Dordogne named one of world’s most exciting places

It appeared as number five on a list of 28 destinations for 2019 overall, and was dubbed “worth a trip” for its “defining beauty and wonder in southwestern France”.

In the article explaining why the Dordogne made the cut, National Geographic reporter Kimberley Lovato wrote: “I am crazily in love with everything about it: the prehistoric caves, the fairy-tale castles and the resilient locals”.

She especially explained that the friendliness, generosity and authenticity of Dordogne residents had helped the region travel up the rankings.

Ms Lovato also cited the region’s good food, the mix of languages and dialects such as Occitan, and even mentioned the traditional la Félibrée festival, which celebrates the culture, music and history of the Occitanie, Périgord, and Langue d’Oc regions.

The article featured a wide range of photos of the area too, showing attractions such as the Abbey of Brantôme, on the banks of the Dronne river; the manicured Gardens of Marqueyssac; and the Châteaux of Biron and Castelnaud.

Dordogne was beaten only by Mexico City, the Peruvian Amazon, Mount Fanjingshan in China, and Dakar in Senegal.

Other European regions on the list included Vevey in Switzerland, Matera in Italy, Galway in Ireland, and Montenegro in the Balkans.

The rankings also highlighted Germany as a key place to visit, thanks to the new opening of a new Bauhaus museum in Dessau.