Unfortunately, it turned out to be a very popular beach, crowded during the day with day trippers but lacking any sanitation, so the woods around had become a communal latrine, littered with toilet paper. They offered a 'wild' camp site, to experience the nature of the Dordogne without being stuck in the many French campsites with a million tents the size of suburban bungalows that dot the banks. They were utterly unhelpful, unfriendly, and felt they were doing us a huge favour in allowing us to spend quite a lot of money with them. We used a company called COPEYRE, who are the biggest canoe providers and are awful, they and their staff treat clients as cattle to be milked. The thick forest gives way to cliffs and castles perched above the stream. To spend hours paddling gently on the crystal clear water ( with occasional swims), over shoals of fish, and past herons, egrets and frequent king fishers was a joy. However, early in the morning and late in the evening it was magical. It was beautiful, at times tiring as water levels were very low so the current was sluggish, and at times busy with armadas of similar canoe groups making the same trip. We are a family of four and wanted to take our two daughters, aged 7 and 8, on a three day canoeing trip down the Dordogne, camping as we went. This is the very same SS Division (Das Reich) that murdered everyone but six people in the town of Oradour-sur-Glane a few days later. There is a memorial to the dead on the road, leading to the bridge. The incident lasted 20 minutes and the most of the Resistance and some innocent bystanders were killed. Fifteen brave Resistance fighters using antiquated weapons or few suitable weapons, against 15,000 members of a highly trained and experienced force. Fifteen local members of the Resistance saw their opportunity to try and slow the Divisions progress down by attacking the Division as it drove through Grolejac and headed towards the bridge over the Dordogne. In early June 1944, the SS Division were trying to make their way through France. Why? Because we wanted to remember the fifteen Resistance fighters that attacked the SS Das Reich Division that were driving north, to reinforce the North Atlantic defences from the Normandy D-Day landings. This year, due to there being so much history around us, we decided to visit the town of Grolejac. There are so many locations that you can hire a canoe or kayak and they will pick you up at the end of your journey and return you to your car. It's a wonderful way to spend some hours. I've been coming to the Dordogne region for the past 6 years and every year, we explore the river by kayaking.
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