The Dordogne (; ) is a river in south-central and southwest

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is long. The Dordogne and its watershed were designated

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

on 11 July 2012.

Geography

The river rises on the flanks of the

Puy de Sancy Puy de Sancy (, ; , ) is the highest mountain in the Massif Central, in Puy-de-Dôme departement of south central France. It is part of an ancient stratovolcano which has been inactive for about 220,000 years. The northern and southe ...

at above sea level in the mountains of

Auvergne Auvergne (; ; or ) is a cultural region in central France. As of 2016 Auvergne is no longer an administrative division of France. It is generally regarded as conterminous with the land area of the historical Province of Auvergne, which was dis ...

, from the confluence of two small torrents above the town of Le Mont-Dore: the ''Dore'' and the ''Dogne''. It flows generally west nearly through the

Limousin Limousin (; ) is a former administrative region of southwest-central France. Named after the old province of Limousin, the administrative region was founded in 1960. It comprised three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienne. On 1 Jan ...

and

Périgord Périgord ( , ; ; or ) is a natural region and former province of France, which corresponds roughly to the current Dordogne department, now forming the northern part of the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is divided into f ...

regions before flowing into the

Gironde Gironde ( , US usually , ; , ) is the largest department in the southwestern French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.

, its common

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...

with the

Garonne The Garonne ( , ; Catalan language, Catalan, Basque language, Basque and , ; or ) is a river that flows in southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux � ...

, at the

Bec d'Ambès The Bec d'Ambès (, literally ''Beak of Ambès'') is the point of confluence of the rivers Garonne and Dordogne, in the Gironde estuary. Situated 15 miles north of Bordeaux, it has an oil refinery which was destroyed by bombing during World War I ...

("Ambès beak"), north of the city of

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...

Nature

The Dordogne is one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit the phenomenon of a

tidal bore A tidal bore, often simply given as bore in context, is a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave (or waves) of water that travels up a river or narrow bay, reversing the direction of the river or bay's cu ...

, known as a ''mascaret''.Tidal bores, Mascaret, Pororoca (1). Myths, Fables and Reality !!!
/ref> The upper valley of the Dordogne is a series of deep gorges. The cliffs, steep banks, fast flowing water and high bridges attract both walkers and drivers. In several places the river is dammed to form long, deep lakes. Camp sites and holiday homes have proliferated wherever the valley floor is wide enough to accommodate them. Below

Argentat Argentat () is a former commune in the Corrèze department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of central France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Argentat-sur-Dordogne. Geography Argentat is situated on the river Dordogne, 30 ...

and around

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne (, literally ''Beaulieu on Dordogne (river), Dordogne''; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Corrèze Departments of France, department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions of France, region, central France. Beaulieu is ...

, the valley widens to accommodate fertile farmland, well-watered pasture and orchards. In the towns, which are major tourist attractions because of their history and architecture, the quaysides are lined with eating and drinking places. In Périgord, the valley widens further to encompass one of France's main gastronomic regions, with vineyards, poultry farms and truffle-rich woodlands. The main season for

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

in the Valley of the Dordogne is from June to September, with July and August being high season. The lifestyle and culture of the Dordogne valley attract both visitors and incomers from all over France, but also from many other countries, particularly Britain and Germany.

Course

*The ''

départements In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

'' of France through which the Dordogne runs, together with some towns in those ''départements'' that are on or quite near the river, are as follows: *The ' of

Puy-de-Dôme Puy-de-Dôme (; or ''lo Puèi Domat'') is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in the centre of France. In 2021, it had a population of 662,285.Le Mont-Dore (near the source of the river) and

La Bourboule La Bourboule (; Auvergnat: ''La Borbola'') is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France. La Bourboule is situated on the right bank of the Dordogne at an average elevation . It was known for its mineral ...

; *The ' of

Corrèze Corrèze (; ) is a département in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on the bo ...

– The towns of

Bort-les-Orgues Bort-les-Orgues (; ) is a communes of France, commune in the south-central French Departments of France, department of Corrèze. Geography Bort-les-Orgues is situated on the Dordogne (river), Dordogne. The southern boundary of the commune ...

, and

; *The ' of

Lot Lot, LOT, The Lot or similar may refer to: Common meanings Areas *Land lot, an area of land *Parking lot, for automobiles *Backlot, in movie production Sets of items *A great many of something, as in, "There are a lot of beetles," or "There are ...

– The towns of Souillac,

Pinsac Pinsac (; ) is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. See also *Communes of the Lot department The following is a list of the 312 communes of the Lot department of France France, officially the French Republic, i ...

, Lacave,

Meyronne Meyronne (; ) is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France. See also *Communes of the Lot department The following is a list of the 312 communes of the Lot department of France France, officially the French Republic ...

, Creysse, Montvalent,

Martel Martel may refer to: People * Andre Martel (1946–2016), American politician and businessman * Anne-Marie Martel (1644–1673), founder of what is now the Congrégation des Sœurs de l’Enfant-Jésus. * James B. Aguayo-Martel, ophthalmologist ...

, Floirac, Carennac, Gintrac, Tauriac and Prudhomat; *The ' of

Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; ) is a large rural departments of France, department in south west France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and ...

– The towns of

Beynac-et-Cazenac Beynac-et-Cazenac (; ) is a village located in the Dordogne department in southwestern France. The medieval Château de Beynac is located in the commune. The village is classified as one of ''Les plus beaux villages de France'' (most beautifu ...

, Sarlat, Saint-Cyprien, and Bergerac; *The ' of

– The towns of

Sainte-Foy-la-Grande Sainte-Foy-la-Grande (; ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is on the south bank of the Dordogne. History The town was founded in 1076, near a priory where Sainte Foy was worshipped. The t ...

and

Libourne Libourne (; ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. Geog ...

Tributaries

Main

tributaries A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ('' main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which the ...

from source to mouth: *(R)

Chavanon The Chavanon (; ) (also called ''la Ramade'') is a long river in the Creuse, Puy-de-Dôme, and Corrèze '' départements'', central France. Its source is in Crocq. It flows generally southeast. It is a right tributary of the Dordogne into which it ...

; *(L) Rhue; *(R)

Diège The Diège (; ) is a long river in the Corrèze ''département'', south central France. Its source is at Saint-Setiers, on the plateau de Millevaches, in the '' parc naturel régional de Millevaches en Limousin''. It flows generally southeast. It ...

; *(L)

Sumène Sumène (; ) is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. Geography Climate Sumène has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ''Csa'') closely bordering on a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (''Csb''). ...

; *(R)

Triouzoune The Triouzoune (; ) is a long river in the Corrèze ''département'', south-central France. Its source is on the Plateau de Millevaches, north of ''la Rigaudie'', a hamlet in Saint-Sulpice-les-Bois. It flows generally south-southeast. It is a ri ...

; *(L) Auze; *(R)

Luzège The Luzège (; ) is a long river in the Corrèze ''département'', south-central France. Its source is on the Plateau de Millevaches, in Meymac, north-northwest of the town. It flows generally south. It is a right tributary of the Dordogne, into ...

; *(R) Doustre; *(L)

Maronne The Maronne () is a long river in the Cantal and Corrèze departments in south central France. Its source is several small streams joining near Récusset, a hamlet in Saint-Paul-de-Salers. It flows generally west. It is a left tributary of the ...

; *(L)

Cère The Cère (; ) is a long river in south-western France, and a left tributary of the Dordogne. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, near the Plomb du Cantal mountain. It flows generally west through the following ''départements' ...

; *(L) Bave; *(R) Sourdoire; *(L) Ouysse; *(L)

Céou The Céou () is a long river in the Lot and Dordogne '' départements'', southwestern France. Its source is at Séniergues, southwest of Rocamadour. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Dordogne into which it flows at ...

; *(R)

Vézère The Vézère (; ) is a 211-km-long river in southwestern France. It is an important tributary to the Dordogne (river), Dordogne. Its source is in the northwestern part of the elevated plateau known as the Massif Central. It flows into the Dordog ...

; *(L) Couze; *(R) Caudeau; *(R) Lidoire; *(R) Isle. ''N.B. : (R) = right tributary; (L) = left tributary''

Activities

Aside from the usual activities such as tennis and golf available in many areas of France, there are a number of water-related activities related to the Dordogne, including: *

Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

, an age-old pastime for the locals and for visitors; *

Canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian. A few of the recreational ...

and

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

, very popular (canoes & kayaks are easy to rent); *

Boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

in a ''Gabare'' (a traditional skiff peculiar to the Dordogne); *

Rafting Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...

; *

Swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

; *

Motorboating A motorboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine; faster examples may be called "speedboats". Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the interna ...

; *

Sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...

; *

Rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

and

sculling Sculling is the use of oars to propel a boat by moving them through the water on both sides of the craft, or moving one oar over the stern. A long, narrow boat with sliding seats, rigged with two oars per rower may be referred to as a scull, its ...

; *

Water skiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on one or two skis. The sport requires sufficien ...

Dams

Marèges Dam The Marèges Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Dordogne River. It is located southeast of Liginiac in Corrèze department, France. It was constructed between 1932 and 1935 by the Railway Company du Midi. Its primary purpose is the generation ...

*Dam at

*Barrage de l'Aigle (The Eagle Dam) *Dam at Argentat *Dam at Bergerac *Dam at Chastang *Dam at Mauzac *Barrage de Tuilières

References

External links

The Dordogne Valley in the Lot department (website in French)The Dordogne Valley UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (website in French)
{{Authority control Rivers of France Rivers of Corrèze Rivers of Gironde Rivers of Lot (department) Rivers of Puy-de-Dôme Rivers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine Rivers of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Rivers of Occitania (administrative region)

River A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

Biosphere reserves of France