Thus, the boatmen still present were able to make themselves useful, even until the middle of the XNUMXth century! To discover navigation and know a little more about floods, meet your family on the route of the Robin tracks. in any case, it had not been possible to borrow it for a few months: dynamited in 1940 then again the day after the landing in June 1944, the bridge was not repaired until 1947. The water reached the level of the deck of the Sainte-Foy la Grande suspension bridge but. Once again, the inhabitants took out their boats to move around. The last great centennial flood took place in December 1944 (measured at 10m50 in Bergerac). During those years, the flood scale at Bergerac measured a flood with a height of more than 10m… In 1843, the flood was also so violent that ' it damaged the surrounding walls of the bastide. The use of stone, on the ground floor of houses, is not an insignificant choice! The inhabitants move by boat in the streets. Imagine the bastide covered by water up to the first floor of the houses. The Dordogne river has its sources in Mont-Dore, in the Puy de Sancy, and is fed by various. Spring or winter floods are still a regular part of local news, but they are not as impressive as some historic floods. The Dordogne, one of the most beautiful rivers in France. Built between 18, they range from the Dore mountains, where it originates, to Bergerac, at the Salvette dam. It's known ! The Dordogne is no exception, even if its flow is now monitored and regulated by a few (10!) Dams. Birds are also present on the Dordogne linear.īe careful, however, not to cross the terrifying Coulobre, a giant (and fortunately mythical!) Snake from the Dordogne which made the gabariers disappear. Be careful, the eel does not migrate in the same direction as the other species: it is born in Sargassum and comes to live in a river. Migratory species such as river lamprey, shad, shad, salmon, sea trout and eel, take the lift at the Barrage de Tuilières, near Lalinde, in the Dordogne, to return to the Dordogne in order to spawn there. The biodiversity of the Dordogne riverįormerly generous in salmon, as evidenced by rock remains and writings, the Dordogne is still very rich in fish, notably perch, pike, carp and tench. Many marked trails also constitute a real network of bucolic walks on foot or by bike. Swimming and canoeing are practiced there during the summer season as well as duck hunting in winter. The Dordogne river is a source of great wealth and activities, with fishing, then with the construction of mills, and then thanks to the transport of goods on flat-bottomed boats called gabares. It is the only river in France whose entire basin has been classified World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and natural Park registered in Natura 2000. In the reflection of its waters, we see echoes of past civilizations and ancestral traditions, mixed with shimmering rays of originality and inspiration beckoning us toward the future.Īnd today, each day, it offers us the greatest of experiences and the simplest of pleasures.The Dordogne flows at the Bec d'Ambès into the Gironde, the common estuary that it forms with the Garonne. It is both grandiose and intimate, exhilarating and tranquil, ancient and new. The Dordogne and its tributaries shape a Valley of contrasts and diversity, underlain by the unity of its gentle beauty.

Whether “locals” that have been here for generations or among the many from around the world that choose to make their home here, that warm twinkle in their eye as they eagerly share their heritage and their river with you will tell you that you are welcome. From passionate guides to proud merchants and expert athletes, the people of the Dordogne Valley will invite you to contemplate the history, taste the gastronomy, revel in the natural beauty, and just enjoy the fun of this Valley as well.Īnd you’ll also meet a joyful mix of people here, deeply proud and attached to their land and way of life, but also happy to share the great and simple pleasures of their home with you. The Dordogne is a river that has its source in the Massif Central, more precisely on the northern flank of the Puy de Sancy (a summit of the Dore mountains. The changing landscapes of the Dordogne and its tributaries lend themselves to wide array of human imprints as well, from the lively ski resort of Le Mont-Dore to the regal city of Bordeaux, with prehistoric caves, medieval villages, majestic castles, fertile farmland, renowned vineyards, and so much more along the way. From its source at the meeting of two trickling streams at the foot of the highest volcanic peak in the Massif Central, to the vast Gironde Estuary where it opens its arms to join the sea, the Dordogne winds its way through rugged gorges, narrow valleys, steep cliffs and wide alluvial plains.

At the heart of the Valley is its river, the Dordogne.

Dordogne river location