Location, Places of Interest and Activities
Our land is full of wildlife - we have a family of deer that often graze in the park, red squirrels, and some beautiful birds, wild flowers and insects.
Often on a summer's evening hot-air balloons gracefully pass over the estate or along the river valley - always a lovely sight!
The Village of Carsac
15 minutes walk away (2 minutes by car) offers everything you need - a Boulangerie - for delicious bread and croissants every morning! - an excellent butcher, general store, post office (with cash dispenser), a chemist and doctor's surgery, the Tabac (bar) and a couple of restaurants, a Catholic church and the studio of our local artisan glass-blower.
The picturesque cycle-piste runs all the way from the village to the main town of Sarlat, 8km in one direction and to Souillac, approximately 15km in the other direction.
The medieval town of Sarlat really is the jewel in the crown of the Perigord Noir.......
A fascinating place to amble through the narrow streets, looking in admiration and wonder at the intricate honey-coloured stonework of the ancient buildings, resting at one of the pavement cafes to enjoy 'un cafe et du gateaux' or a chilled 'biere' in one of the bars, or maybe a long lunch sampling the gastronomic delights of the region in one of the many restaurants. During the summer months, the music and theatre festivals are not to be missed.
The twice-weekly market in Sarlat is one of the very best in France - on Saturdays and Wednesdays the cobbled streets are lined with stalls displaying fresh, colourful and delicious local produce, the atmosphere is so friendly & relaxed.
In the evenings the town takes on a different dimension, the architecture is lit up beautifully and an after-dinner stroll is a must to soak up the truly medieval atmosphere of this wonderful place.
Come and discover for yourself the secrets of this "ville d'art" .....
Nestled between the Dordogne and the Vézere rivers, in the heart of the Perigord Noir, the region around Carsac is studded with wonderful medieval villages; ornamental gardens and spectacular châteaux such as Castelnaud, Beynac, Montfort, Fenelon, Hautefort and Milandes (the home of Josephine Baker). There are numerous pre-historic caves to explore among them Lascaux II and le Gouffre de Padirac, where you can experience a boat-trip on a subterranean river 103mts below ground, and in nearby Les Eyzies there is the impressive Musee National de Prehistoire.
Not too far away are the elegant cities of Perigueux, Bergerac, Cahors and Brive. And the wine-growing regions to the south and the west are havens to explore the local wine châteaux, estates and vineyards.
The River Dordogne & Canoeing
Canoeing down the river is a MUST! It's such fun - OK, harder work for those doing the rowing!! From the Dordogne river everything is seen from a different perspective - the spectacular cliffs, the chateaux, and the houses built into the rocks. You can row leisurely and stop anywhere you like to swim and have a picnic - it's great to make a whole day of it.
The river is not very deep in the summer, so perfectly safe, even for the younger ones. In fact, the river is our "beach", only without the thousands of holiday-makers sharing the same patch of sand! Of course there is the fishing too, and the water is warm and beautifully clean and it is so unbelievably peaceful.
Le Foret Des Ecureuils (the forest of the squirrels) .......
A great half-day activity which is often recommended for the kids - and any fearless adults! There are four different levels of difficulty, heights & zip-wire speeds!
The children absolutely love it!
Cooking Courses
Our guests may well be visiting the area primarily for their love of French food and wine, and it is true that this region of France is renowned for its gastronomic delights - foie gras, truffles, cabecou cheese, duck, walnuts - to name but a few ........ During your stay at Peycibeau you may wish to take your passion for food one step further and attend a cooking course. If so we can highly recommend CookinFrance not far from here, where you can "learn to cook the way you’ve always dreamed ......" ( for full details see CookinFrance ) .