Product Description

This title reveals historic and natural treasures from Bordeaux to Toulouse. It visits the earliest known prehistoric art at the Lascaux caves and the beautiful Renaissance town of Sarlat; samples foie gras and confits washed down with fine Bordeaux; and explores the fairytale castles and Romanesque churches of northern Perigord. 'If southwest France could croon a tune, it would have to be that old Inkspots' hit, 'I don't want to set the world on fire, I just want to be the one you love.' Endowed with soft, gentle beauty rather than dramatic extremes, the region presents no overwhelming itinerary of high cultural shrines that demand your awe and homage. But, like all true lovers, it magically opens your eyes to the grace and charm in little things, in everyday life.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #180956 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 472 pages

Review
"'These guides are beautifully produced and a delight to read and own' - Living France Magazine"

About the Author
Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls are passionate about Europe and have written over 40 books for Cadogan, including several in the Spain series. They have lived all over Europe, but are currently settled in an idyllic house surrounded by vineyards in the Lot Valley, France.

Customer Reviews

Intelligent and fun
I have to disagree with the previous reviewer. I've always found the Cadogan guides written by Facaros and Pauls brilliant. Yes, they lack the pictures that you get in an Eyewitness guide, for example, but they more than make up for that in the quality of the text: it is detailed without being heavy, and fun without being stupid. To me, they strike the right balance between historical and architectural information and foodie indulgence. I bought this to replace my copy of the third edition which has now fallen apart through over use. I rate their stuff so highly that I now look to see if they have written a guide to a place I intend to visit. In a perfect world I'd have one of these and a corresponding Eyewitness guide - but if I only had room in my bag for one it would always be the Cadogan guide. Apart from the fact that the Eyewitness ones are heavy because of the glossy paper, the text in the Cadogan guides is vastly more entertaining.

Dull
Although I like to know factual information and happy to read about places in a travel guide - I do also expect a number of photos of what to expect. This guide is almost completely devoid of any!

I dare say it is very useful if you are already familiar with the Dordgne etc. but I certainly wouldnt recomend it for a first visit to the area

A nice read, but the format limits its use as a holiday guide.
This Cadogan guide includes some wonderful detail and certainly captures the essence of this part of France.

For the first-time visitor, however, it is not a particularly user-friendly format. Incorporation of images and more maps would definitely enhance its use as a guide, whilst I find the Cadogan format a little stuffy.