The most beautiful villages of the Dordogne

by James Bentley

Four colors - green, white, black and purple - designate the four regions of the Dordogne, and symbolize the rich diversity of this magical region, often known by its more strictly French name as "the Perigord." Green evokes the lush vegetation of the northern crescent, white the limestone valleys of the central region, black the truffles of the south-east - the famous "black diamonds" of classic French cuisine - and purple the full-bodied red grape of the Bergerac vineyards. The Dordogne offers splendid scenery, exquisite food and wine, the finest examples of prehistoric art and some of the most enchanting villages of France - celebrated here in wonderful color photographs and evocative descriptions. On a journey south through the region we discover villages of widely contrasting appeal and interest: in the north are such gems as Brantome, its fine abbey and ancient houses gracing the banks of the river Dronne. Further south, among the undulating hills and warm limestone valleys of th