From caves to castles – France’s GR 64

I’ve always been drawn to the Dordogne and the Lot River. Since childhood, I've been passionate about prehistoric art and this part of south-west France is known to be particularly rich in wonders from the Upper Palaeolithic period.

As I hiked and visited caves, I discovered many treasures in these endearing regions: The orange-coloured limestone houses and castles; the peaceful Dordogne and Vézère rivers; the incredible medieval villages of Domme and Rocamadour; empty roads; dense forests; beautiful limestone cliffs; and many opportunities to swim in lakes and rivers.

This south-western region also boasts fantastic regional dishes and specialities – make sure you try the duck breast. Walnuts, tobacco and strawberries also grow abundantly here.

Our ancestors would be amazed at the change if they came back to life today. 20,000 years ago, their environment was more like the Mongolian steppes or the Scandinavian tundras.

This four-day, 91-kilometre Collection follows the GR through this extraordinary area. The route starts from the pretty village of Rocamadour, a place of pilgrimage that sets the tone for your adventure. You hike from medieval villages to natural sites and from castles to rivers, finishing in the village of Les Eyzies, a prehistoric capital.

I advise adding an extra day so you have time to explore the prehistoric sites.

These regions explode with life in spring, but summer and autumn are just as charming and ideal for hiking. Avoid winter, unless you enjoy fog, which can be quite dense here at times. The terrain is fairly easy and, as it’s not too mountainous, it’s kind to hikers of all levels.

I've made sure that you can stay at a quality campsite at the end of each stage. Thanks to the forests, you can also easily wild camp. If you prefer to sleep indoors, you’ll find plenty of gîtes and hotels.

You can get there by car, bus or train. The Rocamadour-Padirac SNCF train station is 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the village. The best way to avoid long waiting times is to leave one car at the start and one at the end of the route.

If you'd like to delve deeper into the prehistoric past, visit the Rouffignac cave, which has a mammoth painting, or the Cap-Blanc shelter with its sculpted horses.

You can also follow in the footsteps of pre-historic humans in this Collection:

komoot.com/collection/1256103

Enjoy your visit!