We are deciding between canoeing for the day on the Vezere or the Dordogne. Reading about both, I really don't know which is best for our group (4 adults and 3 pre-teen/teens). Also, anyone have any particular rental outfits they'd recommend?

A number of years ago we paddled down the Dordogne in a canoe or kayak (not sure of the difference) for 3 days stopping at a pre determined destination each night and handing the canoe back to the same company at the end of the trip.

Sorry can't remember where we started from or where we finished but it sticks in my memory as one of the most wonderful holidays I have ever had.

The scenery chages at every bend in the river and there were lots of beaches and stopping off points on the way.

You leave your canoe with the hire company and go for lunch and a walk in one of the villages.

The Dordogne was wonderful and very very scencic.

Vezere is muddy & the Dordogne is clear. Lots of places to rent canoes on the Dordogne - don't know about the Vezere. The most dramatic riverside villages are along the Dordogne. Decide how far & long you want to canoe. How about a picnic on a beach mid way close to the bridge to Castelnaud Chateau??

St Cirq has some recommendations of rental places, but the one she recommended to me was closed in latter Sept. We found another one much farther down the riverside road from the one she suggested.

Stu Dudley

We just found one using the Yellow Pages under <i>cano&euml;</i>. We started fairly close to Sarlat slightly to the east, and ended close to Beynac. It took us all day (10 - 4).

The V&eacute;z&egrave;re might be less crowded and is a smaller river.

Maybe you can find some clues in this thread that will lead you to a specific kayak rental company. http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34518249

Thanks so much for the advice. Based on this, we'll choose the Dordogne River. We all want to go for one day and picnic for lunch. However, the idea of beaching the canoes and taking a stroll through a town sounds nice, too (maybe get some ice cream). To do this, do we have to have a guide so we have someone to watch our canoes? (Although I can't imagine that canoe-theft is much of a problem.) If not, we thought we wouldn't need a guide. Thoughts, anyone? By the way, we're going the first two weeks of June. Thanks to all.

You don't need a guide. Most of these canoe rental places are small operations - guides are probably not even available (anything is available for a price, however).

Stu Dudley