Dordogne

The Font-de-Gaume cave is 120m long and is the last remaining prehistoric site with polychrome figures (over 200) still open to the public. — Michelin Guide

With a fabulous mountaintop setting, the now-ruined castle of Castelnaud, containing a large collection of medieval arms, is just upstream from Beynac across the Dordogne. — Fodor's

After 40m of narrow tunnels, there is an extraordinary profusion of stalactites and stalagmites of coral-like beauty...and a wide variety of other geological curiosities. — Michelin Guide

Overlooking the Eyzies, the must-see museum of prehistory is dedicated to the Palaeolithic era. — Michelin Guide

Five kilometers (3 miles) from Castelnaud, the turreted Château des Milandes was built around 1489 in Renaissance style, and has lovely terraces and gardens. — Fodor's

Probably inhabited from the 9C to 1920, the extraordinary troglodytic village of La Madeleine was built halfway up a cliff in the heart of the Vézère Valley and provides an insight into rural life in the region. — Michelin Guide

For Périgord Noir at its most enchanting, head to the heavenly heights of this hilltop garden in Vézac, just south of Beynac. — Fodor's

Built in the 15C and 16C (extensively remodelled in the 19C), the castle is formed of various lodgings linked by round towers and enclosed by curtain walls. — Michelin Guide

These caves, discovered in 2000, consist of classic concretions (stalactites and stalagmites) and above all an incredible density of eccentric forms whose shapes defy gravity. — Michelin Guide

Périgueux's history reaches back more than 2,000 years, yet the community is best known for this odd-looking church, which was associated with the routes to Santiago de Compostela. — Fodor's

In high season, reserve ahead for a guided tour of this vast cave with sparkling stalactites. It has an aerial basket for viewing the cavern in the round. — Lonely Planet

The elaborate turreted tower of the Cathédrale St-Sacerdos, begun in the 12th century, is the oldest part of the building and, along with the choir, all that remains of the original Romanesque structure. — Fodor's

Part of the Dordogne’s spell is its drop-dead gorgeous villages, as this waterfront huddle of medieval stone on the Dordogne River testifies. — The Telegraph

A 30-minute drive north of Périgueux is the Dordogne’s self-proclaimed truffle capital. — The Telegraph

France’s most famous prehistoric cave paintings are at Grotte de Lascaux, 2km southeast of Montignac. — Lonely Planet

It’s still possible to make out the central fountain, supporting pillars and the underfloor hypocaust system, as well as original mosaic murals, jewellery, pottery and even a water pump. — Lonely Planet

These hanging gardens change in appearance according to the seasons and time of day. The garden is famous for its topiaries, planted on the manor's terraces. — Michelin Guide

This one-time fortress buffeted by the Hundred Years War was originally constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries. — Lonely Planet

The museum displays a broad panorama of Prehistoric Man's expressive media (painting, sculpture, graffiti), and their place in the history of Mankind and evolution. — Michelin Guide