Pairing Preservation and Economic Activity

Man and Landscape

:: From Montfort to Beynac, the Dordogne River offers its great majestic meanders, the most emblematic landscapes of the Valley,  shaped both by the River and Man.
Human presence and activity for millennia have been attested by numeral archeological diggings, including the Stone Age ones made to check the feasibility of the bypass...

The slopes and the upper terraces of the Valley come from the breakdown of cretaceous limestone, and in the Middle Ages, cliffs were inhabited, organised around troglodytic villages. Traces of ancient vineyards can be found, that were in activity from the Middle Ages until the Phylloxera crisis in the 19th century.
The alluvial plain is used for agricultural activities: mixed crops, cereals and walnuts (Juglans regia).

Human Activity

:: The landscape patterns have not radically changed, except for the field crops (maize and wheat) with, in some places, market gardening  in open field (strawberry, asparagus, etc.), and some green tourism campgrounds.
Hospitality businesses have been kept away from the riverbanks and regulations are quite strong regarding architecture, signage,  or advertisement.
The waters are used by swimmers, gabarres, canoes, fishermen, all looking for a peaceful moment in tune with these superbe surroundings.
The castles of Castelnaud and Beynac are remarkable observatories, with the exceptional scenery they offer on the Valley and on history.

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