La Roque Gageac is a tiny village nestled under cliffs along the Dordogne. As recently as 1958, part of the cliff cracked off after an unusual freeze, and crushed a few houses and some inhabitants. Luckily it was a Sunday morning, and most were at church (or in the tavern!). There are troglodyte dwellings in the cliff face, and it's a good base for canoeing and boat trips. The kids and I took a tour boat down the Dordogne to the bridge before Castelnaud, and back.
Because it's sheltered from the north winds, the village enjoys a beneficial micro-climate, which allows Mediterranean and even tropical plants such as lemon and banana trees to grow.
Unfortunately, my camera battery ran down at the end of this long day (Castelnaud in the morning, and Marqueyssac earlier in the afternoon), so I missed a couple of good shots roaming around Roque Gageac a little after our boat trip. I was surprised, since in general battery performance was excellent.
Click on the small pictures to see larger ones.
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The village itself, from the water. |
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A tour boat approaches, with the Château de la Malartrie in the background. This was actually only started late in the 19th century, completed in 1920, in a 15th-century Renaissance-revival style. |
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Canoeing past the cliffs. |
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Castelnaud dominating the bridge and river below. |
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