In the far south-western corner of France and the north-eastern corner of Aquitaine, holiday gites, farmhouses and bed and breakfasts in the Dordogne are probably the best way for you to enjoy a truly authentic experience of life in a region best known and loved for the landscapes and lifestyles that epitomise everything wholesome, natural and unique about the cultural heritage of rural France - gite rentals in Dordogne being a thoroughly appropriate base for anyone who wants to surround themselves with genuine French rustic character and charm and totally immerse themselves in the peaceful and traditional way of life that is so typical of any town or village community in Aquitaine. Chateaux in Dordogne, and castles, are as important to the region's historic identity as the hundreds of caves dotted around the area, renowned for the prehistoric paintings and spectacular rock formations that attract historians, archaeologists and geologists from all over the world. From the time the Dordogne was first inhabited over 2500 years ago, much has changed in the region, naturally in-line with modern progress, but a magical atmosphere evoking an awareness of the history and legend that has shaped this area of France never seems to alter.
Rent a holiday farmhouse or gite in Dordogne and you'll discover landscapes that have changed little over the centuries either, where vast swathes of farmland are the backbone of local trade and farming industries and miles of rugged, unspoilt countryside cut through by meandering rivers provide plenty of opportunities for those staying in gite and farmhouse rentals in the Dordogne to explore and enjoy the great outdoors of Aquitaine. Bordering on Bordeaux, one of the most famous wine-producing regions in France, holiday villas in Dordogne are often chosen by those whose passions lie in a more gastronomical direction, and that by spending a day walking through fields and forests, canoeing or fishing in the rivers, or investigating as many of the aesthetically and architecturally magnificent chateaux in the Dordogne as they can, they are sure to build up the kind of appetite to justify an entire evening devoted simply to the fabulous food and wine that is the real reason why they return to their favourite bed and breakfast, gite or farmhouse in the Dordogne whenever they can find the excuse for a break away from the same old daily routine of home!