The Top free activities to do in Dordogne Périgord with children!

Are you coming to Dordogne Périgord with your children and wondering how to occupy these precious cherubs full of energy, but also how to save money on your budget without cutting back on your pleasure? Holidays with a large family are not always easy and to please the children, we want to make tourist sites to occupy them... Follow our good ideas to alternate between sites with paid entrances, good restaurants, purchases of local products or souvenirs and free activities. We promise we will do everything so that you don't miss anything thanks to our ideas for economical visits for holidays in Périgord!

Swimming in the Dordogne for free

In the Dordogne, we have several rivers that allow you to soak your feet or simply take a dip. We don't have the sea but we have leisure bases and most of them have free entrances (but the activities are paying).

On the river side, you can swim on the banks of the Dordogne, the Vézère and the Isle. For the smaller rivers the Céou, the Coly, the Dronne, the Auvézère, the Bandiat, the Cole, the Loue… Read our article on the leisure centers and places to swim in the Dordogne, don't forget the swimsuit !

Do treasure hunts without paying

Do you know geocatching? All parents should know about this wonderful way to get children walking without tiring them out or dragging them! In New Aquitaine, we have the "Tèrra Aventura", a series of treasure hunts, orchestrated by the Poïzs, which allows you to stroll while learning about nature, heritage and the history of the places visited. Download the free application on your Smartphone and let's go!

Hike along marked trails

Obviously it's a classic but it's still worth saying it again: Walking in the forest or by the rivers is free and super fun! Especially since in Périgord, we have more than 10,000 km of marked trails! From the nice little walk of 2 or 3 km to the long hike of more than 40km, you will find what you are looking for! Read our article on the most beautiful walks and hikes in Périgord and consult our tool to find trails near where you are.

Go visit the producers of local products

Producers (of foie-gras, preserves, nuts, chocolate, cheese, fruit, wine) often have organized tours of their farm, farm or workshop. Come and meet them, it's a moment of authentic and sincere sharing. Take an interest in their profession, in their love for their land. Visits are often (not always, find out beforehand) free, followed by a tasting and the possibility of buying good products. Ouiiiii the shop it will be paying, but it is necessary to eat well and as much as it comes from a short circuit and that it is in season, is not it? Consult our section on visits and tastings!

Go to the market

The market is a place full of colors, animation, joie de vivre. In Périgord we have very beautiful markets which are worth the trip and are real moments of relaxation to share with the children. Here are the market places of Périgord. There are all the food trades, but also in season, artists and craftsmen. In summer, we have magnificent night markets and local producers' markets (in the evening) in Périgord. Consult our article on the gourmet markets of Périgord.

Visiting the towns and villages of Dordogne

It's the same kind of classic as hikes, but it's so true! A beautiful walk in a city (Bergerac or Périgueux for the older ones) or a walk in a village, it takes up a whole day and you can combine that with a moment of swimming and even a morning market to make a combo! Children like to walk around villages on average, don't they? So to help them, ask the tourist offices for a map of the city, in many villages there are games, riddles, storytelling walks, interpretive panels for fauna and flora...

Bulk ideas:

• The Pôle International de la Prehistoire in Les Eyzies is a place of culture and history, which is free! Many resources at your disposal
• A walk in the departmental Domaine de Campagne is a superb place, unique in Périgord and free! Read our report article at the Domaine du Château de Campagne!
• The Vesunna museum in Périgueux offers a free visit for people under 18 years old. Same for the Museums of Art and Archeology of Périgord!
• The discovery trail of the Savignac Ledrier forges (guided tours are chargeable)
• The discovery walk of the Marquis de Durestal (the show is paying)
• The Moncalou tower to enjoy a nice viewpoint near the Dordogne Valley
• The Quai Cyrano in Bergerac to learn more about Bergerac Duras wines and to do tastings
• The Barrage de Tuilière in Mouleydier found at the start of the Bergerac cycle path. With an amazing fish pass and the possible visit of the dam.
• The Robert Doisneau station in Carlux, in the Pays de Fènelon
• The Meulières Interpretation Trail near Brantôme
• Carlux Castle (the ruins with commentary)

The Department also offers you a link which shows more than 170 places of discovery to do for free (in fr) in the Dordogne, there is a bit of everything! Walks, trails, places of regular entertainment... Enjoy!

Did you like our report? Find more on the Guide du Périgord blog. Join us on the Guide du Périgord Facebook page, we also have an Instagram account @guideduperigord