FRENCH HOLIDAY COTTAGE IN THE PERIGORD VERT (DORDOGNE)

2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4

Restored XVII century cottage in Périgord Vert (Dordogne) region. Situated 5 m. N of Nontron, 30 m. E of Angoulême, 60 m. NE of Sarlat and 30 m. N of Perigueux in an area famous for its scenery, history and gastronomy. Hamlet surrounded by chestnut woods (inhabited by deer, red squirrels, wild boar, red kite and buzzards), lush pastures, small lakes and isolated farms in undulating countryside. Road leading to hamlet is very minor with very little traffic. Peace and quiet guaranteed!

Location

ACCOMMODATION. House interior is open plan. Features include tiled and chestnut floors, wood panelled walls and ceiling, exposed oak beams, stone interior walls and an inglenook fireplace. Ground floor - kitchen/living area. Oak kitchen, ample working surfaces. Gas cooker (four burners, grill and self-cleaning oven), microwave, fridge, washing machine, filter coffee maker, electric iron and toaster/grill. All essential cooking/eating utensils provided. Oak dining table for four/six, two sofas, wood burning stove, hi-fi (including CD player). Bathroom on ground floor (WC, washbasin and shower). Mezzanine - double bed, sofa. Upper bedroom - two single beds. Garden with oak bench seat, barbeque and space for parking.

Mezzanine

BEDDING. Duvets and pillows (English size) available for all beds (provide your own sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases) Duvet covers and pillow cases available for those visitors arriving by air in France.

Upper Bedroom

SHOPPING. Boulangerie and small supermarket in St. Estèphe (1/2 m.). Other shopping from Piégut or Nontron (both about 5 m.). Shops in both towns open until 7-7.30 most evenings, some even Sunday. Market days are Wednesday for Piégut (strongly recommended) and Saturday for Nontron.

RESTAURANTS. Restaurant/bar/hotel in St. Estèphe (mainly frequented by local people). Not far from the beautiful town of Brantôme, one of the gastronomic centres of Périgord. Prices are normally very reasonable (with the possible exception of Brantôme). Spoilt for choice in an area of France famous for its food. You will be hard pressed to find a below par eating place!

OTHER DETAILS. Electricity by coin meter (€1 pieces) at cost price. Hot water heated electrically. Keys to be collected from neighbour. Provide your own linen (towels etc.), although these can be provided for those arriving in France by air. Parking space in garden. Nontron has facilities of typical small French town (tourist office, swimming pool etc.). Leisure lake near St. Estèphe (swimming, boating and fishing).

Lake within a few minutes walk of the cottage

THE REGION. This area of the Dordogne is favoured by those anxious to avoid those areas further south that tend to be overcrowded in high summer. It is perhaps the Dordogne's best kept secret (not too many tourists!) and is part of the recently created Parc Naturel Régional Périgord-Limousin. Nontron, as the name suggests, is the principal town of the Nontronnais, a region of farms and woods also known as Périgord Vert, a verdant region of pastures and copses. The Nontronnais is traversed by numerous rivers and streams, such as the Bandiat on which Nontron itself stands, waterways that once sustained the local economy. Nontron itself is a dramatically sited town perched on a promontory and on neighbouring hillsides that rise steeply from the riverside to form ravines. The Roman fort that once stood here has vanished, but Roman remains dating from the first century exist at the nearby village of Nontronneau. Nontron is an excellent base for exploring not only the Nontronnais but also Périgord Blanc to the west. Because of very low local light pollution, night-time views of the sky are sensational!

The abbey of Brantôme, the bell-tower of which is one of the oldest in France

To the south of Nontron is Brantôme, a gem of a town set on an island formed by a division of the River Dronne. Ideally, the visitor should alternate the pleasures of sightseeing with those of the table, for there are four to five restaurants in or near Brantôme that make it a mecca for gourmets. A great abbey was founded here in the Middle Ages, the belfry of which is one of the oldest in France. The overall style of the church is Gothic, but an examination of its capitals shows its Romanesque origins. West of the church are the few remaining arcades of the fifteenth-century cloister, which leads into the chapter-house, a square room with ribs rising, fountain-like, from a central pier. Beyond the cloister begins the long handsome block of mostly eighteenth-century abbatial buildings, which now serve as municipal offices and also house a museum devoted to the work of the local painter, Fernand Desmoulin. Walk into the courtyard, which is blocked at the rear by cliffs. Caves have been hollowed out under the cliffs and long ago they were inhabited. On the road to Bourdeilles which skirts these same cliffs, you can see caves fronted with façades of houses that are still occupied.

To the south-west of Nontron is the village of Champeaux, set in the valley of the Nizonne. To the west there is a fine château: Bernardières. It is enclosed within ramparts; the lowest level, set on the valley floor, is partially moated. The castle towers date from the 13th and 14th centuries, and the living quarters from the 17th century. The soldier and writer Brantôme was a frequent visitor.

Another view of the abbey at Brantôme

A visit to the Château de Hautefort, about an hour away by car, must be one of the high points of any trip to this region. Even nearer is the château of Jumilhac-le-Grand with its magnificent roofscape of turrets, lanterns, dormers, pepperpot roofs and chimneys. Also nearby is the town of Châlus, the site of the mortal wounding of Richard the Lionheart in 1199. The famous village of St. Jean de Côle, with buildings of exceptional charm and interest, is on the road to Thivier. The village, like most in the region, is impeccably maintained and retains a charm that can have altered little with time. The narrow streets are crammed with half-timbered houses, roofed with mossy red-brown tiles. The best view of the roofscape can be had from the medieval bridge that crosses the Côle.

A view of the main street of St. Jean de Côle taken from the ancient pack horse bridge over the River Dronne

Like most local villages, St. Estèphe has a fine medieval church, attractively placed above a meadow and pond. In the aisles are traces of frescoes, some heraldic, others of New Testament scenes. The pulpit and its canopy are splendidly carved, gilded and decorated with coloured panels. The nearby hamlet of St. Martin-le-Pin has a C12th church with a beautifully proportioned interior. The south door is ornamented with human figures and carvings of dragons. To the north is Piégut, a small market town set in a region of woods and small lakes. It has a remarkably tall and slender round keep, set on a steep mound, all that remains of the château razed by Richard the Lionheart in 1199.

The Lake at St. Estèphe

The Périgord Vert is particularly suitable for walking and cycling holidays, with quiet roads and footpaths, unspoilt villages and beautiful landscapes.

Disused railway line converted to a cycleway near St. Jean de Côle 

Stretches of the disused Angouleme-Brive Le Gaillard railway line which run through the area have been converted to cycle ways. Another stretch of the line near Exideuil retains its' rails and can be traversed by Velorail, a rail-mounted trolley which is pedal-powered! There are further Velorail routes between Châlus and Bussière Galante and further north near Confolens.

Travelling by Velorail near Confolens

COMMENTS FROM MY VISITORS BOOK:

"Superb holiday. Accomodation excellent, neighbours excellent (even though we found the French a little quick!!)." - Mr & Mrs Wragg, Wansford, Cambridgeshire.

"Great memories to take home - long lazy days by the lake, coming home to sit on the doorstep and chat with our neighbour. Don't leave the restaurant by the lake until the last night, as we did, it far outclasses the rest in the area. Going home reluctantly." - Mr & Mrs Kiashek, London N4.

"Despite the weather, we have found a warm welcoming hearth to centre our two relaxing weeks around. Although many towns and villages have appeared deserted our neighbours have proved both kind and generous. We depart with fond memories and a wish to return." - Mr & Mrs Deprez, Edinburgh (stayed in October).

"A comfortable stay in a gîte of great character very skilfully adapted, with a few creaks enduring in the floorboards! A truly rural setting with some real characters from whom, could we but be conversant with our limited French, we could learn much about the past of the hamlet." - Mr & Mrs Venn, Exeter.

"This delightful hamlet makes our own village seem positively bustling! Despite an inauspicious start, the last few days have been very pleasant and we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The neighbours are indeed kind and generous, especially to our two young children. We love the cottage - all this beautiful wood and stone and so well equipped." - Mr & Mrs Brown (no relation!), Church Lench, Worcestershire.

"Excellent well equipped cottage. Two good weeks spent walking, cycling and our own favourite pastime - eating. Great neighbours, would like them at home." - Mr & Mrs Keeble, Nayland, Suffolk.

"Another wonderful holiday in this tremendously beautiful countryside. Saw all the usual wildlife - including the elusive red kite - and a little owl, surpassed only by meeting a wild boar up the lane one evening. As always, the neighbours have been most friendly. Can't wait till next year!" - Mr & Mrs Dean, High Wycombe.

"An idyllic spot which we have enjoyed exploring on foot, surprised a family of wild boar - don't know who was more scared - them or us! Entertainment has been provided by Madame next door who, along with all the neighbours, has been most friendly. Our only tip would be to avoid 'walking' back from Le Merigaud after dark, unless your ambition is to break the four minute mile. It is very dark and very spooky!" - Mr & Mrs Harpham, Chelmsford.

'Walked into the house and thought 'so glad I chose this place for our holidays, but the pictures on the web site don't do it justice.....Great holiday, great neighbours, great countryside, not great we're going home.' - Ms London, Colchester.

2010 RENTAL.

Prices are for the cottage per week.

A returnable security deposit of €100 will also be added to the total rental. A deposit of €50 is payable on booking. Enquire about availability to:

Richard & Liudmila Brown, 8 Dutchells Way, Lower Willingdon, Eastbourne, BN22 0XF United Kingdom.

Telephone/TAM/Fax: +44 (0)1323 520652. 

Mobile: +44 (0)7941 183442.

E-mail: rabrown@ligneras.freeserve.co.uk.