The PERIGORD NOIR (BLACK PERIGORD) is internationally renowned for its

prehistoric sites, centred on the Vézère and Dordogne valleys. This area has also

long been admired for its beautiful scenery, with attractive towns and villages such

as Montignac, Lascaux, Font-de-Gaume, Les Eyzies, Le Bugue, Limeuil, Terrasson,

Saint-Cyprien and Sarlat all worth a visit. Along the Dordogne Valley, the castles of

Montfort, Beynac and Castelnaud stand guard over the river - imposing reminders of

the region's turbulent history.

The PERIGORD BLANC (WHITE PERIGORD), situated in the centre of the

département, is a land of limestone plateaux and wide grassy valleys, criss-crossed

by the Auvézère and Isle rivers. This area is dotted with towns and villages such as

Montpon, Savignac-les-Eglises, Sorges (renowned for its truffles), Saint-Astier,

Neuvic and Mussidan, as well as Périgueux, the capital of the Dordogne..

To the north, the PERIGORD VERT (GREEN PERIGORD), home to the Pays du

Nontronnais, Val de Dronne and the Parc Naturel Périgord-Limousin, offers a gentle

landscape of rolling green hills and numerous small streams. The area is crossed by

the River Bandiat and the upper valleys of the Isle and Auvézère rivers, and extends

from Lanouaille to La Roche-Chalais, passing through the towns of St-Aulaye,

Nontron, Brantôme, Bourdeilles and Ribérac.

Heading towards the mouth of the Dordogne River, you come to the PERIGORD

POURPRE (PURPLE PERIGORD), a land of bastide towns and vineyards. Once home to

the famous writer Montaigne, the area is renowned for its Bergerac wines, named after

towns such as Pécharmant and Monbazillac. The bastide towns in the region were

founded by the French and the English in the Middle Ages and provide a fascinating

insight into the area's social history.