They call the Dordogne the land of 1,001 castles, many of which date back to the Hundred Years War, when Britain and France were at loggerheads. These days, international relations are far more amicable, and many of the Dordogne's most head-turning properties are lovingly curated by outsiders who have fallen under its spell. The beautiful river valley that runs across France's waistline, south of the Loire, is topographically divided into four regions across both sides of the bucolic Dordogne River. The west is Périgord blanc (white) because of its chalk hills; the east Périgord noir (black) for its truffles; the north is Périgord vert (green) for its wooded hills; and the southeast is Périgord pourpre (purple) for its Bergerac red wine. As for its 1,001 castles, these chateaux are neither haughty nor imposing, as French castles are wont to be. Instead, they are pocket-sized, approachable, and personable places to stay. They can be booked as a guest of the chatelain (keeper of the castle), or rented as a whole. Here are some of our favorite ones.