L’Itinérêve – The Dordogne from Village to Dam

Marked out and maintained by an association of enthusiasts.

You may come across them along the way. Alain, Bernard, Marie-Hélène, Annabelle, Jean-Michel, Philippe and the other enthusiasts of the association La Dordogne de Villages en Barrages still enjoy walking the trails of “Itinérêve”, a 420-kilometer trail they designed,(…)

Marked out and maintained by an association of enthusiasts.

You may come across them along the way. Alain, Bernard, Marie-Hélène, Annabelle, Jean-Michel, Philippe and the other enthusiasts of the association La Dordogne de Villages en Barrages still enjoy walking the trails of “Itinérêve”, a 420-kilometer trail they designed, built and opened to the public in 2015 for the right bank and in 2023 for the left bank. The story of this trail takes us back to the 1930s-1950s, when five hydroelectric dams were built in the Upper Dordogne Valley, between Bort-les-Orgues and Argentat. As the river became a lake upstream of the dams, some villages disappeared beneath the waters, and shepherds moved their flocks to other hills.
Where pastoralism has retreated, forests have reappeared. Restored to nature, the land becomes wild again. Today, it’s the largest forest corridor in mainland France, classified as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. The only thing missing was a beautiful hiking trail to cross it !
A 15-day walk on the right bank from Confolent-Port-Dieu to Argentat-sur-Dordogne, then a 15-day walk in the opposite direction on the left bank, from Argentat-sur-Dordogne to Singles. Links from one bank to the other can also be used to complete loops lasting several days. The signposting is recent and regularly maintained. All you need to do is pack your bag !