Auvézère Valley Greenway (Voie Verte)
A few kilometres north of Hautefort, the Auvézère river cuts a quiet, wooded gorge through the Périgord Blanc that most visitors speed past on the main road without ever suspecting it exists. A converted railway line — now a smooth, car-free voie verte (greenway) — follows the river through tunnels, over viaducts and past old mills for some 27 kilometres between Condat-sur-Vézère and Thenon.
The Route
The trail surface is compacted gravel and suitable for hybrid bikes, e-bikes and pushchairs. The most dramatic section runs between the village of La Boissière and the Moulin du Got, where the river narrows and limestone cliffs rise on both sides, dripping with ferns and moss.
Several old railway tunnels punctuate the route — they are unlit, so a bike light is essential, and the cool air inside them is a welcome relief on hot July afternoons.
Wildlife and Stops
The Auvézère is one of the cleanest rivers in the Dordogne département and supports otters, kingfishers and dippers — slow down on the viaducts and scan the water below. Dawn and dusk give the best sightings.
The village of Cherveix-Cubas, about halfway along the route, has a small café and a Romanesque church worth a ten-minute stop. Pack a picnic from Hautefort market and eat it on the riverbank.
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