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good morning all. We are driving down to the dordogne area with our 3 children this year. It will be the first time in this area and weve only visited france once before to the vendee area. We will be using our own canvas and hopefully staying in a campsite with a kids club probably vacansoleil "le grand dague but i just wondered if you had any tips or info on the area ie weather,activities and for kids to do and even recommendations.

kind regards

Hi Isabella,

You haven't said when you are going. If you are going peak season because of school holidays the Dordogne can get very busy, so if you haven't already booked you should think about doing so fairly quickly.

If you haven't booked the site you mentioned have a look at Le Paradis at St Leon sur Vezere. It is our favourite site in France but is very popular so check availability. They have a kids club and the site is very child friendly. Dutch owners who speak several languages (puts us Brits to shame), a lovely pool complex and brilliant shower blocks.

Although you have the children there a number of places that you should visit and the children would probably enjoy as well. Sarlat is a must (markets Wednesday and Saturday in particular are the largest in the Dordogne), Domme, Beynac, Le Roque Gageac, Montpazier, Montignac, Belves, Rocamadour are all lovely places to visit. Le Bugue has a lovely aquarium which will keep children happy.

Canoeing (downstream) along either the Dordogne or the Vezere is usually very gentle at that time of the year and a lot of fun for children. Le Paradis is on the banks of the Vezere and has its own canoe landing stage.

If you are going at peak period the chances are that it will be very hot so try and find a pitch with shade for the children.

Have a lovely holiday and I am sure you will enjoy the Dordogne.

We went in 2006,and are returning this summer (late August).

We ,along with our 6 year old  at the time enjoyed this http://www.copeyre.com/en/water-park-quercyland

We plan to return .They do a shared ticket so we canoed the river and then went to the water park.it also include more land based things ie bouncy castles swings ,trampolines.rides etc.

we went on a sight seeing town train(commentary in French,but it was a pleasant break from walking in the heat).

hope you have a graet time.

We too are going to the Dordogne in early june.

Our first trip to this region

Staying 7km outside sarlat, Saint netharene, Does anyone know what the bus service is like. (thats if parking is a problem on market day).