Villages of Perigord

“La Roque-Gageac is a wonderful alliance of rock and water:

we are very lucky to work in such magnificent surroundings.

I am extremely attached to the family business, as a means

of passing on the history of the river and its boatmen but

also the story of the people who have lived here. Le Roque-

Gageac was once a riverboat harbour and trading post and

traces of this era can be found everywhere. On a riverboat

excursion, we can approach and observe the wildlife on

the water and on the riverbanks and discover an unspoilt

ecosystem at the heart of the Dordogne watershed area,

listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since July 2012.”

Standing out against the cliff at the very center of

the village,Tarde Manor was the birthplace in 1561

of Jean Tarde. Chancellor and Vicar General of the

diocese of Sarlat, he also died here in 1636.Tarde was

an enlightened enthusiast of all sciences including

astronomy.When the clergyman travelled to Italy to

meet with Galileo, the astronomer gifted the Perigordian

clergyman with one of the very first telescopic devices,

in order to seal their friendship.

“Pass on the history

of the river”

Michel Léger,

Owner of the “Gabares Norbert” boat company

The Galileo Connection

Practically abandoned once the train arrived, inland

navigation has played a major part in the history of the

Dordogne Valley. A glimpse of the local boatmen’s lives

on “La Rivière Espérance” (Hope River)—to quote the title

of a Christian Signol’s novel adapted for television—lives

on today, through hour-long cruises aboard boats that are

perfect replicas of XVIIIth century flat-bottomed vessels.

The more adventurous will paddle their way further

upstream in canoes, through the meanders of the river

discover other astonishing sites such as the “Pendoilles” (high

curved cliffs that take a sheer drop into the water).

Along the Mariner’s Trail

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

24+1 VILLAGES OF PÉRIGORD