered and shaded or sunny, depending on your preference, they invite you to relax with a book under a tree or lying in a hammock.

A region ideal for hiking and sightseeing

One of the difficulties for van life enthusiasts is sometimes finding somewhere to park their van while they go sightseeing or hiking. When you stay at campsites in the Dordogne, you can set off on your trip directly from the campsite, leaving your van or Volkswagen campervan safely parked there. This is made even easier by the fact that many campsites in the Périgord are within walking distance of a village. And the Périgord is full of listed villages that are well worth a visit, such as the villages of the Dordogne valley in the Périgord Noir, including Beynac, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, La Roque Gageac, Domme and Limeuil. Wherever you choose to camp in Périgord, you will find a place to visit or a hike to do within walking or cycling distance. Here a castle, there a chasm or a cave. There is always something to discover in Périgord. And there is always a campsite nearby, whether next to the Lascaux cave, La Roque Saint Christophe, the Sorcier cave in Saint Cirq, Brantôme or Bergerac. There is so much to see that your only regret will be that your road trip is too short!

Camping near a town

Of course, the number one reason for van life is the freedom and pleasure of camping in nature. However, it is also very pleasant to spend a night near a town so that you can enjoy a restaurant or take part in the town's nightlife without having to get back behind the wheel. Whether in Sarlat, Périgueux or Bergerac, you will find a campsite near the town centre. This will allow you to enjoy the street performances that enliven Sarlat at dusk in July and August. Other campsites are located on the outskirts of towns and villages such as Beynac, Limeuil, or Saint Aulaye, allowing you to get there on foot or by bicycle without having to move your vehicle.

Getaway in the Dordogne Valley

The Dordogne Valley ranks high among the favourite itineraries for van life enthusiasts. It must be said that there are several exceptional sites dotted along the river. How many valleys in France can boast such spectacular sites as Rocamadour, Beynac, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Sarlat, Collonges la Rouge, Autoire, Creysse and the Gouffre de Padirac? It's enough to make for a very nice tour. Your starting point will be on the Quercy plateau for a visit to Rocamadour, a majestic white stone city clinging to a cliff and dominated by a castle. Not far from Rocamadour, a visit to the Gouffre de Padirac is a must. At 103 metres below ground, this chasm is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful natural sites in France. To round off your visit to Quercy, the Autoire waterfall can be reached after a short hike. To the north of the Dordogne, Collonges-la-Rouge awaits you, once the first village to be listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. It's definitely worth stopping off for a visit. Continuing along the Dordogne, you'll pass through the charming medieval village of Creysse.

A ferry allows you to cross the river on foot or by bike without having to move your vehicle. As you drive along, the Dordogne offers a changing landscape, sometimes flat and gentle, sometimes wild and carved into the rock. As your road trip brings you closer to Sarlat, you will enjoy around 40 kilometres of exceptional heritage, including châteaux (Château de Montfort, Château des Milandes, etc.), listed villages (Beynac, Castelnaud, Domme, La Roque Gageac, etc.) and landscaped gardens such as the Marqueyssac Gardens. These gardens offer one of the most beautiful views of the region, along with Domme. As it continues its journey towards Bordeaux, the Dordogne is joined by the Vézère at Limeuil. A few kilometres further on, in Trémolat, you will find a water sports centre.

This is the ideal place to camp with your campervan and enjoy water sports such as canoeing and paddleboarding. In the Périgord Pourpre, the river winds its way through the vineyards to Bergerac. Be sure to stop off here to taste the region's delicious wines on a terrace overlooking the river. From Bergerac, set off on a short tour of the vineyards, which will take you to the beautiful Château de Montbazillac, among other places. After the Vézère, it is the turn of the Isle, coming from Périgueux, to swell the waters of the Dordogne a few kilometres before it joins the Garonne just after Bordeaux and finally flows into the ocean. This is where your road trip along the banks of the Dordogne will end.

Hire your campervan for a road trip in the Dordogne

You don't need to own a campervan to go on a road trip in the Dordogne. Agencies offer campervans for hire for a tour, whether for a weekend or a longer getaway. Retro combis or Volkswagen California campervans are available from these hire services. With peer-to-peer services such as WikiCampers or Yescapa, it will be easy to find a vehicle close to your starting point. However, if you prefer to go through a professional rental agency such as Road Surfer, you will probably have to go to Bordeaux to pick up your van.