Carnet de Voyage: Dordogne Delights

Travel notes from the real France. Carnet de Voyage is a weekly personal travel story in France sent in by readers. If you’d like to write a story for Carnet de Voyage, head here for details on how to submit.

This letter originally appeared in issue 200 of France Today magazine.

My wife and I purchased our dream holiday home in the Plus Beau Village of Belvès, Dordogne, in 2019. Since then we have had family and friends visit us to share in the idyllic villages and châteaux near us. We have even been known to take canoe trips down the Dordogne river, stopping every now and then to take in the outstanding beauty of where we live (we still pinch ourselves today!).

We were pleasantly surprised last year to find out my father, Malcolm Shedlow, wanted to come to visit us. He was 90 last year and he’s never been abroad, or flown, in his life (apart from one short weekend when he won a trip to Paris and went by ferry – needless to say he didn’t leave the toilets on the ferry and never went back to Paris!). Although Malcolm hadn’t taken to the skies before, his first experience with aircraft dates back 70 years to his service in the RAF. Malcolm contributed towards the peacetime conscription following World War II by completing clerical duties during his National Service call-up. So, we had our daughter Jenny escort him on his maiden voyage from Leeds Bradford airport to Bergerac and arranged assistance for him with Jet2, who I must say were excellent.

During the time he was with us we visited beautiful villages such as Domme, Monpazier, Beynac and the medieval town of Sarlat. He even managed to learn a few French words to interact with the locals. As you can imagine it didn’t take him long to fall in love with the Dordogne, so much so he wants to come back this year. What special memories we all have to cherish of his trip and we’re looking forward to many more!

Read our other Carnet de Voyage entries here.