Can anyone recommend fun things to do with children in the Dordogne ?

[rookiemater]

We went last year as well and hopefully we won't need too many day trips if the weather is good enough, but just wondered if there is anything we haven't done.

Last year we did Velorail, which was fantastic, cycling on special bike on old railway lines, the caves where you go on a boat to see them DS loved this and some not so successful trips to see prehistoric cave drawings and some poor bears.

Can anyone recommend anything else, we are staying just outside Sarlat ? I saw that they have some lakes with artifical beaches and thought that would be good if the weather was nice.

There's a great aquarium at Le Bugue which isn't too far from Sarlat. And near there, is Domme and Castelnaud (really great castle). There are some beautiful hanging gardens near Domme but can't remember what they're called but they have a good play area for kids too.

Near Domme are some great boat trips down the Dordogne and canoeing hire companies.

There is also a faberoony old fashioned theme park and petting zoo near Le Bugue here
We spent the day there and took a picnic. You pay to get in and lots of the rides were self start ones so you go on loads of times.

There is an enormous cave, it's a huge hole in the ground. V.interesting, I think I was 12 when Mum and Dad took us. I cannot remember what it's called.

Not the cave drawings place, we went there too, it's somewhere else.

here

also went to Rocamadour which is amazing but you need to be pretty fit to climb all the way up!

Love Rocamadour but not a lot of shade on a boiling hot day. I felt quite ill. Make sure you take hats if you go. You can always get the fenacular (sp) train up and down.

Oh great loads of suggestions. We didn't do Rocamadour last time and DS loves trains so that sounds like a hit. Luciemule the petting zoo theme park sounds fab but the link doesn't work, I wonder if you could try again please.

We did gouffre de padirac last year it was excellent, also did it 20 years ago when I was an au pair.

Any more suggestions gratefully received.

here it is again

If it doesn't work, it's jacquou parc, le bugue - google and you'll find it.

Looks excellent thanks

Canoeing on the Dordogne is the obvious thing to do. Can easily take up two goods days. Second day we took a picnic and built our own BBQ on one of the beaches for lunch.

There are a couple of Go Ape type adventure parks in the same area which was great fun.

When are you going ? Last time, we went to the village of Carlux (East of Sarlat) for their 'Fetes des Crepes' which I believe is held sometime in August. Basically it was a village celebration weekend with donkey races and the village ladies cooking endless pancakes and feast in the evening. An absolutely glorious day especially after we made friends with some ex-pats in the village who made us very welcome.

this is a must

You park at the bottom, where you can get a boat for the fab boat tour, and then you walk up to the castle, there's a lovely little restaurant for lunch that is really yummy half way up under a vine canopy). At the top, there's loads to do/see and there's also another huge restaurant and ice cream shop at the top. The castle can be walked around and there are loads of things to look at and gorgeous panoramic views. Was the highlight of the holiday for us.

I would wear shoes/not flip flops/sandals though as when we went there was torrential rain and getting up and down with no grip/backs to shoes was really tricky!

Great more recommendations. We are going in July so we will miss the festival, but it sounds fantastic. DS is only 4 so probably a little young for Go Ape, but canoing sounds good.

Luciemule thanks for info about the castle, that's really helpful as all the castles look the same on the description so knowing there is a boat and a good restaurant is very useful.

If you want another really amazing castle, I'd also go to Castlenaud - stunning and huge. Bit too high up for me; I ended up crawling around the top of the battlements as my fear of heights kicked in big time when I didn't realise we were in a one way system which meant I had to go up before I could come down. It was sooooo embarrassing.

Does anyone know of any good river beaches in the dordogne Sarlat region - we're staying at Castelnaud and looking for some watersport activities to do with the kids.

Are these all too far away?

You have to do the Canoe trip, it can be serious, or the 4 hours and don't really need to paddle one.

BTW the Hospital near Sarlat is very good () too.

The 'hanging' gardens are possibly Marqueyssac (sp?). They are really lovely. We went 2 years ago and they did special evening openings during July & August where they have the whole site lit by candles (in pots) and have loads of live music bands. My ds, then 18m loved it, was dancing to everything! Lots of people took picnics with bottles of wine and blankets so they could sit and chill. Good for kids with lots of 'secret' pathways etc.