ATTRACTIONS IN THE DORDOGNE
GOLF AND HORSE RIDING
Domain D'Essendieras
Five minutes drive from The Ivy House is the Dutch owned 300 acre resort, Domain d'Essendieras (open all year but restaurant closed in November and January). The domain has a nine hole gf course (club hire available), 2 restaurants, a bar and a small equestrian centre. www.essendieras.fr
Angie's Ranch
There is There is an equestrian centre ten minutes away at Tourtoirac with approximately 40 horses and ponies to suit
all abilities - open all year. www.angies-ranch.eu
Golf de Perigueux
There is an 18 hole golf course located on the banks of the River Isle near Perigueux town centre (35 minutesdrive).
The course is relatively flat, but crossed by a small stream which adds features and hazards to the course. The practice area
includes a covered driving range, a putting green and a pitching area. There is also a pro-shop, clubhouse, bar and restaurant.
Open all year. www.golfdeperigueux.com
BOWLING AND SNOOKER
There is a ten pin bowling complex in Perigueux, plus 28 pool and snooker tables. www.snook-bowl-palace.com
WATER PARKS
L'aquacap is an open air water park some 5 minutes from Perigueux, there are water flumes (up to 100 meters long),
water slides and a separate pool for very young children. www.perigorddecouverte.com Open only in peak season.
LAKES
Lake Ruffiac near Lanouaille is a short drive away in the heart of a 100 hectare woodland park, the lake is one of the largest in the Périgord. There is a sandy beach, the lake slopes very gently and is warm in the summer. The surrounding woodlands contain woodland walks and trails, plus a restaurant and bar. There is a wooden jetty for older children to jump from, plus pedalos and row boats for hire. A separate area of the lake is available for surfboarding and waterskiing. This is a civic amenity and free to all. www.perigorddecouverte.com/4-21-520-Plan-d'eau-de-Rouffiac.php Open only in July and August.
CANOEING
Many places to hire canoes and take part in this activity as the Dordogne is rich in rivers. Take a gentle paddle along the river at Brantome where the waters are shallow and clear. More challenging courses along the rivers Vezere or Dordogne. www.canoevezere.com
KARTING
Go-karting is available just 30 minutes away at Lubersac, with 970m of professional circuit with a range of karts and bikes for all abilities and ages. There is also a clubhouse with bar and snackery. http://correzekarting.com/?Accueil
VELO RAIL
Your own pedal power allows you to view the scenary from once-used train tracks throughout the Dordogne in a network stretching from Brive in the south to Limoges in the north, Nontron/brantome in the west and Thiviers in the east. Reservations essential. www.velorail24.com
ZOOS
Le Parc du Reynou
A pleasant animal park 55 minutes away towards Limoges.
Animal enclosures are set in rustic scenary behind the backdrop of an old chateau. www.parczooreynou.com
Bison Farm
(Open July and August only) based in Miallet, includes guided tours and meat tasting, plus a shop full of fresh, fresh cuts of meat. Admission free.
ADVENTURE PARKS
Les Acrobois
At Bussiere Galant (open July and August) there is an activity adventure park set in the heart of a natural forest, there are zip lines and walkways in the trees, rope bridges, woodland trails and a large lake for swimming and fishing, plus a terrace bar selling drinks and snacks. www.lesacrobois.com
Club Med
Near to Pompadour (40 minutes drive) there is a Club Med holiday village offering a full range of sports and activities (pay by the day) including horse riding, tennis, table tennis, archery, swimming, fitness facilities and a 9 hole golf course.
Parc Bellevue
Near to Limoges at Bellegard there is Parc Bellevue (open July and August), offering fairground type rides, water slides, pools, karting, crazy golf, woodland walks and some animal enclosures, plus a cafe serving food and drinks. www.parc-bellevue.fr
Feeriland
Close to Oradour Sur Glane (60 minutes drive) is Feeriland, a large activity park with "Seven Universes" - A World Of Miniatures
(automated with a light show), botanical garden with aquatic plants, an exhibition of Asian insects and snakes, bouncy castles,
water games, family games and a pirate ship climbing area. www.feeriland.com
HOT AIR BALLOONS
Operating from Hautefort (15 minutes away), Sokha and Frederic offer ballon rides over the fanous castles and sites of the Limousin, up to seven people can travel on every trip. www.montgolfiere.fr
FLYING MACHINE TRIPS
Operating just outside of Brantome a qualified instructor offers stunning tours of the region by velo-plane (not sure of the English translation - a bike with wings?) - certainly a different way to see the sights if you are brave enough. www.brantome-ulm.fr
PAINTBALL
Full-on paintballing just outside the village of Hautefort (15 minutes away) - there are four different terrains including a fort and trenches. www.paintball-dordogne.com
AQUARIUMS
Situated in Limoges there is a large aquarium situated under Limoge's former subterranean water reservoirs.
www.aquariumdulimousin.com
PRETTY VILLAGES & TOWNS WITH THINGS TO DO
BRANTOME
The Venice of the Perigord, where there is something for everyone: Canoeing on the river (safe and shallow, but take a towel!), leisurely boat trips, good restaurants, pavement cafés, craft shops and medieval buildings, prehistorical and megalithical sites, and troglodyte houses carved into the cliff face. The Brantome Belfry is said to be the oldest in France and the Benedictine Abbey was founded by Charlemagne. A great Friday market. www.brantome-en-perigord.e-monsite.com
ST JEAN DE COLE
Classified as one of the prettiest villages in France, St Jean offers pleasant walks and interesting architecture, plus a chance for children to paddle in the shallow waters of the river. Combine this trip with a visit to Brantome. www.ville-saint-jean-de-cole.fr
BERGERAC
On the banks of the Dordogne river and in the heart of the wine growing area. The old town is particularly pretty. Lots of places to taste the local wines. www.pays-de-bergerac.com Wine tasting tours at Chateau Corbiac www.corbiac.com
SARLAT
Medieval town. Beautiful architecture and good shopping. Canoeing nearby at Vitrac with friendly, helpful staff.
www.sarlat-tourisme.com
JUMILHAC LE GRAND
A small village with a magnificent 13th century chateau - there are French style gardens to explore, plus a guided tour (in English) of the castle including kitchens. There is a good open-air restaurant in the village square, plus some pretty walks down the valley to the riverside (great for picnics). www.chateaux-france.com/jumilhac
VILLARS
In this village you can find famous 17,000 year old caves (Grottes de Villars), and also the 12 century Boshaud Abbey.
There are hourly tours of the caves, plus a gift shop and small snackery. www.grotte-villars.com
HAUTEFORT
Home to one of the most pretigious chateau in the south west of France, and surrounded by a park and gardens of exceptional beauty. The castle showcases some superb furniture of the 17th and 18th centuries. In this village there is also a museum of medicine. www.chateau-hautefort.com
POMPADOUR
Home of regular horse racing and equestrian events, plus the site of a magnificent chateau, once the home of Madame de Pompadour (mistress of Louis XIV) www.pompadour.net + www.pompadour-equestre.com
ROCAMADOUR
Perched on a cliff with wonderful views and steep walks. Home also of an animated miniature railway.
GARDENS
The Gardens of Marqueysacare open year round, and offer more than 6 kilometers of shaded paths and inspiring gardens,
with incredible views over the entire Dordogne Valley. www.marqueyssac.com
MUSEUMS
Musee Atelier du Trompe-L’Oeil et du Decor Paint
The Trompe-L’Oeil and Decorative Paint Museum is unique in Europe. It is possible to see demonstrations of work in progress. Located at 5 rue Emile Combes in Perigueux. Tel: 05 53 09 84 40
Musee de La Medicine
This medical museum in Hautefort, is housed in what was the local Workhouse. The building was finished in 1740 and now hosts the tourist office, a weavers workshop and the medical museum. Tel: 05 53 50 40 27
Musee Napoleon
Dedicated to the history of Napoleon including his family history. Situated within the grounds of Chateau de la Pommerie in the heart of Cendrieux, Dordogne. Tel: 05 53 03 24 03
Musee du Ver a Soie
An interesting and educational silkworm museum. Located at Saint, near Riberac. Tel: 05 53 90 73 60
Musee du Foie Gras
Discover how geese and ducks are raised, how “Foie Gras” is processed and learn about how to prepare it. Located at Place de Marechal Foch, Thiviers, Dordogne. Tel: 05 53 55 12 50
Maison de la Truffe
A truffle museum offering a fascinating glimpse into the mysteries of truffle cultivation. Located in Sorges.
Musee du chocolat
Near to Terrasson (60 minutes), discover the history of cocoa, help the artisans make the chocolate, and then assist in chocolate tasting - well, you have to don't you! Naturally there is a shop on the premises with a huge array of tempting chocolates in many, many flavours! Bovetti, Zone Moulin Rouge, Terrasson. 0553 51 57 36 Open Tues - Fri 10 - 12/2-6 plus Saturday afternoons. Open every afternoon in August.
Pre-historic Park
Look at scenes of prehistoric men living in caves and learn about their lives and history. Located in Tursac. www.prehistoparc.fr
Coutellerie Nontronaise
Knife making museum and shop in Nontron. Entrance free, but expect to buy wonderful knives and pen knives from the shop.
Le Village du Bournat - Just east of Le Bugue on the D703. Car parking is available free of charge next to the river where there are also picnic tables and ample shade provided by trees. In July and August there are English guided tours. This is a large open air museum which recreates the Périgord of a century ago with a variety of buildings including a church, working windmill, farm, bakery, fairground, school, and allotments . There are demonstrations of pottery, reed cutting, spinning, breadmaking and flour making. Old-fashioned fairground rides are available for all ages. There is a restaurant on site or you can picnic on the banks of the River Vézère. (Next to the village are another two sites which would have general family appeal - the first is L’Aquarium du Perigord Noir, and the second is Les Jardins d’Arborie displaying exotic plants from around the world). www.lebournat.fr
Oradour Sur Glane - Location north west of Limoges on the N147. Oradour was once a normal bustling French village with schools, shops, garages and ordinary people going about their daily lives until the morning of June 10th 1944 when the SS entered the village, gathered the population together for a “routine identity check” then proceeded to slaughter 642 men, women and children. The Germans closed the buildings and lit fires - the burning village became a crematorium. Only a handful escaped the carnage to tell their gruesome tales.
General Charles de Gaulle, leader of the free French, visited the village later and decreed that the ruins be left exactly as a memorial and a reminder. And so they have remained as they were in June 1944. A sign on each building identifies who lived, worked or died there, including the church where hundreds of women and children were burned to death - the tower bell that melted in the inferno and fell to the floor is there still. The village also houses a museum, a cemetery and a memorial to those who died there. A poignant and sad place to visit. www.oradour.info
CAVES
The Vézère is a 211 km long river adjoining the Dordogne River. Along its path are networks of 25 decorated caves that are well worth checking out and are in fact a World Heritage Site (since 1979). There are 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Paleolithic age. You’ll find impressive cave paintings and hominid remains here. Within the network you’ll see a cave called Weavers Castle that was actually recently inhabited by an 89 year old woman only 8 years ago. She lived here for 55 years with her husband without electricity, running water, windows or doors!
La Roque St-Christophe - Off the D706 at Le Moustier, NE of Les Eyzies. Free parking, small café and picnic tables at the site with lots of shade. This is a pre-historic troglodyte site dating from the Mousterian era, which has been lived in by successive generations of man. Its situation is very dramatic with good views, rising vertically 80m from the Vezère valley. The whole site is half a mile long and rises in five galleries dug out from the rock.
The fascinating remains of some of the buildings can be seen – like the Church, as well as some medieval weaponry, while other parts of the site have been excellently reconstructed. For children this is possibly the most interesting above ground pre-historic site, particularly for those who are not keen on underground visits or guided tours (a leaflet is provided with an English translation). It is possible to take a light-weight buggy around the site although care is needed in places. www.roque-st-christophe.com
Gouffre de Padirac - 15km north east of Rocamadour. But quite special and worth a trip. This spectacular cave complex is impressive on a large scale. Part of the trip is by gondola and the complete trip will take around one and a half hours. You should be prepared to queue, but it is certainly worth visiting – get there early and take a jumper! You can combine with a visit to Rocamadour or visit the Insectopia exhibition next-door to the site.
www.gouffre-de-padirac.com
Gouffre de Proumeyssac - 3km south of Le Bugue on the D31E. Known as the Crystal Cathedral this is one of the most popular caves in the region. It starts with a Son et Lumiere (sound and light) show. If you’re feeling brave you can be lowered in a basket with a few other people, through a hole in the ceiling of the cave. There are some attractive stalagmites and stalactites and some unique crystal structures. These caves can get very busy in season - you may have to wait as long as 3 hours for admission! So if possible ring in advance as tickets are timed, so then you are able to plan your arrival and bypass the queues. Kids will find it interesting – the guided tours are only conducted in French, but English audio guides are available free of charge.
www.perigord.com/proumeyssac
Lascaux Caves - Located near Montignac. The 17,000 year old caves were discovered in the 1940’s and recreated with painstaking precision two hundred meters from the original site for tourist who wish to see the cave drawings but are not allowed in the original site as people’s breath do damage to the ancient drawings. It is one of the most moving sites in France and there are guides who speak many languages. The visit takes forty minutes and the site is open year round. For information go to:
www.perigord.tm.fr
www.lascaux.culture.fr
BOAT TRIPS
Most Dordogne boat trips start in La Roque Gageac (on D703, 3 km SE of Beynac and 12 km S of Sarlat). Several cruise companies ply the Dordogne river, but the most well known are Les Gabares Norbert, where you cruise the river on a traditional wooden boat (based on those used to transport goods in the 18th century). Their summer trip of a 1 hour round trip has commentary in English. Arrive and book in advance and spend your waiting time exploring the local area. Excellent canoe rides are also available in this area but are unsuitable for those with very young children.
CASTLES /CHATEAUX
Castle Puyguilhem - said to be the jewel of the Renaissance in the Périgord - it has a sumptuous interior and original and interesting outside sculptures. A fine example of a Francois 1 castle.Open every day in season. Located near Villars. www.best-of-perigord.tm.fr/sites/chateaux/puyguilh/anglais/puyguilh_uk.html
Castle Richemonte is a few kilometers from Saint Crépin of Auberoche (7 miles from Brantome) and was constructed in 1564. Two perpendicular buildings linked by a square tower. Interesting rooms and furniture to admire. www.best-of-perigord.tm.fr/sites/chateaux/
Castle Bourdeilles was the seat of one of the four baronies of the Périgord. It is in fact two castle structures on a walled terrace; a medieval fortress and medieval castle and a Renaissance castle, richly decorated rooms house prestigious furniture. www.bourdeilles.com
Castle Bories, a chateau of renaissance charm which preserves one of the most beautiful Gothic kitchens of the Périgord. Located at Antonne et Trigonant near Perigueux. www.lacorreze.com/chateaux/departements/dordogne/le_chateau_des_bories.htm
Castle Losse - A moated castle near Thonac with rooms filled with beautiful furniture which reflect life under the last Valois and first Bourbon kings. Wonderful gardens.
www.chateaudelosse.com
The Manor of Eyrignac. – built as a family residence and inhabited since the XVII century, The 18th century gardens are exceptional and considered to be the most beautiful in France. www.eyrignac.com
Castle Beynac - A magnificient feudal castle perched on the side of the Dordogne river. In the apartments are preserved panelling and painted ceilings of the XVII century. Main location for the films Chocolate and Joan of Arc.
www.beynac-en-perigord.com Castle Milandes - Bbuilt in 1449, and located at Castlenaud La Chapelle, this castle sits in a dominant position overlooking the River Dordogne. It holds an exhibition relating to the life of it’s most famous resident, the singer Joséphine Baker. There are 14 furnished rooms to visit, plus an XV century chapel, daily falconry displays and plenty of wildlife to see in the grounds. www.milandes.com
Castle Castelnaud houses a museum which is listed as the finest medieval war museum in Europe. A new wing has recently been built to house the weapons including a Manganum (medieval catapult). www.castelnaud.com
LOCAL MARKETS
French markets are bustling, busy places where you can find the best in locally made cheeses and wines, fresh local produce, fabrics, antiques, bric-a-brac and a whole lot more.
Tuesdays
Brantome, Lisle, Mareuil, Neuvic, Riberac, Savignac, Thenon.
Wednesday
Hautefort, Jumilhac le Grand, Perigueux, Piegut Pluviers.
Thursday
La Coquille, Excideuil, Eymet, Lalinde, Terrasson.
Friday
Brantome, Cubjac, Riberac, Vergt
Saturday
Agonac, Thiviers, Neuvic, Nontron, Perigueux.
Sunday
St Jean de Cole, Sorges, Tourtoirac
