The Most Beautiful Villages of the Dordogne (Most Beautiful Villages)

From Booklist
Walk through a land of pure enchantment in this tour of a particularly lovely part of France, the southwestern area called the Dordogne, from the river that flows through it. (The region is also known as the Perigord.) Experienced travel writer Bentley and outstanding photographer Palmer (partnered in the previous title in the series, Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany ) guide the reader from one charming, beautiful village to another. In large-format display, Palmer captures particularly evocative scenes, and in buoyant text, Bentley describes the physical appearance of each place and discusses local cuisine and the dramatic history in which the region is steeped. Readers will find it difficult to remain armchair-bound once they have savored these luscious pages! Brad Hooper


Midwest Book Review
The Most Beautiful Villages Of The Dordogne is a visual tour-de-force of the "Perigord" region of France with its evocative, descriptive text and its 258 full-color, breathtakingly beautiful illustrations. The Dordogne offers splendid scenery, exquisite food and wine, the finest examples of prehistoric art and some of the most enchanting villages of France. Readers will discover villages of widely contrasting appeal and interest: in the north are gems such as Brantome with its fine abbey and ancient houses gracing the banks of the river Dronne. Further south, among the undulating hills and warm limestone valleys of the white Dordogne are villages such as Hautefort, crouching beneath the twin pepper-pot towers of its chateau. Gastronomy and the artifacts of prehistory distinguish the villages of the two southernmost areas. Other sties such as Les Eyzies, harbor some of the best prehistoric cave paintings in the world, while the ancient fortified towns of Montfort and Monpazier recall the struggles of the Middle Ages. Complete with a traveler's gazetteer and further information about the region, The Most Beautiful Villages Of The Dordogne is a magnificent presentation of the Dordogne's small towns and villages demonstrating the qualities that attract so many visitors every year. The Most Beautiful Villages Of The Dordogne is an armchair traveler's dream! James Bentley's talents as an experienced travel writer are manifest. Hugh Palmer's photography is arresting, as he shares his artist's eye through the camera's lens and gives the reader a multiplicity of memorable visions. The Most Beautiful Villages Of The Dordogne is the ideal coffee-table book and will inspire many a reader to trod those Dordogne roads themselves.


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Four colors - green, white, black and purple - designate the four regions of the Dordogne, and symbolize the rich diversity of this magical region, often known by its more strictly French name as "the Perigord." Green evokes the lush vegetation of the northern crescent, white the limestone valleys of the central region, black the truffles of the south-east - the famous "black diamonds" of classic French cuisine - and purple the full-bodied red grape of the Bergerac vineyards. The Dordogne offers splendid scenery, exquisite food and wine, the finest examples of prehistoric art and some of the most enchanting villages of France - celebrated here in wonderful color photographs and evocative descriptions. On a journey south through the region we discover villages of widely contrasting appeal and interest: in the north are such gems as Brantome, its fine abbey and ancient houses gracing the banks of the river Dronne. Further south, among the undulating hills and warm limestone valleys of the white Dordogne are "grand" villages such as Hautefort, crouching beneath the twin pepper-pot towers of its chateau. Gastronomy and the artifacts of prehistory distinguish the villages of the two southernmost areas. Produced here are delicacies such as foie gras and the fine white wine of Monbazillac. Other sites, such as Les Eyzies, harbor some of the best prehistoric cave paintings in the world, while the ancient fortified towns of Montfort and Monpazier recall the struggles of the Middle Ages. Complete with a traveler's gazetteer and further information about the region, this magnificent presentation of the Dordogne's small towns and villages demonstrates the qualities that attract so many visitors.


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