Rick Steves' Europe (2000) s05e02 Episode Script
France's Dordogne
1 Bonjour, Iâm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe.
This time, weâre exploring some of the best⦠of small-town and countryside France.
Itâs the Dordogne River valley.
Thanks for joining us.
prehistoric cave paintings, and prized cuisine, is an unforgettable blend of manmade and natural beauty.
Once you get to know the region, you wonder why more Americans donât visit.
Along with an idyllic canoe ride, weâll enjoy the highlights of the Dordogne, visit a goose farm, then savor the foie gras, wander through a lamplit castle, then we cross⦠into the next region to tour one very stern church, admire the art of Toulouse-Lautrec, and explore an imposing fortress city.
France, the size of Texas, is made up of many distinct regionsâ including the Dordogne, defined by a river by the same name.
In the Dordogne, we visit Sarlat, Beynac, and the famous caves at Lascaux, before heading into the Languedoc region, where weâll explore Carcassonne and Albi.
Six centuries ago, this lazy river, so peaceful today, separated warring England and France.
Imagineâthe French were up in that castle, and the English were just across the river.
They duked it out for so long⦠that the conflict became known⦠as The Hundred Yearsâ War.
Todayâs Dordogne River carries more holiday-goers⦠than weapons, as the regionâs economy⦠relies heavily on tourism.
For an invigorating break⦠from the car or train, you can explore⦠the riverside castles and villages⦠from a canoe.
and theyâre happy to pick you up⦠at an agreed-upon spot downstream.
Theyâre stable enough for beginners, and I canât think of a more relaxing way to enjoy⦠both some great scenery and a little exercise.
My friend and coauthor of my France guidebook, Steve Smith, has joined us.
You can pop ashore wherever you like.
Thereâs always a place to stow the canoe⦠and plenty of welcoming villages, like La Roque-Gageac.
Whether youâre joyriding by car⦠or paddling the Dordogne River, this townâ a strong contender on all⦠the âcutest towns in Franceâ listsâ is a must-see.
Back on the river, delights are revealed⦠with each bend.
The riverâs current varies, depending on how much rain theyâve had.
Itâs been dry, and today itâs slowâ perfect for a relaxing glide.
Weâre finishing our ride in the feudal village⦠of Beynac.
with the Dordogne River at your doorstep, a perfectly preserved medieval village⦠winds like a sepia-toned film set⦠to the castle high above.
In villages like this, thereâs nothing to really âtour.
â Itâs just plain pretty.
Stone roofs are typical of this region.
Called lauzes in French, the flat limestone rocksâ gathered by farmers clearing their fieldsâ were a cheap and durable roofing material.
The unusually steep pitch of the lauzes roofsâ which last about 200 yearsâ help distribute the weight down through the walls.
Small vents provide air circulation.
Local farmers are quick to sing the roofsâ praises.
And how old is this house? [ speaking French .]
1760, roughly.
Is it waterproof? [ speaking French .]
You want these holes that we can see through here, so air comes through and helps dry out⦠the tree trunks that are in hereâthe oak, et cetera.
But it stays dry.
Do they build roofs like this today? [ speaking French .]
Yeah, they do, but itâs people, like, with a lot of money, who want to do it.
250 years ago, this was a poor manâs roof.
Today, itâs a rich manâs hobby.
Steves: Beynacâs brooding, cliff-crowning chateau⦠soars 500 feet above the Dordogne River.
Its design was state-of-the-art in its day.
And it comes with a view fit for a king.
During the Hundred Yearsâ Warâ more than a century of skirmishes⦠between the French and the English⦠back in the 1300s and 1400sâ the castle of Beynac was on the front lines.
The sparsely furnished castle takes you back.
Stone lamps light the way.
In the knightsâ mess hall, you almost feel like the cooks⦠are just taking a break.
And even back then, there were manners.
Park your sword at the end of the table.
The leading noble family of the Dordogne⦠ruled from this castle.
Through the Middle Ages, here in the great roomâ the closest thing to a throne roomâ the decisions that affected the realm were made.
during the Hundred Yearsâ War, the castle of Beynac flip-flopped⦠between French and English control several times.
Negotiations were worked out in this room.
The subjects of the realm would gather in the courtyard⦠to learn their destiny.
Their noble lord would stand here and proclaim, âNow you are French,â or, âNow you are English.
deal with it.
â Long before the age of great castles, humbler groups in the Dordogne found refuge in caves.
La Roque St.
Christophe, a series of river-carved terraces, has provided shelter to people here⦠for 50,000 years.
While the terraces were inhabited⦠in prehistoric times, the exhibit youâll see today is medieval.
The official recorded history goes back to 976 A.
D.
, when people settled here to steer clear of Viking raiders⦠who would routinely sail up the river.
Back then, in this part of Europe, the standard closing of a prayer wasnât âamen,â but, âand deliver us from the Norsemen, amen.
â A clever relay of river watchtowers⦠kept an eye out for raiders.
When they came, residents gathered up⦠their kids, hauled up⦠their animalsâ as you can imagine, with the help of this big, re-created winchâ and pulled up the ladders.
While thereâs absolutely nothing old here, except for the carved-out rock, itâs easy to imagine the entire villageâ complete with butcher, baker, and even candlestick-makerâ in this family-friendly exhibit.
Nearby, Sarlat is the pedestrian-friendly⦠main town of the river valley.
Itâs just the right sizeâ large enough to have a cinema with four screens, but small enough so that everything⦠is an easy meander from the town center.
Itâs the handiest home base for exploring the Dordogne.
There are no blockbuster sights here.
Still, itâs an inviting tangle⦠of traffic-free cobblestoned lanes⦠and handsome buildings lined with foie gras shopsâ geese just hate Sarlatâ and, in the summer, stuffed with tourists.
Sarlatâs elaborate stonework recalls its glory century⦠from about 1450 to 1550â after the Hundred Yearsâ War.
Loyal to the French cause through thick and thin⦠in a century of war, Sarlat was rewarded⦠by the king with lots of money to rebuild in stone.
Sarlatâs new nobility built noble homes to match.
The townâs most impressive buildings⦠date from this prosperous era, when the Renaissance style was in vogue.
Itâs market day, and the cityâs jammed, as it has been for centuries of Saturdays.
Everything is fresh and localâso seasonal⦠that shoppers can tell the month by whatâs on sale.
Smith: This has been going on for 1,000 years, almost, since the Middle Ages.
Steves: Whatâs this region known for? Smith: Well, the Dordogne is famous for three thingsâ walnuts, cakes and nuts andâ So all this is walnuts? Thatâs the walnut table.
Truffles, which are a mushroom, that youâll find⦠only fresh in the winter, so you wonât see it in the market today.
And the biggie, what people⦠come to this area for, foie gras.
Which is the luxurious liver⦠of force-fed geese and ducks.
In fact, people come to this area more for that⦠than the famous caves or the castles or the river.
Thatâs kind of the raison dâetre of the area, from a culinary perspective.
[ bell rings .]
Steves: I need to try some.
Oui? Oui, goose liver, okay.
Which one is best? The best is the one piece⦠of duck liver or goose liver, one piece.
So itâs pure, itâs just that.
Steves: Wow, thatâs good.
Letâs taste the difference.
This should be stronger, right? Well, duck is different.
Duck is strong, the goose is sweet.
Yeah, thatâs a good description.
Oneâs strong and oneâs sweet.
You notice the difference? Mm-hmm, Mm-hmm.
Steves: This âSquare of the Geese" is a reminder that birds are serious business here⦠and have been since the Middle Ages.
Many question the morality of force-feeding geese⦠to make the foie gras.
To learn more about this, weâre heading into the countryside⦠to actually visit a goose farm.
[ honking .]
For generations, the Mazet family⦠has raised geese right here.
Nathalie, clearly in love with the country life, enthusiastically shows guests around her idyllic farm.
Each evening, she leads a family-friendly tour, explaining the age-old tradition⦠of le gavageâ force-feeding the geese to fatten their livers to make⦠the much-loved goose-liver pâté, or foie gras.
Woman: In the fall, we have 1,000 geese each year.
And these ones are six weeks old.
And during the day, they are outside, and they come back inside during the night.
A goose cannot stay in a small box.
She will die.
She needs to walk, she needs to eat grass.
These birds are migrators.
and before doing⦠the migration, they eat a lot.
They make foie gras.
They stock energy in the liver⦠to be able to fly.
So itâs their natural gas tank? Itâs the natural way to stock energy, yeah.
Steves: Nathalie explains⦠why locals see the force-feeding as humane, the same as raising any other animal⦠for human consumption.
French enthusiasts of la gavage⦠say that the animals are calm, in no pain, and are designed to gorge naturally.
Dordogne geese live lives at least as comfy⦠as other farm animals that many people have no problem eating.
and theyâre slaughtered as humanely⦠as any non-human can expect in this food-chain existence.
Steves: Does this not hurt the goose, to put the tube down? Nathalie: No.
No, no.
The tube can go very easily⦠on the top of the stomach, because a goose naturally⦠can eat big stone or big corn on the cob.
steves: a goose can eat a corn on the cob? Yes.
So the tube is not very big for a goose.
To have good foie gras, the geese must have good life⦠outside and during the force-feeding.
Steves: The regionâs cuisine is a big draw here.
Weâre dropping by a favorite restaurant of Steveâs⦠to enjoy the local specialties.
Gourmet eaters flock to this region⦠for its goose, duck, pâtés, white asparagus, and more.
Une canette.
Ooh.
thatâs duck.
Et la terrine de foie gras.
Donc, vous avez au torchon, au confit, et au vin.
Et câest conseille de la manger⦠confit, torchon, et au vin.
Bon appetit, monsieur.
Thank you.
Merci.
Youâre going to have to help me.
This is three different foie gras, right? Welcome to the Dordogne.
All right, youâve got three foie gras here.
This oneâs confit, which is⦠a foie gras cooked in its own fat.
The middle one, they call it⦠confit au torchon, which means⦠itâs cooked with like a veil of chiffon around it.
And the third one is a straight foie gras.
Oh, you know, I can taste⦠a difference.
Thereâs a clear difference.
I like this very much.
Steves: From about 18,000 B.
C.
until 10,000 B.
C.
, long before Stonehenge and the pyramids, back when mammoths and saber-toothed cats⦠still roamed the earth, prehistoric people painted⦠deep inside caves in this part of Europe.
These werenât just crude doodles, but huge and sophisticated projects⦠executed by artists⦠and supported by an impressive cultureâ the Magdalenians.
The regionâs limestone cliffs, honeycombed with painted caves, are unique on this planet.
Tourists gather nearby at Lascaux, home of the regionâsâ and the worldâsâ most famous cave paintings.
These caves were discovered accidentally in 1940⦠by four kids and their dog.
Over the next couple of decades, about a million visitors climbed through⦠the prehistoric wonderland, inadvertently⦠tracking in fungus on their shoes⦠and changing the humidity and the temperature⦠with their breathing.
In just 15 years, the precious art⦠deteriorated more⦠than in the 15,000 years before that.
The caves were closed to the public.
Visitors can now experience the wonder of Lascaux⦠by touring an adjacent replica.
When their time comes, visitors are called⦠to meet their guide for a look⦠at the precisely copied cave⦠called Lascaux II.
Man: Then we are in the oxen roomâ the most spectacular room of Lascaux.
Itâs a sacred place.
We donât live in a church.
They never lived in the caves.
And itâs a huge composition.
Itâs a calculated composition, because they have taken advantage⦠of the strip of rock⦠to relate in a circle⦠two groups of bulls⦠facing each other.
And in the center of this composition, they have united⦠the three principal animals of Lascauxâ horse, ox, and deer.
Steves: Is this a hunting scene? No, itâs not a hunting scene, because on the walls, the hunter doesnât exist.
They never tell the everyday life.
The meaning is more complex.
What is the biggest animal? Itâs this bull.
Heâs the largest painting⦠in the cave art.
16 feet from the top of the horn⦠to the tip of the tail.
Steves: The guide explains⦠that this 600-animal, multi-cave composition⦠was the work of a complex society, the Magdalenians.
Their culture allowed for skilled artists⦠to work over an extended period of time⦠in this sacred place.
Guide: They fix, maybe, on the walls, a dream, a myth, on the ledge, and the image will be able⦠to cross generations.
The image becomes the memory of the society.
The art of Lascaux is supposed to be⦠around 17,000 years old.
But compared to the beginning of the humanity, which was born in Africa 3 million years ago, Lascaux, it was yesterday.
They were like us.
Steves: The region has many more examples⦠of prehistoric cave painting.
And the nearby National Museum of Prehistory⦠provides an instructive background.
This modern museum houses over 18,000 bones, stones, and fascinating little doodads, all uncovered locally.
Artifacts are originals, and show that, while the Magdalenian people⦠lived 15,000 years ago, they were far more advanced⦠than your textbook cavemen.
Skeletons were discovered draped in delicate jewelry.
Stag teeth and tiny shells were, it seems, lovingly drilled to be strung⦠into necklaces.
These barbed spearheads and fishhooks⦠would work well today.
Finely carved spear throwers show impressive realism⦠for something three times as old⦠as the oldest pyramids.
Imagine flickering flames⦠from these oil lamps⦠lighting those art-covered caverns.
Today, as we ponder the prehistoric caves⦠and the artifacts of the Magdalenian people⦠here in the Dordogne, we can marvel⦠at how much we actually have in common with these people⦠and how sophisticated their culture was, so long ago.
A short drive south from the Dordogne⦠takes us into the region of Languedoc.
This regionâs hard-fought past and independent spirit⦠is evident in its old fortifications, fine art, and in a culture distinct from the rest of France⦠that survives to this day.
The fortress city of Carcassonne is a 13th-century world⦠of towers, turrets, and cobblestone alleys.
This is Europeâs ultimate walled fortress city.
While itâs packed with tourists midday, Itâs all yours and evocative as can be⦠early and late.
The cityâs stern ramparts evoke a time when defenses⦠were stronger than offenses, and the only way to beat a place like this⦠was a starve-âem-out siege.
Charlemagne laid siege to this place, and after several frustrating years, he ran out of patience.
While the ramparts seem mighty enough, moats added to the fortified cityâs defenses.
While not really filled with water and alligators, moats were generally just a dangerous no-manâs land, designed to expose attackers.
Small, square holes on the inner wall⦠once supported timbers, which supported⦠defensive walkways.
Modern shops fill buildings⦠that date from Carcassonneâs golden ageâ the 1100sâ when troubadours sang ballads of ideal love, chivalry was in vogue, and a pragmatic spirit⦠of tolerance pervaded everything.
This became a center of the Catharsâ a heretical group of Christians⦠who thrived around here⦠from the 11th through the 13th centuries.
They saw life as a battle⦠between goodâ the spiritualâ and badâ the material.
To the Cathars, material things⦠were evil and of the devil.
As France was working to consolidate its central power, it clamped down on feisty regions like this, especially if they were sympathetic⦠to heretical groups like the Cathars.
The region is dotted with evocative⦠and remote castle ruins, which provided places of desperate last refuge⦠for Cathars and remind of bloody struggles.
When driven out⦠of Carcassonne, many Cathars hid in the nearby castles⦠of Lastours.
Back in Paris, the king wanted to tighten his grip on southern France.
In Rome, the Pope needed to make it clear⦠there was only one acceptable form of Christianity, and it was Roman.
Both found self-serving reasons⦠to wage a genocidal war⦠against the Cathar people, who never amounted to more than 10 percent of the local population.
After a terrible period of torture and mass burnings, the Cathars were wiped out.
In 1321, the last Cathar was burned.
The Cathars were also called Albigensians, named after this nearby town, Albi.
Its massive Roman Catholic cathedral⦠was the final nail in the Cathar coffin.
Big and bold, it made the churchâs⦠zero-tolerance policy towards heretical thinking⦠perfectly clear.
The cathedral looks less like a church⦠and more like a fortress on purpose.
The interior looks essentially as it did in 1500, and its art comes with a stern message.
In the Last Judgment painting, the dead come out of the ground⦠with an accounting of their deeds, both good and bad, printed in ledgers⦠on their chests.
The saved look confident and comfortable.
And those whose ledgers donât add up⦠look pretty nervous.
A wide selection⦠of gruesome punishments awaits the sinners.
These graphic scenes⦠were designed to frighten wide-eyed parishioners⦠into conformity with church dictates.
Next to the church, the former home⦠of Albiâs archbishop contains⦠the worldâs largest collection of art⦠by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.
The museum displays his work chronologically, letting you follow the evolution of his art⦠with his fascinating life story.
Toulouse-Lautrec, who was born here in Albi in 1864, was crippled from his youth.
Because of this, he was on the fringe of society, and he had an affinity for people who didnât fit in.
He made his mark painting the Parisian underclass⦠with an intimacy possible⦠only by someone with his life experience.
His subjects were from bars, brothels, and cabarets.
Henri was particularly fascinated by cancan dancersâ whose legs moved with an agility he would never experience.
In the 1890s, Henri frequented brothels⦠and befriended many prostitutes.
he respected the women, feeling both fascination⦠and empathy toward them.
The prostitutes accepted Henri⦠just as he was.
They allowed him into their world, and he sketched candid portraits.
Eventually, Toulouse-Lautrec established his unique style.
Colorsâgarish.
Subject matterâhidden worlds.
Moralismânone.
Toulouse-Lautrecâs advertising posters⦠were his bread and butter.
He was an innovative advertiser, creating simple, bold, lithographic images⦠for posters.
Posters, such as this one promoting the famous Moulin Rouge, established his business reputation in Paris.
Successful as he was, his career was short.
Toulouse-Lautrec had a self-destructive lifestyle.
He died at the age of 37, alcoholic, depressed, and paranoid.
He was unmourned and unappreciated⦠by the art establishment.
But thankfully, his mother and a best friend⦠recognized his genius and saved his work.
They offered it to the Louvre, which refused.
But in 1922, the mayor of Albi⦠accepted the collection and hung it here.
A wise move.
This corner of France offers a perfect storm of countryside experiencesâ evocative castles, really old art, well-fed geese, all with a chance to hike through history, savor some rich food, and then work it off with a little exercise.
I hope you enjoyed our Dordogne adventure and our quick side trip to Languedoc.
The more I understand France, the more I appreciate⦠this fascinating and complex culture.
Thanks for joining us.
Iâm Rick Steves.
until next time, keep on traveling.
Au revoir.
This time, weâre exploring some of the best⦠of small-town and countryside France.
Itâs the Dordogne River valley.
Thanks for joining us.
prehistoric cave paintings, and prized cuisine, is an unforgettable blend of manmade and natural beauty.
Once you get to know the region, you wonder why more Americans donât visit.
Along with an idyllic canoe ride, weâll enjoy the highlights of the Dordogne, visit a goose farm, then savor the foie gras, wander through a lamplit castle, then we cross⦠into the next region to tour one very stern church, admire the art of Toulouse-Lautrec, and explore an imposing fortress city.
France, the size of Texas, is made up of many distinct regionsâ including the Dordogne, defined by a river by the same name.
In the Dordogne, we visit Sarlat, Beynac, and the famous caves at Lascaux, before heading into the Languedoc region, where weâll explore Carcassonne and Albi.
Six centuries ago, this lazy river, so peaceful today, separated warring England and France.
Imagineâthe French were up in that castle, and the English were just across the river.
They duked it out for so long⦠that the conflict became known⦠as The Hundred Yearsâ War.
Todayâs Dordogne River carries more holiday-goers⦠than weapons, as the regionâs economy⦠relies heavily on tourism.
For an invigorating break⦠from the car or train, you can explore⦠the riverside castles and villages⦠from a canoe.
and theyâre happy to pick you up⦠at an agreed-upon spot downstream.
Theyâre stable enough for beginners, and I canât think of a more relaxing way to enjoy⦠both some great scenery and a little exercise.
My friend and coauthor of my France guidebook, Steve Smith, has joined us.
You can pop ashore wherever you like.
Thereâs always a place to stow the canoe⦠and plenty of welcoming villages, like La Roque-Gageac.
Whether youâre joyriding by car⦠or paddling the Dordogne River, this townâ a strong contender on all⦠the âcutest towns in Franceâ listsâ is a must-see.
Back on the river, delights are revealed⦠with each bend.
The riverâs current varies, depending on how much rain theyâve had.
Itâs been dry, and today itâs slowâ perfect for a relaxing glide.
Weâre finishing our ride in the feudal village⦠of Beynac.
with the Dordogne River at your doorstep, a perfectly preserved medieval village⦠winds like a sepia-toned film set⦠to the castle high above.
In villages like this, thereâs nothing to really âtour.
â Itâs just plain pretty.
Stone roofs are typical of this region.
Called lauzes in French, the flat limestone rocksâ gathered by farmers clearing their fieldsâ were a cheap and durable roofing material.
The unusually steep pitch of the lauzes roofsâ which last about 200 yearsâ help distribute the weight down through the walls.
Small vents provide air circulation.
Local farmers are quick to sing the roofsâ praises.
And how old is this house? [ speaking French .]
1760, roughly.
Is it waterproof? [ speaking French .]
You want these holes that we can see through here, so air comes through and helps dry out⦠the tree trunks that are in hereâthe oak, et cetera.
But it stays dry.
Do they build roofs like this today? [ speaking French .]
Yeah, they do, but itâs people, like, with a lot of money, who want to do it.
250 years ago, this was a poor manâs roof.
Today, itâs a rich manâs hobby.
Steves: Beynacâs brooding, cliff-crowning chateau⦠soars 500 feet above the Dordogne River.
Its design was state-of-the-art in its day.
And it comes with a view fit for a king.
During the Hundred Yearsâ Warâ more than a century of skirmishes⦠between the French and the English⦠back in the 1300s and 1400sâ the castle of Beynac was on the front lines.
The sparsely furnished castle takes you back.
Stone lamps light the way.
In the knightsâ mess hall, you almost feel like the cooks⦠are just taking a break.
And even back then, there were manners.
Park your sword at the end of the table.
The leading noble family of the Dordogne⦠ruled from this castle.
Through the Middle Ages, here in the great roomâ the closest thing to a throne roomâ the decisions that affected the realm were made.
during the Hundred Yearsâ War, the castle of Beynac flip-flopped⦠between French and English control several times.
Negotiations were worked out in this room.
The subjects of the realm would gather in the courtyard⦠to learn their destiny.
Their noble lord would stand here and proclaim, âNow you are French,â or, âNow you are English.
deal with it.
â Long before the age of great castles, humbler groups in the Dordogne found refuge in caves.
La Roque St.
Christophe, a series of river-carved terraces, has provided shelter to people here⦠for 50,000 years.
While the terraces were inhabited⦠in prehistoric times, the exhibit youâll see today is medieval.
The official recorded history goes back to 976 A.
D.
, when people settled here to steer clear of Viking raiders⦠who would routinely sail up the river.
Back then, in this part of Europe, the standard closing of a prayer wasnât âamen,â but, âand deliver us from the Norsemen, amen.
â A clever relay of river watchtowers⦠kept an eye out for raiders.
When they came, residents gathered up⦠their kids, hauled up⦠their animalsâ as you can imagine, with the help of this big, re-created winchâ and pulled up the ladders.
While thereâs absolutely nothing old here, except for the carved-out rock, itâs easy to imagine the entire villageâ complete with butcher, baker, and even candlestick-makerâ in this family-friendly exhibit.
Nearby, Sarlat is the pedestrian-friendly⦠main town of the river valley.
Itâs just the right sizeâ large enough to have a cinema with four screens, but small enough so that everything⦠is an easy meander from the town center.
Itâs the handiest home base for exploring the Dordogne.
There are no blockbuster sights here.
Still, itâs an inviting tangle⦠of traffic-free cobblestoned lanes⦠and handsome buildings lined with foie gras shopsâ geese just hate Sarlatâ and, in the summer, stuffed with tourists.
Sarlatâs elaborate stonework recalls its glory century⦠from about 1450 to 1550â after the Hundred Yearsâ War.
Loyal to the French cause through thick and thin⦠in a century of war, Sarlat was rewarded⦠by the king with lots of money to rebuild in stone.
Sarlatâs new nobility built noble homes to match.
The townâs most impressive buildings⦠date from this prosperous era, when the Renaissance style was in vogue.
Itâs market day, and the cityâs jammed, as it has been for centuries of Saturdays.
Everything is fresh and localâso seasonal⦠that shoppers can tell the month by whatâs on sale.
Smith: This has been going on for 1,000 years, almost, since the Middle Ages.
Steves: Whatâs this region known for? Smith: Well, the Dordogne is famous for three thingsâ walnuts, cakes and nuts andâ So all this is walnuts? Thatâs the walnut table.
Truffles, which are a mushroom, that youâll find⦠only fresh in the winter, so you wonât see it in the market today.
And the biggie, what people⦠come to this area for, foie gras.
Which is the luxurious liver⦠of force-fed geese and ducks.
In fact, people come to this area more for that⦠than the famous caves or the castles or the river.
Thatâs kind of the raison dâetre of the area, from a culinary perspective.
[ bell rings .]
Steves: I need to try some.
Oui? Oui, goose liver, okay.
Which one is best? The best is the one piece⦠of duck liver or goose liver, one piece.
So itâs pure, itâs just that.
Steves: Wow, thatâs good.
Letâs taste the difference.
This should be stronger, right? Well, duck is different.
Duck is strong, the goose is sweet.
Yeah, thatâs a good description.
Oneâs strong and oneâs sweet.
You notice the difference? Mm-hmm, Mm-hmm.
Steves: This âSquare of the Geese" is a reminder that birds are serious business here⦠and have been since the Middle Ages.
Many question the morality of force-feeding geese⦠to make the foie gras.
To learn more about this, weâre heading into the countryside⦠to actually visit a goose farm.
[ honking .]
For generations, the Mazet family⦠has raised geese right here.
Nathalie, clearly in love with the country life, enthusiastically shows guests around her idyllic farm.
Each evening, she leads a family-friendly tour, explaining the age-old tradition⦠of le gavageâ force-feeding the geese to fatten their livers to make⦠the much-loved goose-liver pâté, or foie gras.
Woman: In the fall, we have 1,000 geese each year.
And these ones are six weeks old.
And during the day, they are outside, and they come back inside during the night.
A goose cannot stay in a small box.
She will die.
She needs to walk, she needs to eat grass.
These birds are migrators.
and before doing⦠the migration, they eat a lot.
They make foie gras.
They stock energy in the liver⦠to be able to fly.
So itâs their natural gas tank? Itâs the natural way to stock energy, yeah.
Steves: Nathalie explains⦠why locals see the force-feeding as humane, the same as raising any other animal⦠for human consumption.
French enthusiasts of la gavage⦠say that the animals are calm, in no pain, and are designed to gorge naturally.
Dordogne geese live lives at least as comfy⦠as other farm animals that many people have no problem eating.
and theyâre slaughtered as humanely⦠as any non-human can expect in this food-chain existence.
Steves: Does this not hurt the goose, to put the tube down? Nathalie: No.
No, no.
The tube can go very easily⦠on the top of the stomach, because a goose naturally⦠can eat big stone or big corn on the cob.
steves: a goose can eat a corn on the cob? Yes.
So the tube is not very big for a goose.
To have good foie gras, the geese must have good life⦠outside and during the force-feeding.
Steves: The regionâs cuisine is a big draw here.
Weâre dropping by a favorite restaurant of Steveâs⦠to enjoy the local specialties.
Gourmet eaters flock to this region⦠for its goose, duck, pâtés, white asparagus, and more.
Une canette.
Ooh.
thatâs duck.
Et la terrine de foie gras.
Donc, vous avez au torchon, au confit, et au vin.
Et câest conseille de la manger⦠confit, torchon, et au vin.
Bon appetit, monsieur.
Thank you.
Merci.
Youâre going to have to help me.
This is three different foie gras, right? Welcome to the Dordogne.
All right, youâve got three foie gras here.
This oneâs confit, which is⦠a foie gras cooked in its own fat.
The middle one, they call it⦠confit au torchon, which means⦠itâs cooked with like a veil of chiffon around it.
And the third one is a straight foie gras.
Oh, you know, I can taste⦠a difference.
Thereâs a clear difference.
I like this very much.
Steves: From about 18,000 B.
C.
until 10,000 B.
C.
, long before Stonehenge and the pyramids, back when mammoths and saber-toothed cats⦠still roamed the earth, prehistoric people painted⦠deep inside caves in this part of Europe.
These werenât just crude doodles, but huge and sophisticated projects⦠executed by artists⦠and supported by an impressive cultureâ the Magdalenians.
The regionâs limestone cliffs, honeycombed with painted caves, are unique on this planet.
Tourists gather nearby at Lascaux, home of the regionâsâ and the worldâsâ most famous cave paintings.
These caves were discovered accidentally in 1940⦠by four kids and their dog.
Over the next couple of decades, about a million visitors climbed through⦠the prehistoric wonderland, inadvertently⦠tracking in fungus on their shoes⦠and changing the humidity and the temperature⦠with their breathing.
In just 15 years, the precious art⦠deteriorated more⦠than in the 15,000 years before that.
The caves were closed to the public.
Visitors can now experience the wonder of Lascaux⦠by touring an adjacent replica.
When their time comes, visitors are called⦠to meet their guide for a look⦠at the precisely copied cave⦠called Lascaux II.
Man: Then we are in the oxen roomâ the most spectacular room of Lascaux.
Itâs a sacred place.
We donât live in a church.
They never lived in the caves.
And itâs a huge composition.
Itâs a calculated composition, because they have taken advantage⦠of the strip of rock⦠to relate in a circle⦠two groups of bulls⦠facing each other.
And in the center of this composition, they have united⦠the three principal animals of Lascauxâ horse, ox, and deer.
Steves: Is this a hunting scene? No, itâs not a hunting scene, because on the walls, the hunter doesnât exist.
They never tell the everyday life.
The meaning is more complex.
What is the biggest animal? Itâs this bull.
Heâs the largest painting⦠in the cave art.
16 feet from the top of the horn⦠to the tip of the tail.
Steves: The guide explains⦠that this 600-animal, multi-cave composition⦠was the work of a complex society, the Magdalenians.
Their culture allowed for skilled artists⦠to work over an extended period of time⦠in this sacred place.
Guide: They fix, maybe, on the walls, a dream, a myth, on the ledge, and the image will be able⦠to cross generations.
The image becomes the memory of the society.
The art of Lascaux is supposed to be⦠around 17,000 years old.
But compared to the beginning of the humanity, which was born in Africa 3 million years ago, Lascaux, it was yesterday.
They were like us.
Steves: The region has many more examples⦠of prehistoric cave painting.
And the nearby National Museum of Prehistory⦠provides an instructive background.
This modern museum houses over 18,000 bones, stones, and fascinating little doodads, all uncovered locally.
Artifacts are originals, and show that, while the Magdalenian people⦠lived 15,000 years ago, they were far more advanced⦠than your textbook cavemen.
Skeletons were discovered draped in delicate jewelry.
Stag teeth and tiny shells were, it seems, lovingly drilled to be strung⦠into necklaces.
These barbed spearheads and fishhooks⦠would work well today.
Finely carved spear throwers show impressive realism⦠for something three times as old⦠as the oldest pyramids.
Imagine flickering flames⦠from these oil lamps⦠lighting those art-covered caverns.
Today, as we ponder the prehistoric caves⦠and the artifacts of the Magdalenian people⦠here in the Dordogne, we can marvel⦠at how much we actually have in common with these people⦠and how sophisticated their culture was, so long ago.
A short drive south from the Dordogne⦠takes us into the region of Languedoc.
This regionâs hard-fought past and independent spirit⦠is evident in its old fortifications, fine art, and in a culture distinct from the rest of France⦠that survives to this day.
The fortress city of Carcassonne is a 13th-century world⦠of towers, turrets, and cobblestone alleys.
This is Europeâs ultimate walled fortress city.
While itâs packed with tourists midday, Itâs all yours and evocative as can be⦠early and late.
The cityâs stern ramparts evoke a time when defenses⦠were stronger than offenses, and the only way to beat a place like this⦠was a starve-âem-out siege.
Charlemagne laid siege to this place, and after several frustrating years, he ran out of patience.
While the ramparts seem mighty enough, moats added to the fortified cityâs defenses.
While not really filled with water and alligators, moats were generally just a dangerous no-manâs land, designed to expose attackers.
Small, square holes on the inner wall⦠once supported timbers, which supported⦠defensive walkways.
Modern shops fill buildings⦠that date from Carcassonneâs golden ageâ the 1100sâ when troubadours sang ballads of ideal love, chivalry was in vogue, and a pragmatic spirit⦠of tolerance pervaded everything.
This became a center of the Catharsâ a heretical group of Christians⦠who thrived around here⦠from the 11th through the 13th centuries.
They saw life as a battle⦠between goodâ the spiritualâ and badâ the material.
To the Cathars, material things⦠were evil and of the devil.
As France was working to consolidate its central power, it clamped down on feisty regions like this, especially if they were sympathetic⦠to heretical groups like the Cathars.
The region is dotted with evocative⦠and remote castle ruins, which provided places of desperate last refuge⦠for Cathars and remind of bloody struggles.
When driven out⦠of Carcassonne, many Cathars hid in the nearby castles⦠of Lastours.
Back in Paris, the king wanted to tighten his grip on southern France.
In Rome, the Pope needed to make it clear⦠there was only one acceptable form of Christianity, and it was Roman.
Both found self-serving reasons⦠to wage a genocidal war⦠against the Cathar people, who never amounted to more than 10 percent of the local population.
After a terrible period of torture and mass burnings, the Cathars were wiped out.
In 1321, the last Cathar was burned.
The Cathars were also called Albigensians, named after this nearby town, Albi.
Its massive Roman Catholic cathedral⦠was the final nail in the Cathar coffin.
Big and bold, it made the churchâs⦠zero-tolerance policy towards heretical thinking⦠perfectly clear.
The cathedral looks less like a church⦠and more like a fortress on purpose.
The interior looks essentially as it did in 1500, and its art comes with a stern message.
In the Last Judgment painting, the dead come out of the ground⦠with an accounting of their deeds, both good and bad, printed in ledgers⦠on their chests.
The saved look confident and comfortable.
And those whose ledgers donât add up⦠look pretty nervous.
A wide selection⦠of gruesome punishments awaits the sinners.
These graphic scenes⦠were designed to frighten wide-eyed parishioners⦠into conformity with church dictates.
Next to the church, the former home⦠of Albiâs archbishop contains⦠the worldâs largest collection of art⦠by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.
The museum displays his work chronologically, letting you follow the evolution of his art⦠with his fascinating life story.
Toulouse-Lautrec, who was born here in Albi in 1864, was crippled from his youth.
Because of this, he was on the fringe of society, and he had an affinity for people who didnât fit in.
He made his mark painting the Parisian underclass⦠with an intimacy possible⦠only by someone with his life experience.
His subjects were from bars, brothels, and cabarets.
Henri was particularly fascinated by cancan dancersâ whose legs moved with an agility he would never experience.
In the 1890s, Henri frequented brothels⦠and befriended many prostitutes.
he respected the women, feeling both fascination⦠and empathy toward them.
The prostitutes accepted Henri⦠just as he was.
They allowed him into their world, and he sketched candid portraits.
Eventually, Toulouse-Lautrec established his unique style.
Colorsâgarish.
Subject matterâhidden worlds.
Moralismânone.
Toulouse-Lautrecâs advertising posters⦠were his bread and butter.
He was an innovative advertiser, creating simple, bold, lithographic images⦠for posters.
Posters, such as this one promoting the famous Moulin Rouge, established his business reputation in Paris.
Successful as he was, his career was short.
Toulouse-Lautrec had a self-destructive lifestyle.
He died at the age of 37, alcoholic, depressed, and paranoid.
He was unmourned and unappreciated⦠by the art establishment.
But thankfully, his mother and a best friend⦠recognized his genius and saved his work.
They offered it to the Louvre, which refused.
But in 1922, the mayor of Albi⦠accepted the collection and hung it here.
A wise move.
This corner of France offers a perfect storm of countryside experiencesâ evocative castles, really old art, well-fed geese, all with a chance to hike through history, savor some rich food, and then work it off with a little exercise.
I hope you enjoyed our Dordogne adventure and our quick side trip to Languedoc.
The more I understand France, the more I appreciate⦠this fascinating and complex culture.
Thanks for joining us.
Iâm Rick Steves.
until next time, keep on traveling.
Au revoir.