Things to do in the Dordogne with Kids

Last updated on September 17, 2025

To my shame, before I went to the Dordogne, I’d somehow labelled it as “boring”.  It’s popular with British retirees, so I think that had somehow muddled my perception. Regardless of where I got it from, I was wrong.

With golden-stone villages, turreted castles, gorgeous rivers and fields of sunflowers, the Dordogne feels like stepping into a fairy tale. Add canoe rides, treehouse stays and lively markets, and you have the makings of a dream family holiday. It’s anything but boring.

We spent a week exploring with our two kids (ages 5 and 7) and fell for its mix of medieval magic and outdoor adventure. From castles and caves to gardens and river beaches, the Dordogne is a place where children can run wild while adults enjoy France at its finest.

Here’s our family guide to the Dordogne – including the best things to do with kids, where to eat, and some of our favourite family places to stay.

Is the Dordogne good for kids?

Yes! While the Dordogne is famous among adults for wine, gastronomy and history, it’s also packed with family-friendly fun. Canoeing, castles, caves and cycling are all part of the adventure.

It’s rural France, so you’ll need a car to get around, but that’s part of the charm – driving through the countryside is a joy in itself. The rivers are safe for swimming in summer, there are plenty of campsites with pools, and the castles and gardens often have activities designed for children. In short, you won’t run out of things to do with kids in the Dordogne.

Bridges and Balloons’ favourites

• Canoeing the Dordogne River past castles and villages near La Roque-Gageac.
• Visiting the Monkey Forest in Rocamadour.
• Sleeping in a luxury treehouse at Châteaux dans les Arbres.
• Getting lost in the sculpted boxwood hedges of the Marqueyssac Gardens.
• Hanging out on the river beaches like Vitrac.

Map of things to do in Dordogne with kids

Things to do in the Dordogne with kids

1. Canoeing on the Dordogne

Canoeing the river is a rite of passage on a Dordogne family trip and one of the best ways to experience the region. We hired a four-person kayak from Canoë Vacances in La Roque-Gageac and paddled to Milandes, passing castles and medieval villages en route. We worried it would be too long for our 4-year-old, but it turned out to be the perfect length and one of the highlights of our trip.

Here are some tips for canoeing the Dordogne with kids.

• There are lots of hire points along the river, but you need to think about what you want to see. Some pass castles and villages, while others are in pure nature.

• Most canoe companies follow the same pattern: you pick up your kayak, paddle downstream and then take a shuttle back to the starting point. Some do this the opposite way round (better in a way, as then you don’t have to wait for a shuttle at the end)

• A standard trip is usually two hours, but you can also do longer journeys up to a full day. And there are a handful of shorter options. We considered these, but the shuttle timing didn’t work out, or the route wasn’t right.

• We rented our kayak from Canoe Vacances in La Roque-Gageac, and ended at Milandes, passing Castelnaud and Beynac en route. It’s a stunning journey, passing castles and medieval villages. Plus, the river is mostly calm with shallow water and very gentle rapids. There are lots of beaches and snack shops to stop at.

• In our 4-person kayak, the kids could help paddle if they wanted to, but they didn’t need to. It’s all downstream, so fairly easy, but you do have to put in some effort to keep it on course. We went pretty fast, which made it more of a workout!

• Most companies rent to kids aged 5 and over who can swim 25m. The route is mostly shallow, but there are some deeper parts with gentle rapids. Bear in mind that getting back onto a kayak from deep waters can be challenging, especially with kids, so be sure to all wear life jackets. We saw one group fall in, but they looked like they were trying to!

• Our plan B if the kids didn’t like it was to stop at one of the villages/beaches and for Steve to finish the route alone and come collect us later. Luckily, they loved it and didn’t moan until the final 5 mins. Two hours was perfect for us!

2. Cycle the greenway

The Voie Verte greenway from Sarlat is perfect for family cycling. It’s flat, traffic-free and shaded in parts, following a disused railway line. You can hire bikes at the beginning in Sarlat and ride however far you like. To get to the Carsac-Aillac Water Gardens takes about 40 minutes and has the added bonus of an ice cream reward at the end!

3. Explore gorgeous gardens

The Dordogne has loads of incredible gardens to explore. We loved the Marqueyssac Gardens, famous for their sculpted box hedges and sweeping valley views. They have plenty to entertain kids, including a playground, treehouse, netted treetop walk, peacocks and maze. Plus, you can also do climbing activities. The beginner’s workshop is for ages 6+ and there’s a challenging via ferrata for 8+. There are also workshops and seasonal events throughout the year. The candlelit evening in the summer looks gorgeous.

For something wilder, the Gardens of Limeuil overlook the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers. And the Water Gardens of Carsac are a hit with kids for lily ponds, stepping stones and dragonflies. And the tropical garden at La Roque-Gageac is a novelty with its own microclimate and banana trees (there’s a great café there too).

I’d have loved to go to one of the white picnic nights at Eyrignac Gardens, which are family-friendly and include entertainment and fireworks.

4. Visit the castles and chateaux

The Dordogne is famous for its castles, often perched dramatically above the river. Château de Castelnaud is a firm favourite for kids. It houses a hands-on Museum of Medieval Warfare, packed with armour, swords, crossbows and huge siege engines. Kids can explore the battlements, climb towers and imagine defending the fortress. In summer there are live trebuchet demonstrations and guided “Attack the Castle” tours that bring history to life. You can buy a combined ticket for this and the Marqueyssac Gardens.

Château de Beynac has gorgeous views, and Château des Milandes adds falconry shows and a link to Josephine Baker’s remarkable story. Kids can even do a falconry workshop (ages 5-13). In the summer, Château de Tiregand hosts amazing summer garden parties with music and local food.

5. Hang out on the river beaches

In summer, the Dordogne doubles as a giant playground. Many stretches of river have shallow beaches where kids can paddle and play in the water. If you’re based near Sarlat, Plage de Caudon in Vitrac is one of the most popular. And in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, we had a lovely stretch of beach right in our Huttopia campsite, which was perfect for tubing.

Other family favourites include Saint-Julien-de-Lampon, Plage de Creysse and Plage de Limeuil. Some have lifeguards in summer (see a full list here).

6. Spend the day at a leisure lakes

As well as the river itself, the Dordogne region has lots of beautiful leisure lakes too. They often have sandy shores, supervised swimming and cafés – perfect for a full day out. Some even have inflatable play areas and watersports. Families especially recommend Étang de Tamniès near Sarlat, Lac de Gurson, and Étang de Coucou.

7. Visit the Monkey Forest and Rocamadour

The cliffside village of Rocamadour is spectacular, but not necessarily enticing for kids. A good bribe is the nearby Forêt des Singes, where 150 Barbary macaques roam free. You can walk among them and watch them play, which delights children (and adults!). To explore Rocamadour itself, hop on the Petit Train, which makes sightseeing easier for little legs.

8. Try Terra Aventura geocaching

The whole of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, including the Dordogne, is full of Terra Aventura trails. These free, app-based treasure hunts guide you through towns and villages, with puzzles to solve and virtual treasures to collect. We tried one in Bordeaux, and it turned exploring into a family game. Download the app here.

9. See the Lascaux caves

The Lascaux IV International Centre of Cave Art brings prehistoric art to life with an impressively realistic replica of the famous caves. The only downside is that you have to visit with a guided tour, which might be tricky with little kids (our under-8s don’t cope well with this sort of thing, but others do!). It’s a good way to escape the heat in the summer!

10. Do a treetop adventure

For kids with energy to burn, head to a treetop adventure park. The Parc Aventure in Sarlat has rope bridges, zip lines and climbing courses designed for different ages, so even younger children can join in. It’s a great way to balance sightseeing with pure playtime.

11. Stay in a treehouse

Sleeping in a treehouse is always a win with kids. We stayed at Châteaux Dans Les Arbres, where fairytale-style treehouses come with hot tubs, pulley-delivered breakfasts and woodland trails. I’ve written a guide to more treehouses in the Dordogne.

12. Explore the market towns

There are some lovely towns to explore in the Dordogne, and while pretty villages don’t tend to hold kids’ attention for long, there are ways to make them more enticing. Our boys loved exploring the markets and watching the street performers in Sarlat. Plus a bit of holiday money to spend on souvenirs/sweets also tends to help!

13. Go to Le Bournat theme park

Step back to 1900 at Le Bournat, a living history park with artisan workshops, old-fashioned rides, farm animals and traditional games. We didn’t do this, but it looks like a lot of fun and is one of the Dordogne’s most popular family attractions.

14. Visit Aquarium Noir du Périgord

In Le Bugue, the Aquarium Noir du Périgord is Europe’s largest freshwater aquarium, with more than 6,000 fish, turtles, crocodiles and even an alligator park. It’d be a great rainy-day option.

15. Explore the Gouffre de Padirac

This vast underground chasm is one of France’s natural wonders. Visitors descend into the cave and take a boat ride along a subterranean river – a thrilling adventure for kids and adults alike. The walkways and boat ride are manageable for children around age 4+, though younger ones may find the darkness and damp atmosphere a little intimidating. Book well in advance in summer, as it’s one of the region’s most popular attractions (we didn’t realise this and couldn’t get a space in August). To be honest, I think our youngest would have struggled with it anyway.

16. Take a gabare boat ride

For a gentler way to enjoy the river, take a trip on a traditional gabare. These flat-bottomed boats once carried goods along the Dordogne and now offer scenic cruises from places like Beynac or La Roque-Gageac. It’s a good option if your kids are too young to canoe, or if you just fancy something more leisurely.

17. See Roque Saint-Christophe

Carved into a limestone cliff above the Vézère River, the prehistoric settlement of Roque Saint-Christophe is a fascinating mix of natural caves and reconstructed dwellings. Kids can explore the troglodyte homes, see how tools were used, and imagine life here thousands of years ago. It’s best suited to children aged 6+ who can handle some steps and enjoy the historical reconstructions. We didn’t do this one, but

Where to stay in the Dordogne with kids

Châteaux Dans Les Arbres

We loved Châteaux Dans Les Arbres. Perched among the treetops with turrets, hot tubs and pulley-delivered breakfasts, these treehouses feel like fairytales come true. Despite the romantic vibe, it’s brilliantly family-friendly, with a pool, woodland trails and plenty of space for kids to run free.

Huttopia Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne

Set right on the river, Huttopia Beaulieu combines nature with comfort. You can choose from wooden cabins, safari-style tents or simple pitches, all within walking distance of Beaulieu town. The site has a pool, playground, café-restaurant and summer activities, plus direct river access for swimming, tubing and paddling.

Camping Paradis

For a classic campsite experience with a fun, family atmosphere and a stylish, nature-forward edge, Camping Paradis is a great choice. Expect pools, organised kids’ clubs, entertainment and plenty of facilities to keep little ones busy. It’s a good-value option if you want the sociable energy of a larger site, with lots for children to do.

Camping Mathevies

A favourite among families, Camping Mathevies is a small, family-run campsite just outside Sarlat with a wonderfully friendly vibe. The views over the valley are spectacular, there’s a pool and playground, and in the evenings, food trucks serve everything from wood-fired pizza to local specialities. It’s relaxed, welcoming and ideal for kids to make friends.

Domaine St Amand

We didn’t stay here, but I’d love to! The boutique countryside resort, Domaine St Amand, has a focus on nature and relaxation for all the family. There’s a pool, gardens and spacious family homes, plus an easygoing atmosphere and programme of family activities. It looks like a dream and is north of the Dordogne in Perigord.