The Vézère is the river of prehistory, and the valley around Les Eyzies is so crowded with caves, shelters and decorated walls that archaeologists have been working here since the nineteenth century. The limestone cliffs form a long, golden wall above the water, full of overhangs where people lived and painted for tens of thousands of years, and the whole group of sites is on the UNESCO list. The Roc de Saint-Cirq is one of those places, a cliff and shelter close to the small village of Saint-Cirq, set on a bend of the river.
The roads in this part of the Périgord Noir, the black Périgord named for its dark oak forests, are a delight. They follow the Vézère through meadows and past walnut groves, with the cliffs on one side and the river on the other, and every few kilometres there is a village of honey-coloured stone, a château or a troglodyte house tucked beneath a rock. Corners are gentle, surfaces generally good, and the traffic light except in July and August, when the tourist coaches arrive.
Le Bugue, about three kilometres away, is a small town with about three thousand people, and it has fuel, supermarkets and several restaurants. The region is famous for its food: duck and goose, confit and foie gras, walnuts, strawberries and truffles in winter. A plate of confit with sautéed potatoes is the standard order. Prices in the busy villages can be high, so look for the market days, when local producers sell straight from the table.
Come in spring or autumn if you can. The valley is green and soft in May, and in October the oaks turn rust and the mist lies on the river in the morning. Summer evenings are lovely, and the cliffs hold the warmth long after the sun has gone. Be aware that the shelters and caves are protected, with timed entry, so check opening times in advance, and be ready for cool air inside, even on a hot day.