Dordogne

River in southwest France, rising on the slopes of the Puy de Sancy in the Massif Central, Puy-de-Dôme département, and flowing southwest and west 490 km/300 mi through Souillac, Bergerac, Castillon, Libourne, and Cubzac, to join the River Garonne at Ambes, 23 km/14 mi north of Bordeaux, and form the Gironde estuary on to the Bay of Biscay. The river is a major source of hydroelectric power, and the last 180 km/112 mi of its course sees much river traffic. It gives its name to the Dordogne département.

The valley of the Dordogne is a popular tourist area, especially with the British, and the caves of the wooded valleys of its tributary, the Vézère, have signs of prehistoric human occupation, including Palaeolithic cave art. Famous sites include the caves at Lascaux (closed to the public since 1963; an exact replica, Lascaux II, was opened in 1983) and Les Eyzies.

Dordogne

Département in the Aquitaine region of France; area 9,183 sq km/3,546 sq mi; population (1999) 388,300. The land is hilly and wooded, with fertile valleys in the centre and marshes in the east. There are numerous vineyards on the hill slopes. Chestnuts, truffles, wheat, maize, tobacco, and potatoes are grown. Industries include distilling, and the manufacture of paper, leather goods, and textiles. The principal towns are Périgueux (administrative centre), Bergerac, Sarlat, and Nantran.

The Dordogne was formed from the old district of Périgord, and parts of the former provinces of Limousin and Angoumois.