★★★★★Tripadvisor review
Magical scenery, with a side of couples therapy.
DY-1979, October 2026
We canoed with Canoës Loisirs during our 5 days in the Dordogne, and they made it all effortless. There’s plenty of parking, and the launch is in a pretty spot, with red cliffs across the river. We walked up at our reserved time, and within minutes we had our canoe and were on our way.
Before we shoved off, they gave us simple, practical pointers about landmarks to watch for along the route (“stop after the third bridge”), which made it easy to know where we were.
I strongly recommend the longer route from Vitrac to Beynac. It gives you the most to see, gliding past cliffside villages and castles all the way down the valley. The river is shallow, with minimal rapids (I use the term loosely, but after a rain they might be stronger). Other tourists we met described it as being like a lazy river, and I thought that was an apt description. If you don't mind drifting more slowly, and if your spouse will permit it, you can periodically take a break from paddling to enjoy the scenery.
The paddling itself was a bit like couples therapy: you have to work together as a team if you want to go in the right direction. The person in back does the steering, and the person in front has to trust them and resist the urge to steer. They also need to rest when the person in back (a former Boy Scout) suggests they take a break. If the front person paddles, the back person has to counter it. Expect some negotiating before you find your rhythm!
The shuttle back from Beynac was easy too. It leaves on the hour, so time your arrival so you aren’t left waiting. I still don’t know how they maneuver those big buses down the dirt roads!
We shoved off at 11:30, stopped for lunch at La Roque-Gageac, then paddled a little harder to make it to Beynac to catch the 5:00 shuttle. If I had it to do over again, I would use kayak paddles to move a little faster down the river, and I'd get an earlier start so we'd have had more time to explore the towns.
Highly recommended, whether you’re experienced paddlers or just a couple willing to learn to steer together.
Pointers:
-Start early. If I did it again, I’d shove off earlier to leave more time for exploring the towns along the way.
Ask about kayak paddles. With a double-bladed paddle, we’d have moved a bit faster down the river.
Keep your phone or camera secure but reachable. I wore mine on a lanyard tucked under my shirt and life vest, and pulled it out only for photos.
-Bring close-toed water shoes. The beaches and river bottom are rocky. We bought some inexpensive ones online prior to the trip. We still brought sneakers for the town, but we saw tons of people walking around in these sandals all over Dordogne.
-Consider having your spouse watch a YouTube tutorial on canoeing because they will not take your instructions at all (ask me how I know).
★★★★★Tripadvisor review
Great day!
db7477, October 2026
Tremendous experience. We passed through 5 bridges. The first half was fun but without castles… the second half was awesome. Easy to paddle and navigate. My only complaint was that every communication said to meet in Sarlat… when no one showed, we called and were instructed to drive (15 minutes) to Vitrac.
★★★★★Viator review
A great way to spend a...
Jeffrey_W, September 2026
A great way to spend a day in the Dordogne Valley. Incredible scenery - including multiple Chateaus on the hills - and a nice village to stop in for lunch about halfway through the trip.
A couple of communication things could have been clearer as I got different info from Viator and the tour operator (Canoes Loisirs) regarding start time and location. Could also have a uses a little more clarity about the end-point of the tour as we spent the last little bit of our time concerned that we had missed our dropoff location. Everything worked out, though, and I'm glad to have included this in our vacation itinerary.
For what it's worth - we were 3 adults, all in our 60's
★★★★★Viator review
Great activity for any age!
Elisa_D, September 2026
Really fun experience! We sprung for the Sarlat shuttle pickup as we didn’t have a car for €10 per person and that worked wonderfully.
I would recommend anyone going to bring water shoes and a picnic to have the best time. They do hourly pickups until 6pm at the arrival point so there’s no stress in getting there
★★★★★Tripadvisor review
Fun, beautiful and historical
Z8554KFjenniferl, September 2026
A great way to see historical sites and enjoy all the river has to offer.
Free cancellation