Name: FRANCE’s Magical Dordogne in a Private Castle
Start: 2025-04-25T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-05-02T00:00:00.000Z
Location: France

The Continental DRIFTER®

Email address verified

6 reviews

Apr 25 - May 2, 2025

Group size: 6 - 12

FRANCE’s Magical Dordogne in a Private Castle

France

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The Continental DRIFTER®

Email address verified

6 reviews

Apr 25 - May 2, 2025

Group size: 6 - 12

Accommodations
7 nights ACCOMMODATIONS at Château de Marouatte in a single or double room during trip dates. There's NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (save $900...limited) if you wish to have your own room throughout the trip.
Meals and Beverages
All Breakfasts (B), 3 Lunches (L) and 7 Dinners (D), including table water, soft drinks, beer, house wine and/or coffee/tea.
Entry Fees
All ENTRY FEES for group activities as outlined in the itinerary.
Transportation
Group TRANSFERS from and back to Angoulême train station to and from the castle. Transportation for day trips organized as group activities (or we recommend renting your own car for max flexibility).

International Airfare
Flights or other transportation to and from France.
Airport transfers
Transfers from and to CDG or other airport(s) from and to your hotel (if applicable).
Pre- or Post-Trip Nights
Pre- or post-trip accommodations outside of published tour dates.
Other Transportation
Transportation to and from Angoulême via TGV or other method (your transfers each way are only included on above tour dates).
Other Meals
Meals not specifically outlined in the itinerary as included.
Drinks/Alcohol
Drinks or other alcoholic beverages beyond table water, soft drinks, beer, house wine and coffee/tea provided during included meals at the castle (may vary for group meals outside the castle).
Personal Items
Items of a personal nature are not included.

Day 1
Day 1
Train to Angoulême and Arrival at Castle
Meals: D

Today, unless renting a car or arriving to the castle any other way on your own, you’ll want to take the TGV high-speed train from Gare Montparnasse or Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) or elsewhere to the station in Angoulême. As mentioned, you can also arrive via other methods but please know that we have a single pickup time and meeting point at the station in Angoulême.

5:00 pm – Please arrange your train or other transportation to Angoulême to arrive in plenty of time to make your GROUP TRANSFER to the castle currently scheduled for 5 pm local time on Day 1.

N.B. These may be approximate times as exact train schedules are not released
until about 60 days out from the date of travel. Additional instructions for purchasing your tickets will be provided as the trip approaches.

ABOUT THE TGV TRAIN TO AND FROM ANGOULÊME

For more information on the trains in France, if you haven’t already, please start your search at SNCF Connect or OuiGo, which, according to their website “is the official European distribution channel of the French railways (SNCF) for online sales of high-speed and conventional rail travel throughout France and Europe.”

Note: Guests arriving outside of this time frame will need to make their own arrangements to get to the castle, which is less than an hour away from Angoulême by car, but this may not be easy to do, that is unless you rent a car (be sure to get a GPS), which is perfectly acceptable and highly recommended as this will provide you complete freedom throughout the trip and there is free parking at the castle.

6:00 pm – Check in, relax and then begin to enjoy your stay at Château de Marouatte.

7:30 pm – WELCOME DINNER at the castle where you can enjoy a wonderful meal and get to know your fellow travelers more in person.
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Day 2
Day 2
Postcard Bourdeilles and its Château
Meals: B, L, D

9:00 am – BREAKFAST at the castle (served buffet style, come at your leisure)

10:00 am – Morning visit with time to walk around and discover the postcard town of Bourdeilles, situated right on the banks of the River Dronne with ENTRY TO CHÂTEAU DE BOURDEILLES. Be sure to look for the large redwood tree by the bridge.

12:00 pm – After we’ll TRANSFER and enjoy LUNCH at a nearby restaurant or back at the castle.

2:00 pm – Afternoon free to relax, swim or sit by the pool, play in the large game room, take a nearby hike (be sure to know your way back) or simply enjoy the castle grounds and interior.

7:30 pm – Tonight we’ll have DINNER at the castle.
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Day 3
Day 3
Cave Visit with Prehistoric Paintings
Meals: B, L, D

8:00 am – Buffet BREAKFAST at the castle.

9:00 am – TRANSFER and ENTRY TO VISIT Grotte du Villars, a truly incredible underground system of caves with a variety of stalactites and stalagmites that will surely impress. There are also several original paintings estimated to be upwards of 18,000 years old that we’ll be able to see. According to the manager and owner of this site, the cave system is thought to cover an area of 26 square km in total, but the part we’ll visit makes up just 500 square meters, or roughly .02% of the entire area.

Note: It can be cold in the cave so be sure to wear at least a sweater or jacket. And, sorry, but no photos or videos are allowed inside the cave during our approximately 45-minute visit.

10:30 am – Next, we’ll visit Abbaye de Boschaud, an abandoned and derelict structure that is certainly worth a stop.

11:00 am – After our visit to the Abbaye you’ll have some free time to walk around another beautiful village of approximately 350 people called St.-Jean-de-Côle.

1:00 pm – Next, we’ll have LUNCH at a nearby restaurant to be announced later.

3:00 pm – TRANSFER back to hotel and afternoon free to relax, swim or sit by the pool, play in the large game room, take a nearby hike or simply enjoy the castle grounds.

8:00 pm – As a group back at the castle we’ll have DINNER.
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Day 4
Day 4
Visit to Périgeuex
Meals: B, D

9:00 am – BREAKFAST at the castle.

Morning free to sleep in or enjoy your time as you see fit.

11:00 am – TRANSFER to the city of Périgeuex with time to walk around, shop and have lunch on your own at any of the many restaurants you’ll find. Périgeuex also has an impressive church and other sites you can choose to see and visit, and we'll plan this day to coincide with market day.

5:00 pm – TRANSFER back to the castle for afternoon free to relax, swim or sit by the pool, play in the large game room, take a nearby hike or simply enjoy the castle grounds.

7:30 pm – DINNER as a group at castle.
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Day 5
Day 5
Half-Day Free in Brantôme
Meals: B, D

9:00 am – BREAKFAST at the castle.

10:00 am – TRANSFER to the nearby town of Brantôme with its impressive Benedictine Abbey de Brantôme, which was founded in 769 AD by Charlemagne.

Here you’ll have plenty of free time to walk its side streets, riverfront and along the sheer cliff walls where cave homes, shops and even the church and abbaye have been carved out of the solid rock.

11:00 am - If available we'll enjoy a pleasurable BOAT RIDE on the Dronne. Plan to have lunch on your own or as a small group at any of the many restaurants to be found in town.

Recommendations (subject to being open and reservations are highly recommended):

Le Moulin de l’Abbaye, located at 1 avenue Pierre de Bourdeilles 24310, is a gorgeous 1-star Michelin restaurant located right on the river in Brantôme (reservations required – 05 53 05 80 22)

La Guinguette, located at 25 bis rue Victor Hugo 24310 in Brantôme is a wonderful restaurant in a beautiful setting on the river and opens at noon every day.

3:00 pm – TRANSFER back to the castle for a free afternoon to relax, swim or sit by the pool, play in the large game room, take a nearby hike or simply enjoy the castle grounds.

7:30 pm – DINNER at the castle as a group.
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Day 6
Day 6
Visit to Neuvic with Caviar and Walnut Mill Visit
Meals: B, L, D

9:00 am – BREAKFAST on your own at the castle.

10:00 am – TRANSFER to a town called Neuvic for VISIT to Caviar du Neuvic where you'll learn the extremely interesting process of raising sturgeon and how their eggs are collected and processed for caviar. We’ll also have a caviar tasting at the end of our visit and you can even shop for caviar and other related products on site.

11:30 am – Next, we’ll drive just down the way to VISIT Moulin de la Veyssiere, a walnut mill where we can see their age-old system of processing walnuts and hazelnuts into very tasty oils (interestingly enough, this region is known for walnut and hazelnut production, not for olives). Those who wish can purchase these products to bring home as gifts or for personal use, but do abide by any customs laws.

12:30 – LUNCH as a group at a nearby restaurant.

3:00 pm – TRANSFER back and afternoon free.

7:30 pm – DINNER as a group at the castle.
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Day 7
Day 7
Ribérac Market Day, Optional Lunch and Farewell Dinner
Meals: B, D

Friday is market day in Ribérac.

9:00 am – Casual BREAKFAST on your own at the castle (please keep in mind that lunch will be a little later today).

10:00 am – TRANSFER to Market Day in the nearby town of Ribérac where you can marvel at the beautiful and tasty displays of food, flowers and other items on sale and perhaps choose to purchase some food to bring back to the castle to eat as a group, or we may choose to eat at a wonderful nearby restaurant in Ribérac.

12:00 pm – TRANSFER back to the castle for lunch and some free time.

1:00 pm – If we don't eat in town, enjoy an impromptu lunch outside at the castle or in the dining room. You may like to pick up some bread, cheese, fruits and vegetables, sausages, fresh jams, foie gras, drinks and whatever else you’d like to eat and share at lunch.

4:00 pm – Afternoon and early evening free to do your own thing.

8:00 pm – FAREWELL DINNER at the castle.
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Day 8
Day 8
Transfer to Angoulême for Departure
Meals: B

Unfortunately, your trip comes to an end today so it’ll be time to say goodbye to new and old friends. Be sure to pack all your belongings, check out, leave your key and have everything with you for your GROUP TRANSFER to Angoulême (if applicable).

9 am – BREAKFAST at the castle.

10:30 am – TRANSFER to train in Angoulême, approximate arrival 11:30 am (pretty firm, but subject to change and we’ll discuss ahead of time).

Exact timing may be subject to change.

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Day 1

Train to Angoulême and Arrival at Castle

The Continental DRIFTER®

6 reviews

Since 2008, Continental DRIFTER® founder Ralph Velasco has been curating and leading unforgettable small group cultural tours around the globe — all consistently 5-star rated on Google, WeTravel, and Facebook. We partner with trusted local guides, drivers, and hand-picked accommodations to make sure every detail of your journey runs smoothly — so you can focus on soaking up the experience, not stressing over the logistics. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of each destination — exploring the people, food, drink, and culture.

It was a great adventure! The guides knew a lot about the area and were very fun and helpful. I enjoyed all of the different activities; dog-sledding, ice fishing, etc and the food was great! Thanks for a fun time!

By Carol L for Seeking the Northern Lights in LAPLAND on Mar 20, 2025

Thank you so much for the great review, Carol, I really appreciate it and it was great to travel with you again!

By The Continental DRIFTER® on Mar 25, 2025

The Dordogne trip was fantastic; we got to stay in castle built in the early 1200s on a Roman site and explore a beautiful part of France, full of rivers and limestone cliffs and ancient abbeys and castles and impossibly charming little towns. As always on Ralph’s trips, we had some truly memorable meals and did super cool and interesting tours and day trips in the company of a great group of people. I can’t wait for my next trip with Ralph!

By Karen Gareis G for FRANCE’s Magical Dordogne in a Private Castle on Oct 09, 2024

Thank you so much, Karen, for a great review. I’m so happy you enjoyed our time here in France and I simply can’t wait to travel with you again!

By The Continental DRIFTER® on Oct 09, 2024

The uniqueness of staying in a castle put this trip over the top. Ralph put together a well organized trip which included interesting adventures each day balanced with relaxation time at the castle. All of the side tours were interesting and unique. The biggest challenge for me was lack of wifi in my castle tower. But lol and behold the game room with its interesting decor provided wifi. I do m think the main idea behind the castle was to focus on the quiet and the people around you. I would highly recommend this tour if you like to experience something different and enjoy learning about the region.

By Lynn E for FRANCE’s Magical Dordogne in a Private Castle on Oct 06, 2024

Thanks so much for joining this trip, Lynn, and for the 5-star review. I'm so glad you enjoyed our time at the castle and in all the surrounding villages we visited. Can't wait to have you along on another trip soon!

By The Continental DRIFTER® on Oct 07, 2024

A magical time in a magical location, a private medieval castle whose owner managed some of the most well known rock bands of the 80s and 90s. Stories filled the evening hour around the great dining hall under the watchful eye of several suits of armor. Day trips out to various stone medieval towns for open air markets, gothic churches, an abandoned abbey and prehistoric paintings some 20,000 years old hidden amongst the stalactites of limestone caverns. A unique view of another side of France.

By Anthony P for FRANCE’s Magical Dordogne in a Private Castle on Sep 28, 2024

Thanks, Tony, for the wonderful review. I’m so glad you joined this trip and enjoyed it so much. It was a pleasure to have you along and to see you on the road in this magical place!

By The Continental DRIFTER® on Sep 29, 2024

Continental DRIFTER’s Northern Spain trip was the trip of a lifetime, but I will definitely travel with Ralph again, so there’s going to be competition for that “trip of a lifetime” title! With a small group of delightful companions, we saw spectacular views and architecture, ate amazing local food, drank delicious local wine, visited interesting locations with fun and knowledgeable local guides, and had so many laughs. Highlights included the sheer cliff faces overlooking Zumaia Beach, the lush terraced vineyards over the impossibly blue Bay of Biscay, the charming beachfront of San Sebastian, the ridiculously delicious tapas crawl on Calle Laurel in Logroño, and spending part of the trip in a little 13th century walled town in Rioja. Ralph takes care of every detail, so all that’s left to do is to marvel, learn, and enjoy. And eat. And eat. I loved spending enough time in each location to really get a feel for it instead of rushing from place to place checking items off a list, and Ralph curates the coolest experiences, like olive oil farm tours and cooking classes. 47 thumbs up from me!

By Karen Gareis G for Northern SPAIN’s Basque Country & La Rioja on Sep 20, 2023

Karen, thank you SO much for the wonderful review. I'm so happy you enjoyed our trip to Spain, it was a pleasure having you along and I can't wait until the next one!

By The Continental DRIFTER® on Nov 02, 2023

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