Local Villages and Towns

The local villages of Miallet and Saint Saud not only cater for all the basics with general store, bakers, butchers, bars, restaurant and garage, but are also ideal for whiling away a few hours in the square or indulging in the extensive menu in the Michelin listed Hostellerie Saint Jacques in Saint Saud.

Saint Saud

Each village is also close to its own lake.  At Saint Saud there is a large beach and swimming area, with lifeguard supervision in the summer, and an adventure playground close by.

Adventure Playground at Saint Saud

Fishing is available with permits purchased for a small charge at the local tabac in Saint Saud. There is also a café on the lakefront for lunch, snacks and ice cream.

At Miallet, a dam forms an artificial reservoir, which is used to feed the Dronne valley in dry periods and an educational nature trail skirts the lakeside. Fishing is also available here with permits purchased locally.

Around 10 miles away is the town of La Coquille. Here you will find a larger supermarket, a mainline railway station together with further shops and a selection of cafes/restaurants. Cycle hire is also available here.

Nontron

Around 20km and nestling on a rock outcrop lies Nontron.

Famous for its knives, Nontron is a charming town at the heart of the ‘Pays de Nontronnais’, which has kept its traditional way of life.

    Nontron                                       Nontron Knife

Its bustling Saturday market is the best place to meet the locals and sample the local produce including an abundance of strawberries in the summer.

Alternatively you can while away an afternoon in one of the many cafes fronting

the market square. There are also a couple of large supermarkets here.

Brantome

Around 30km from the Gites you will find Brantome. Known as the ‘Venice of the Dordogne’, this beautiful town is in fact an island criss-crossed by the river Drone.

Founded as an abbey by Charlemagne in the 9^th Century this is a truly magical place where time just seems to have stopped.

Brantome – Abbey 

Home to two Michelin starred restaurants this is definitely somewhere to indulge in the French passion of food. The Friday morning market is one of the best in the area.

Brantome also provides an opportunity for canoeing. All levels and ages are catered for and day and half day trips are available. A variety of excursions are available with return pick up. Not to be missed is a visit by canoe along the Dronne to Bourdeilles, a beautiful village with magnificent chateau.

Perigeux

A truly medieval – Renaissance city, with the fantastic Saint Front cathedral, listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, Perigeux is a labyrinth of tiny alleyways brimming with shops.

Medieval Streets in Perigeux             Saint Font Cathedral in Perigeux

Home to the largest market in the region and a gastronomes delight Perigeux is everything that is so typically French.

The city really comes to life during the summer and you will be able to enjoy "Mimos" (mime festival) at the beginning of August, night markets, concerts, a Son et Lumiere, the Macadam Jazz festival, the singing contest "de la Truffe d'argent", during summer evenings

Perigeux is also the place to find the full range of French hypermarkets, a destination in their own right!!!

Limoges

Famous across the world, for its porcelain, Limoges is dominated by its Gothic cathedral. China is available everywhere and a number of museums celebrate this. There are also factory shops offering tours and heavily discounted prices. The best is at Maison de las Porcelaine inbearby Aix-sur-Vienne.

Limoges - Centre                                                                       Parc Bellevue

For younger visitors close to Limoges is Parc Bellevue, an adventure park with water slides, go-karting and a variety of rides.

Other Villages

There are numerous small villages in the local area, all too easily missed in the car and worth a detour on foot. One definitely to visit is St Jean de Cole with beautiful chateau and excellent restaurants and is recognised as one of France’s “Plus Beaux Villages de France" (France's most beautiful villages).

St Jean de Cole                                                                              

Chateaux

There are a number of chateaux within a few miles of the Gites, and these offer fun places to explore for the children together with a glimpse into France’s turbulent past.

Most are open to the public during the summer.

The choice can be bewildering and the perfect place to start is at Jumilhac, where the chateau occupies a commanding position overlooking the square of the small town. It has been used in many films and it’s a nice place to go on a Sunday morning when locals gather outside to sell local produce and bric a brac. Then you can head for the terrace at the café and watch the world go by.

Chateau at Jumilhac                                                          

Other chateau worth a visit are at Puyguilhem and Chalus.

At Chalus you can also follow in the footsteps of Richard the Lionheart, literally, as you make your way along the ‘Lionheart trail’ through spectacular countryside and villages.

Memorial Village - Oradour Sur Glanne

To the north of the region and about an hours drive away lies the memorial village of Oradour sur Glanne. Towards the end of the Second World War the village was destroyed and most of its inhabitants murdered by a German army unit on route north to defend against the D-day landings. The village has been left exactly it was on that day and provides a sobering reminder of the brutality of war.

Pre-historic caves – Villars

At Villars there are a series of pre-historic caves, La Grotte de Villars. These are of both geological and pre-historic interest and make an excellent day out - particularly on the rare occasion when the weather is unkind.

Here you will find frozen rivers, stalactites/mites and some of the earliest evidence of cave paintings, which are estimated to be at least 18,000 years old.

Caves at Villars

For relaxation afterwards there is an excellent café and children’s playground.

Further afield

Beyond the immediate area and about 1½ hours drive away lies the town of Bergerac the centre of tobacco and wine making in the region and the largest town in the Perigord-Pourpre (after the wines grown in the region) The area around Bergerac is surrounded by vineyards with many open to the public in the summer. Typically producing sweet white wines, the most famous of which are those produced around Monbazillac.  

     Bergerac – Cyrano de Bergerac Statue

Within a couple of hours drive lies the Dordogne Valley, Bordeaux, Cognac & Atlantic Coast all of which make an excellent day trip.