Autumn

Clinging dramatically to the limestone cliff above the Alzou canyon, Rocamadour is one of the valley’s great sights at any time of year. In autumn, the surrounding hills take on their seasonal colours, making the views from the village and the Sanctuary as well as its walking routes particularly rewarding.

Built from the distinctive red sandstone of the area, Collonges-la-Rouge needs very little help to look autumnal. Add the surrounding countryside, walnut groves and softer autumn light and you have a particularly good reason to visit the village that was the first to be recognised as one of the Most Beautiful Villagesin France.

The Dordogne Valley is home to some of France’s finest bastides. Monpazier is a particularly well-preserved example, while Beaumont-du-Périgord offers another impressive piece of bastide heritage. Their arcaded squares and stone architecture are the perfect backdrop for a coffee or lunch in the sun.

Cadouin brings together three very different autumn experiences: a historic village, its UNESCO-listed abbey and cloister and the magnificent Bessède forest nearby. It is an easy place to combine heritage with a walk through woodland as the leaves start turning.

Lying at the foot of a towering limestone cliff, La Roque-Gageac is one of the Dordogne Valley’s most striking villages. Warmed by a particularly sunny microclimate, its south-facing setting gives the village an almost Mediterranean feel, with palms and exotic plants adding to the atmosphere. Set on the banks of the Dordogne and close to Sarlat, it’s a great place to set off on canoes and river gabarre tours.

Look beyond the best-known villages and you will find places such as Voutezac and Le Saillant, where a medieval bridge and the chapel with its striking stained glass sit beside the Vézère.

On the Causse plateaus, small villages and hamlets such as Fournet at Saint-Cernin-de-Larche offer a quieter look at rural life and limestone landscapes. Further north, Meymac brings granite buildings, slate roofs and the forests of the Millevaches plateau area into the autumn picture.

Autumn is harvest season, and food is one of the best reasons to visit the Dordogne Valley at this time of year.

Most local markets continue throughout the year, but their stalls change with the seasons. In September and October, look out for fresh walnuts, cep mushrooms, chestnuts, apples and other local produce like walnut oil.

October is the heart of the walnut harvest. Visit the walnut mill  Moulin Castagné in Martel, do not miss the Fête de la Noix in Saillac on 4 October 2026 or try pressing your own walnut oil with friends at La Vie Contée.

In Monpazier, the regular Thursday morning market continues alongside the seasonal focus on ceps. Mushroom lovers can purchase local ceps everyday on the main square from 3pm during the season, generally from September to November.

In Brive, the Fête de la Pomme on 3 October 2026 celebrates the locally-grown apples with tastings, juice pressing, cider, home-made apple tarts and even a tart competition.

A couple of weeks later, on the Sunday 18 October, the village of Beynat organises its famous chestnut festival throughout the week-end with tasting, discovery of the local heritage and various entertainment for the whole family.

For wine lovers, autumn is harvest time in the vineyards. Around Biron, the Domaine de la Tuque offers the chance to discover the vineyards beneath the château, particularly attractive as the vines take on their autumn colours.

And when the temperatures drop later in the season, there is always the appeal of a meal by the fire such as at Chez Françoise in Meymac, where local food and autumn weather make a particularly good combination.