What to see and do during a stay at Maison Vignoble...

What to see and do during a stay at Maison Vignoble...

Piégut, only 5 minutes away, has a bustling weekly general market on a Wednesday morning, the most famous in the region, and is definitely not to be missed with stalls selling everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to clothes and artisan crafts. The town also has a variety of different shops and cafes and restaurants.

Surrounded by woodland offering excellent shade and with its own beach, beautiful Lac de Saint-Mathieu is perfect for swimming and during the summer months has a life guard on duty. A shaded picnic area, children's play area, toilets and showers are also available on-site, and access to the lake and car parking is free. If swimming doesn't appeal, enjoy a pleasant walk around this wonderful lake. Lac de Saint-Mathieu is a 14 minute drive from Maison Vignoble. Another picturesque swimming lake with similar facilities to Lac de Saint Mathieu is the swimming lake at Saint-Estephe, also around 14 minutes drive away - during the summer months a small cabin sells drinks, sandwiches, ice creams and snacks.

There is so much to see and do in Brantôme that it is very easy to spend the entire day there; wander around the weekly Friday market, pretty cobbled streets and riverside park, journey up the river by guided boat tour or under your own steam by canoe, visit the magnificent Abbey and caves, browse the array of little shops and choose from a variety of restaurants to enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner. Brantôme, known as the 'Venice of the Perigord', and surely one of the true gems of the Dordogne region, is less than a 40 minute drive away from Maison Vignoble.

The town of Oradour-sur-Glane is a 50 minute drive from Maison Vignoble. On the 10th of June 1944, when France was occupied by the Nazi's, 642 of its inhabitants including women and children were massacred by a Nazi Waffen-SS company and the town destroyed. A new town was built after the war, however the ruins have been kept as a permanent memorial and museum to the atrocity. Whilst it is a very powerful, thought provoking and emotional experience, the Centre de la Mémoire at Oradour-sur-Glane is without doubt worth a stop during your time visiting this area of France.

The amazing prehistoric caves at Villars, close to Brantôme, are a must see when exploring this area. Full of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as some prehistoric cave drawings, it is the largest in the Perigord region and viewed by guided tour.

With beautiful views over the Bandiat valley, a 20 minute drive from Maison Vignoble is the town of Nontron, famous across France for its knives, and home to one of the oldest knife-making institutions in France. A visit to the workshop where you can see knives being made is highly recommended, and there are plenty of shops selling them and cutlery sets to take home. A mix of Renaissance and columbage buildings, take a stroll through the town and dine in the square, before exploring the beautiful Jardins des Arts - the beautiful gardens leading down to the river are home to a variety of sculptures and worth a look. If time allows, Saturday morning is a good time to visit Nontron as this is when the weekly market takes place.

The town of Rochechouart is only around 20 minutes drive from Maison Vignoble, situated just over the border of the Dordogne into the Haute-Vienne department of the Limousin. Rochechouart is known as the 'countryside of the meteorite', owing to the fact that one of the largest known meteorites ever to hit Earth smashed into this area 214 million years ago... weighing in at around 6 billion tonnes! Today, you will struggle to find any evidence of where the meteorite landed, but you can visit the Espace Météorite Paul Pellas, a permanent exhibition where you can learn more about this catastrophic event. However, there is far more to Rochechouart than just it's meteorite history - visit and you will discover a beautiful walled town, watched over by the stunning Château de Rochechouart which dates back to the 13th century. Whilst part of the building is taken over by the local council, you can visit the Museum of Modern Art which is housed within the castle and its gardens. The collection of Art is relatively big and there is often a temporary exhibition to view. After admiring the Château and the views of the stunning countryside and strolling through the pretty streets, visit the 11th century Church Saint-Sauveur. The romanesque Church has a remarkable and very unusual twisting spire which was added in the 18th century.

Exactly one hour from Maison Vignoble is the beautiful city of Limoges, famed worldwide for its porcelain history and exquisite train station, and an absolute must visit when exploring this area of France. Don't forget to explore the abbey, old town and gardens too during your visit. If you prefer to travel by air to Maison Vignoble, Limoges Airport is also just 55 minutes drive from the cottage with excellent connections to the UK and a choice of car hire rental companies on site.

The Roman town of Périgueux and capital of the Dordogne department is a little over 1 hour from the cottage. With 39 historic buildings, one a stunning cathedral, it is a city of art and history with much to see and do here; explore the museums and admire the medieval buildings, wander through the ancient streets and gardens, and browse the Wednesday and Saturday morning markets. It is worth visiting the Tourist Information Office when you arrive to be sure you don't miss anything!

Just over a 1 hour drive from away is the small and picturesque village of Ségur-le-Château, officially classified as 'one of the most beautiful villages in France' and situated in the neighbouring Correze department. Dating back to the middle ages and 15th century, the village was built along the Auvézère river and is overlooked by the ruins of a 12th century castle. Wander through the narrow streets and you are instantly transported back to medieval times - the beautifully restored colombage facades of some of the houses, some with towers, decorative roofs and lead windows are simply stunning. The Church of Saint-Léger is also worth a stop, and a visit to the Tourist Information Office on arrival will furnish you with a map of the town and its features - guided tours are also available during peak season. Enjoy lunch by the river at one of the restaurants, and if you are visiting on a Monday in July or August, why not stay for the Night Market in the main square too.

Classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Saint-Jean-de-Cole dates back to the 11th century - with its pretty half timbered and ochre coloured houses, church and sleepy river, it is a definite must visit for anyone exploring the area and enthralls all who visit. Every May the village bursts into colour as the annual flower fete is held over Saturday and Sunday, famous in the region, and to which people will travel far and wide.

The town of Châlus is most well known for its ruined medieval castle that stands above the town, the 11th century Chateau of Châlus-Chabrol, where Richard the Lionheart was fatally wounded in 1199 and which you can visit. Elsewhere in the town you will also be able to view the the remains of the Chateau of Chalus-Maulmont, built around 1280. The town also has some pretty stone houses, and holds a weekly market every Friday morning except for the second week of every month when it is held on a Thursday. Worth a visit for a stroll around the town where you can enjoy a coffee and a visit to the ruined Chateau of Châlus-Chabrol.

A 1 hour 30 minute drive from Maison Vignoble, you will find the town of Hautefort, famed for its Château; it may be a slightly lengthy drive to get there, but it is easy to spend the day here exploring not just the amazing Château de Hautefort and its gardens, but the medical museum which is also situated here and to enjoy the beautiful countryside that surround this village. A blisteringly hot day for my recent visit, the skies were perfect to make the most of the stunning views.

Bourdeilles is a beautiful village that sits on the edge of the river Dronne with a chateau, a moulin (mill), a medieval centre and panoramic views of the area. It one of the original four barronnies of Perigord founded in the 10th century. Wander around this pretty village, visit the chateau and enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants. Highly recommend.