Argentat straddles the River Dordogne, where ancient stone houses
with overhanging wooden balconies line the river banks.
The main focal point of the town is the wide cobbled quayside just
upstream from the bridge. Once a major boat building centre, the
town owes much of its former glory to the river trade carried out
by the flat
bottomed gabares. Now the Dordogne quayside resounds , not to
the chip of adze on chestnut wood, but to the clink of glasses and
hubble of conversation from the restaurants and bars whose tables
now line the waters edge.
Upstream lie the Dordogne gorges whose fast water once made boat
trips down to Argentat something of an adventure, now tamed by a
series of hydro-electric damns. These in turn, create fabulous wide
lakes where you can swim, fish, sail, canoe, windsurf or just float,
to your hearts content.
