Camping du Périgord Vert

Be sure to bring a warm jacket when you visit the Cave of Tourtoirac (15 minutes’ drive), where the temperature never rises higher than the mid-teens. Discovered (in rather tragic fashion) in the 1990s, this network of caverns and underground passages features spectacular rock formations. The city of Périgueux (45 minutes) has a long history, having been a stronghold for the Gauls and the Romans, both of whom left plenty of traces. These include the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre, now housing a green park with a play area. The Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum, in a contemporary building designed by architect Jean Nouvel, houses ancient artefacts. High above the river Vézère, La Roque St. Christophe (55 minutes) is a limestone cliff carved with prehistoric dwellings. Take a tour around this vertiginous site (a film shows how the caves were built), then stay until after dark for the dramatic sound and light show.