A Rainy Day Trip in Dordogne: coastal charm and historic villages

A rainy day couldn’t stop us from taking a road trip to France’s Atlantic coast and explore the quiet beauty of Royan and Talmont-sur-Gironde. Inland, we cruised through Dordogne, home of famed Périgord black truffles.

Royan

Royan is the capital of Côte de Beauté, on the south-western coastline of France. On a rainy day in September, we visited the port of Royan stretching into the Atlantic, studded with boats swaying and bobbing gently. We strolled along the quay, under the scrutiny of seagulls perched on piers. As always, we were in search of good food. Our friends led us to Le Mogador, a portside restaurant serving seafood and Moroccan tagines. We ordered the seafood tagine, the best of both worlds! The aromatic dish was cooked to perfection thanks to the traditional clay pot. We took our time, savoring the flavors and chatting as we sipped on glasses of Sancerre, a lovely Loire Valley white.

After lunch, we checked out the colorful souvenir shops and tried to avoid what my friends called “prix américains”-American prices. Munching on ice cream, we joined the crowd of spectators lined up to cheer on race runners.

Talmont-sur-Gironde

Our next stop dropped us in the seaside village of Talmont-sur-Gironde, a 13th century establishment with full storybook charm. Cobblestone paths flanked by stone homes that peaked behind pink, purple, and yellow flowers led to the Romanesque Church of Sainte-Radegonde. Built between the 11th and 15th centuries by Benedictine monks, this historic monument was a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

Talmont’s location provided for plentiful fishing opportunities as proven by the many carrelets lining its coast. These colorful stilted wooden huts with large fishing nets are a distinctive part of the landscape and maritime heritage of the region. The term carrelet also refers to the square fishing net lowered and raised by a pulley system.

Brantôme

The Dordogne region in the southwest of France is known as the “Cradle of Humanity” as it contains evidence of Neanderthal and later Cro-Magnon settlements, complete with extensive cave art.

Brantôme is charming Dordogne town on the banks of the river Dronne, known as “The Venice of Périgord.” Its most impressive building is a Benedictine Abbey founded by Charlemagne in the 8th century. The building reflects the area’s tumultuous past, featuring a Romanesque bell tower added in the 11th century, a church and cloister rebuilt in the 15th century, and monastic buildings, which now house a museum and exhibition spaces.

Visit Abbey of Brantôme

We strolled along the bank of the river, stopping in an artisan shop to witness glass blowing, then shopped for colorful pottery next door. Across the river, a park offered verdant pathways for leisurely walks or picnics.