Dordogne and its 1001 Châteaux |
The Dordogne region is famously renowned for its many Châteaux
Dordogne is the king of the castles!
One of the most popular pastimes for people visiting the Dordogne is to visit and enjoy the numerous Châteaux (or castles) which can be found scattered across the entire region.
A less well known fact is that the Dordogne has more Châteaux than any other department of France. The region is in fact known as the “land of 1001 Châteaux” by the French themselves. The local legend amongst the people of Dordogne (or to use it’s original name “Périgord”) is:
"God wished to scatter Châteaux over the kingdom of France. Passing through Périgord he gave a good shrug of his shoulder to hitch up his enormous bag. Then he discovered that the bag was burst: it was gaping wide, and towers, curtain-walls and pepper boxes were tumbling out. Then, before setting off on his way back to Paradise, the Eternal Father shook out what was left in his travelling bag over the stony hillsides of the Dordogne, the Vezere, and the Auvezere. And there they fell and fell, so many that no other region was richer in Châteaux, manors and fine country houses..."
Many Dordogne Châteaux are in private ownership these days and the owners of these fine French properties come from all corners of the globe. Gladly, many Châteaux often remain in the same family for generations as proud seats of historic families. Many Dordogne Châteaux are for sale and offer those who seek a prestige property purchase the possibility of aquiring an impressive Dordogne residence.
Whether you are visiting the more famous and popular touristic Châteaux which are popular attractions for Dordogne holiday makers and culture vultures alike or simply seeking out the lesser known but equally beautiful smaller ones, this is a fine region of France for lovers of these romantic and historic stone buildings. Whilst many of these are not of the scale found in the Loire valley, they were constructed often for military purposes and are a beautiful reminder of the struggles for power that have taken place over the centuries in this historically rich region of France.
So now you know. Why not come down and discover some of the Dordogne Châteaux for yourself?
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