The Dordogne River

About the Dordogne

UNESCO Heritage Sites

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Ports-of-Call on the Dordogne River

Here you can find a list of some of the more common river cruise ports along the Dordogne River as it flows through Europe. These may be the most common, but there may be others that can be found on select river cruises. Your River Cruise Artist can provide you with the full itinerary and all ports for any river cruise that you may be interested in, on any river cruise operator. Explore the Dordogne River further and learn more about it’s ports-of-call.

Bergerac

France

The town of Bergerac features three museums – the town museum, a statue museum and a tobacco museum. The notable church of Notre Dame is located in the town center. There is also a wine house by the river which features a small exhibition on the history of wine growing. Bergerac offers some of the finest wines in the Bordeaux region due to the soil’s excellent drainage – a result of its proximity to the Dordogne River. Bergerac is home to two statues of Cyrano de Bergerac, subject of a famous play of the same name by Edmond Rostand. An old stone statue stands on Place de la Myrpe, facing Place du Docteur Cayla. A newer statue, painted in color and standing on a stainless-steel pedestal, has been placed on Place Pelissiere.

Blaye

France

Blaye is located on the right bank of the Gironde estuary near the confluence with the Dordogne River and only 35 miles north of Bordeaux. The town features a citadel built by Vauban on a rocky shore of the river, which contains the ruins of a medieval castle, Château des Rudel. Here you will also find the ruins of Basilica of Saint-Romain which holds the tomb of Charibert II, King of Aquitaine, and son of Clotaire II. Nearby, Fort Paté, on an island in the river, and Fort Médoc on its left bank, completed the 17th century, defenses or Bordeaux by Vauban. The citadel of Blaye, its city walls, Fort Paté and Fort Médoc were listed in 2008 as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as part of the “Fortifications of Vauban” group.

Libourne

France

Founded in 1270 Libourne was a strategic point on the Dordogne River that suffered under the French and British warring, eventually finding peace with its 15th century permanent joining of France. Not far from St. Emilion, Libourne features the Gothic church, restored in the 19th century with its stone spire more than 70 feet high. You will also find a unique clock-tower that survived on the defensive walls of the 14th century. The town-house, containing a small museum and a library, is a quaint relic of the 16th century and is located by the main square, the Place Abel Surchamp. This square is the home to one of the largest fresh food markets in the region, held every weekend. There is also a statue of Élie, duc Decazes, who was born in the region.

St. Emilion

France

Quaint and historic St. Emilion is a small wine town just 22 miles northeast of Bordeaux, between Libourne and Castillon-la-Bataille in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. It is a beautiful medieval town that stands magnificently at the top of a hill overlooking the Dordogne River valley. St. Emilion features an incredible open-air museum with a medieval atmosphere and is also home to numerous wine shops, bars and restaurants to explore and enjoy. The most unique historical site are the remains of its underground monuments – a unique monolithic church and vast underground excavations.

Your Dordogne River Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Dordogne River Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.