Just superb!! An amazing experience seeing such beautiful French countryside from the Dordogne. The staff were spot on…. Thanks Dave… so pleased we turned right after going over the bridge… he’ll know what I mean.

We booked our canoe/kayak trip online through Canoes Butterfly, which is basically the Beynac base of Canoes Loisir. As we had chosen to do the Cénac - Beynac 12km 2h30 trip this seemed like the best option for us as we drove to Beynac (actually in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle) base and parked there, which meant that at the end of the trip we could just drive away whenever we arrived. If we had booked a trip at their main base at Vitrac instead we would have needed to wait for an hourly bus back to the start. We booked the first trip at 10am, which meant getting there at 9:30 and getting equipped with a life jacket and waterproof barrel. A minibus took us a 15 minute or so drive to Cénac where we got our kayak/canoe and some basic instructions before launching into the river. This stretch of the river is wide, with a gentle current and no really fast parts. You pass through pretty countryside, wooded valleys, and pass by La Roque Gageac, Castelnaud and Beynac castles and can stop anywhere you like on the way. Our only limitation was to be back at the base before 5pm so if we'd wanted to stop for a picnic we could have done. They offer plenty of other trips - some longer and even a shorter option - but this suited us well. All-in-all a lovely day out. Tip: Don't forget sun cream on your legs (and feet if you're wearing sandals).

Canoe Loisirs were very helpful when my wife and I visited the Dordogne for a few days of canoeing during early June 2023 . We brought our own canoe so there was no need for us to hire. Canoe Loisirs were still able to accommodate us with regards transport to/from either the starting or finishing point of our days canoe trip (for a small fee). The staff were excellent and the company is highly recommended.

We just finished a fantastic 3 days canoeing and exploring on the Dordogne and Vezere rivers. We booked a complete package including hotel with Canoes Loisirs. There was heavy rain for two days prior to our trip that required several route changes and hotel changes. Baptiste, our contact at Canoes Loisirs was very thoughtful and provided us great alternatives. We felt very well taken care of. An excellent trip!

First, Gilles and Baptiste seemed to be working with us to design a custom trip. But this was done through about 20 emails. We really appreciated it. The trip looked beautiful. They quoted a price, but then said we would have to WIRE them money, because they did not take credit cards. This felt suspicious for a business to not accept credit cards. THEN, Gilles wrote and said they could take the card after all and we could pay the fees in 3 payments. But, we wanted to be clear of the plan, so I consolidated all 20 emails into one iteniary using the details they had given me. I sent them (Gilles) the iteniary as I understood it, including what we would be responsibile for and what the company would be responsible for (asking if it was correct). I also sent them our Amex information. They ghosted me. Finally after two weeks, I wrote them again asking if everything was ok. Gilles wrote back to cancel our trip. I asked for a reason..... .They took offense to our asking for agreement on the iteniary (specicially he said the we "didn't trust them" and therefore they were "closing our folder". I recently wrote with Baptiste and asked him to confirm if this is what happened...I wanted it to be fair and true. He ignored me. I am sure they have to agree, because I have the emails to back this up. I am so glad we didn't wire the money. But,we had been working toward a trip like this for many years. It broke our hearts.

We went as a family of 11 with ages ranging from 5 years to 63 years. We did the 16k route from vitrac to beynac. We really enjoyed and had a good laugh. You could stop off along the way for lunch, snack breaks and swim. We really enjoyed and will probably book again next week! We booked on the website which was straightforward (we do speak and understand french as we are bilingual). However, the staff spoke really good English at the canoe site and were very organised (if you wish to show up and book there you can do easily). We really enjoyed and would totally recommend this to everyone. We travelled from Correze to go to this specific canoe company as we heard it was good. It didn't disappoint. Thank you Canoes Loisirs!

Good service. Good equipment. Reasonable price. Starting point has a decent restaurant with it. The 3 hour Vitrac - Beynac trip is recommended. Take the double paddles!

We booked on line, and everything went like clockwork - we checked in, were given our equipment and off we went - that took about 10 minutes. It was extremely well organised - the staff spoke English which helped. We went from Vitrac to Beynac on the 5 castle route, and with a stop for lunch at Le Ti Malo in Beynac, it took about 3.5 hours. The bus ride back to Vitrac was on time, and efficient. Great day out.

We booked online directly through their website and everything went smoothly and efficiently when we showed up. Clean restrooms were available at the launch site. We chose a 12 km trip (2.5 hrs- one of their shorter options) because we have a 6 year old and we didn’t know how long she’d last. We ended up taking a lot more time and going at a leisurely pace stopping for a snack along the way. My youngest announced at the end that she wasn’t bored at all even though we’d been doing this for hours! There are plenty of canoe rental places and we chose this one because we’re staying just a few minutes from Vitrac so it was convenient. However, they did everything right and there’d be no reason for me to choose a different company when we’re back in the region.

I had been to the Dordogne region several times before and had seen people canoeing on the river but had never done it, so I booked the Vitrac-Beynac trip for my wife and I this time around. It turned out to be an excellent way to spend the afternoon. Dealing with the staff at Canoe Loisirs was very easy and after a 5 minute orientation and equipment fitting, we were on our way. The Dordogne is an extremely easy river to navigate, and even with high water and the river running faster than usual from spring rains we had no trouble whatsoever, even though my wife is a novice paddler. Luckily we had excellent weather but take sunscreen because the reflection off the water can cause a wicked sunburn if you're not prepared. the trip itself is great - you get a great view of La Roque-Gageac, Castelnaud, Fayrac, Beynac, and other beautiful sights along the river. It's easy to take pictures and you can go at your own pace and take your time. Overall it was a super fun experience that we would definitely do again.

This is the perfect way to view the villages along the river. Even though you will be told you can do the journey from Vitrac in 3 hours allow at least 4 (we took 5!) then you can really enjoy the scenery and allow the river to take you along. Take your picnic and stop on one of the many 'beaches'. We saw so many kingfishers too. Choose a warm day and don't forget your sunscreen. A really special day!

Canoeing down the Dordogne river is an incredible way to see the villages tucked along the valley's cliffs. We did the route from Vitrac to Beynac, which is listed on the website as a three hour trip. However, it is possible to schedule a later pick up at the end of the route, allowing you to make your day as long as you'd like. I reccomend scheduling in at least an extra hour to have time to stop for lunch in a village or one of the riverside picnic areas. Staff were efficient and gave clear directions to the bus pickup point.

Superb canoeing down the Dordogne. They say 3 hours but allow 4 + to allow for a couple of stops and a quick lunch. Bus waiting when we finished to take us back to Vitric. A great way to spend a day.

Easy paddling with beautiful views along the river. Lots of river bank to stop and swim or gave picnic lunch.

We hired two canoes to travel down the river, we wished we had chosen the slightly longer one! We had great fun (two middel aged , two early 20's) . Really very easy to paddle and relax, pleanty of watering holes along the way too!