Why We Like the Dordogn

Local Commercial Villages of Interest

Verteillac is the nearest village to La Brandette about 7 km (about 5 miles). It has an English speaking doctor, pharmacy, church, cafés, restaurants, butcher, Boulangerie (bakery), Presse (newsstand), Post Office, horseback riding, tennis, bike rentals, new sports complex and the legendary Merlaud, our famous general store where you can buy anything your heart desires from vegetables to garden tractors and everything in between. We all LOVE Merlaud! On the lst Sunday morning of each month there is a very colorful brocante (antique faire) in the town square.

Riberac, capital of the Perigord Vert is a 10 km drive. Famous for the Friday morning Marche’ (out-door market) which is a MUST – about 200 vendors arrive with their goods and wares. All the local farmers arrive with their most beautiful – delicious produce, fruits, vegetables, of which many are organic, fresh-made chevre cheeses, pate de foie gras, fresh fish from Royan, meat, duck, flowers, and vendors for fabrics, pottery, products from India, even Vietnamese egg rolls, etc. etc. You name it they have it! It is the friendliest Marche’ where all the vendors are extremely helpful and joyful !! Our weekly visit to the Marche’ never ends without a rendez-vous at Café des Colonnes where all the ex-pats gather for our café au laits, croissants and conversation. Riberac has a Cinema with some the latest films and some are even in VO (version original, which means in English). It is a little jewel of a Cinema just like a private screen room. It also has physicians, pharmacies, Library, shops, banks, restaurants, Tourist Office, Lakanal Pain is the BEST Boulangerie with the BEST croissants & pain for miles around and there is the most enormous supermarket, E. Leclerc, where you can get whatever you need. There is even a Psychiatrist! Other activities include: canoe rentals, bike rentals, Cultural Center, etc. . In Riberac there are several traditional cafes, as well , a Chinese restaurant, a Thai restaurant, and a seafood restaurant.

Perigueux, a 45 min. drive to this beautiful, historic city with lovely, cobble-stone streets in Medieval old town center, with great shopping, lots of restaurant, brand-new Movie Plex with the latest movies and they even show Opera HD Live from the Metropolitan Opera and the Bolshoi, an open air market on Thursday & Saturday mornings and wonderful 18-hole golf course. There is even a Michelin One Star restaurant, L’Essentiel, certainly worth a visit for a leisurely lunch or haute cuisine dinner. Perigueux is also very proud of their Musee Vesuuna, which was built over an actual Roman Villa, which was discovered while excavating several years ago.

Plenty of maps and pamphlets available right on the property.

Why We Live In The Dordogne

Because it encapsulates all that we love about France, rolling hills, fragrant meadows, leafy country lanes, stone cottages with flower-filled gardens, clean rivers, pretty villages and farms and forests as far as the eye can see. It’s beautiful, friendly and comfortable and people come here to holiday and often choose to stay. The Dordogne allows you to relax and unwind with activities to suit every lifestyle. And, you must admit that the French language is beautiful to listen to and to speak!

Food and Wine
This is a region rich in gastronomic tradition; foie gras, walnut oil and Perigord truffles.  A delicacy known as black diamonds, and considered to be the best that money can buy, are found here. There are wild mushrooms including the fleshy cepes and chanterelles which are simply delicious. The Bordeaux wines need no introduction. What could be a more enjoyable way to stock your cellar than combining châteaux tours and wine tasting during your stay? There is even a very luxurious health spa “Caudalie” at Chateau Lafite Rothchild.

Wine Tasting
Very popular and all Chateaux have a wine tasting room. St. Emillion is most famous for its delicious reds but the town is one of the most beautiful with lots of wine tasting rooms. The Bergerac wines are not very well known outside of France but they are in France and they are very good indeed. Some are deep, robust reds as well as surprisingly good whites and rosés, when chilled are especially good on a hot summer day. If dessert wines are to your taste we strongly recommend you visit the gorgeous Monbazillac vineyards, if only for their beautiful Chateau itself. There is a good selection of restaurants, from casual to elegant, specializing in regional cuisine

Activities
Canoeing is extremely popular and not dangerous at all. One can canoe the Dronne, Vezere or Dordogne rivers, great family fun. Canoeing trips in the area are well organized. Mini buses and trailers take you up to the departure point of your choice. You can spend half a day or full day cruising down one of the rivers, enjoying the scenery, stopping for swims, playing in the gentle rapids. All great fun!

Prehistoric Caves
There are a large number of caves to visit around the Dordogne. The formations of stalactites and stalagmites are truly impressive, shown to best effect with spectacular lighting. For the uninitiated, Lascaux II represents the ultimate in cave art.
But the most remarkable and a must see are the original 20,000 year old cave drawings preserved at Grotte Font de Gamme & Carpe Diem

Mountain biking
Mountain bike tracks (V.T.T) are well sign posted and wonderfully varied. For the enthusiast or recreational cyclist there is a lot to offer.

Local River, Lakes & Beaches
It’s wonderful having your own swimming pool but sometimes, children in particular, like a change of scenery where they can meet other children. A great solution is the many wonderful beaches and clean fresh water rivers and lakes.

Local Fêtes
In the Dordogne there is a long-standing wonderful tradition that local villages have annual, summer Fetes (village fairs). Going to the local Fetes adds a lot of color to your vacation and when you leave, you feel a local Frenchman. Brocantes (antique fairs) start off the Fete first thing in the morning. They are very colorful, interesting and you can usually pick up some original, classic French items at very good bargains. Lots to eat and drink with local delicacies – escargot (snails), mechoui (spit roasted lamb – delicious) and of course pate de foie gras (we all know what that is! ) fresh cheeses, etc. etc., and the village celebrations end with fireworks display.

Tennis & Golf
A number of lovely, good courses so it’s worth bringing your clubs. Three beautiful 18-hole courses in Perigueux, Cognac, Angouleme and one 9-hole course at Longeveau in Pillac near Aubeterre

Marche’s
French marche’s (markets) are an absolute must and pleasure given to us by all the local farmers. The Marche’s are all seasonal and you will find everything that is in season all colorfully and beautifully displayed with a wide variety of fruits & vegetables, most of which are organically grown. You will find local producers of chevre cheese plus other cheese vendors, pate de fois gras, river harvested trout, definitely free-range grown lamb, chicken, rabbit, etc. At most of the marche’s there are delicious, succulent roti poulet (spit roasted chicken), perfect for a summer evening’s dinner with fresh lettuce with local walnut oil, fresh chevre cheese and good local wine, bien sur!

Churches and Châteaux
The Dordogne is one of the richest areas for Churches & Chateaux, with over 1200 fully restored Chateaux and Churches. The Dordogne is sometimes referred to as “the land of Chateaux”. Many of these Churches and Chateaux are open to the public and each has it’s own special je ne sais quoi. Some have the most beautiful interiors, others gorgeous, gardens, magically candle-lit at night and others are architectural feats. The Churches are mostly Romanesque in style and many have been restored with great care and they are quite stunning and very peaceful