Best Caves in the Dordogne  Due to the number of rivers and the local geology it's no surprise that the Dordogne has some  magnificent cave complexes.  You will find two different types: "Gouffres" are underground caves, whilst "Grottes" are usually accessed from a rock face.  Most offer traditional stalagmite/stalactite formations, although some are famous for their ancient cave paintings.  The Gouffres de Padirac and Proumeyssac are our favourites.

Gouffre de Padirac

Location: Really out of the way on the D90, 15km north east of Rocamadour.  But quite special and worth a trip.
General Info: Open from 1st Apr - All Saints Day. Open 08.30-18.30 in August without interruption. Otherwise times vary. See website.
Description: This spectacular cave complex is impressive on a large scale.  Part of the trip is by gondola and the complete trip will take around one and a half hours.  Unfortunately not only will you probably spend time queuing to get in, there is the possibility of further queuing inside whilst you wait for a gondola and then later for a guide.  But it is certainly worth visiting if you are in the area.
Our recommendations: Very popular so you are advised to get there first thing if at all possible to avoid the queues.  Don’t forget your jumper!  If you have to travel to get here, you could combine it with a visit to Rocamadour.
For the children: Of interest, but not likely to excite them overly much!  An alternative destination for the children is the adjacent Insectopia (especially when the queues are too long!).

         - Gouffre de Padirac
         - Gouffre de Proumeyssac
         - Grotte du Grand Roc
         - La Roque St-Christophe
         - Lascaux Show Caves

There are several websites that you may like to browse giving further information on caves in the region:

- Perigord dot com
- Showcaves

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