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 including buzzards, woodpeckers and owls. Often on a summer's evening hot-air balloons gracefully pass over the grounds 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 machine), 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.
Sarlat, the capital of the Perigord Noir
As the poet said, the honey-coloured stones of the thousand-year-old buildings of Sarlat drink in the daylight, to return it at twilight. Sarlat has withstood the rigours of a long history. Re-discovered and restored these last few decades, the paved streets and squares were among the first to have gas-lighting, which remains today eliminating the need for overhead wires to detract from the pleasure of the age-old architecture, or to get in the way of the photographer's lens!
The twice-weekly market here is one of the very best in France. And the music and theatre festivals during the summer months are not to be missed. There are many restaurants in Sarlat to enjoy the gastronomic delights of the region and the town is lit up so beautifully at night, that an after-dinner stroll is a must to soak up the truly medieval atmosphere.
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 Sarlat 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.
Not too far away are the elegant cities of Perigeaux, 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! Its such fun - OK, harder work for those doing the rowing!! You see everything from a different perspective - mainly the spectacular cliffs and chateaux. You can row and stop anywhere you like and swim and have a picnic - its great to make a whole day of it. The river is not very deep, so perfectly safe, even for the younger ones.
The river is our "beach", but without the thousands of holiday-makers sharing the same patch of sand! The water is warm and beautifully clean and its so peaceful.
And then of course there is the fishing -
Le Foret Des Ecureuils (the forest of the squirrels)
Great half-day activity for the kids - and any fearless adults!! There are four different levels of difficulty & heights & zip-wire speeds!
The children absolutely love it!