A day on the river  23/9/2009

The Gabarre.

Thursday started with a river cruise on a reconstruction of a Gabarre - a nineteenth century flat bottom sailing barge used for sending goods down river, especially oak barrels to Bordeaux. These boats were actally the ones used by Johnny Deep in Chocolat. After that we rented a canoe and paddled 15km from Vitrac Port to Beynac. On way we stopped off for lunch at La Roque-Gageac, a one street town stretching along the river and looking like it has been sculptured out of the rock cliff behind it.

La Roque-Gageac from the canoe.

Beynac reflecting onto the Dordogne.

The trip was very peaceful especially because for a lot of the time we were the only people on the river. As we paddled into Beynac late afternoon the river was very still and the reflections were amazing.


That evening we went back to Sarlat for dinner in the main square. It was so beautiful, as the whole town is lit with gas light and there was also entertainment - a singer with a barrel organ, a fire dancer and a guitarist. The perfect end to a perfect day.

Sarlat at night.