The serene Dordogne idles its way through rural southwestern France, passing intricate chateaux, forests and beautiful gardens, some of the country’s prettiest villages and medieval towns.

The Dordogne flows for 300 miles in the southwest region of France and is considered part of the Aquitaine area. Gentle hills – never overly high or steep – flank the river on both sides, with the highest point being Saint Pierre de Frugie at 479 meters. Much of the land – some 100,000 hectares – is devoted to wine-growing, with acreage farther from the river mainly devoted to poultry farming.

Personal highlights are not just the obvious Bordeaux but also La Roque-Gageac, the “cutest town in France,” and historical Beynac and Périgueux.