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Chateau la Durantie

Activities in & around the area...

The region is especially famous for the beauty of its landscape, many chateaux, famous caves and the abundance of regional local specialities. To give you an indication of the things to do in the region, we have compiled this guide to include suggestions for things to see and do including regional markets, villages to visit, restaurants, music festivals and other attractions.

 

Of course, one of the big draws of the region is food. The Perigord has been called the gastronomic capital of France with good reason. Here, foie gras and truffles (les diamants noirs du Perigord) are everyday fare, and every town has shops filled with these local treasures. Other local specialties are confit of duck and goose, stuffed goose neck, walnut cakes, chocolate-dusted walnuts, and walnut wine and liqueur. Local wines include Monbazillac, Bergerac, and Pecharmant. 

 

Local Activites:

 

Golf - 7 minutes by car

Waterskiing/Wakeboarding - 7 minutes by car

Sand beach (lake) - 7 minutes by car

Canoeing - 15 minutes by car

Riding - 10 minutes by car

Within 15 minutes of the Chateau there is a lake (with beach sand) for fishing, water skiing and canooing. There are also local tennis courts and horse riding facilities. Wine tastings can be held at Chateau with a local sommeliers.

 

 

Within close distance of the Chateau, Lanouaille offers a small supermarket (Casino), 2 Bakeries (Boulangeries), a Pharmacy, a very good Butcher, a Newspaper shop, a Takeaway Pizzeria (Café du sport) and some more small shops. In St. Yiriex there is a wide selection of shops, same in Excideuil (both cities approx 15 minutes by car). 

 

 

Supermarkets:

 

St. Yrieix has several supermarkets, with the biggest selection offered by the Intermarche (follow direction Glandon) and the Casino which is at the other end of the town. All supermarkets stock an extensive selection of wines and champagnes and cheeses. Excideuil has one interesting wine shop (Cave) close to the Chateau, St. Yrieix is a good but expensive wine shop on the main road

Cinemas are in Thiviers (20min) and in St Yrieix (15 min).

Local Markets

French markets are bustling, busy places where you can find the best in locally made cheeses, wines, fresh produce, fabrics, antiques and a whole lot more. Be sure to get there in the morning, though as only a few will stretch into the afternoon (this list was updated on 12 April 2012 so hopefully it’s still current):

 

  • Tuesdays - Lanouaille (last Tues of every month), Brantome (smaller), Lisle, Maureuil-Sur- Belle, Neuvic, Salignac, Thenon

  • Wednesdays - Hautefort, Jumilhac le Grand (15 min), Perigueux, Piegut Pluviers, Montignac (40 min), Sarlat, Bergerac

  • Thursdays - Excideuil (great large market!), La Coquille, Eymet, Lalinde, Terrasson (40 min), Domme

  • Fridays - Brantome (large), Cubjac, Riberac (large), Vergt

  • Saturdays - Lanouaille (some Saturdays), Perigueux (large), Agonac, Thiviers (large), Neuvic,

    Nontron (50 min), Montignac (40 min), Sarlat (large), Bergerac, Lalinde 

 

Excideuil

 

Excideuil (15 minutes away) is larger than Lanouaille with an interesting wine shop (Cave), supermarkets, etc. The town was originally developed around a 10th century monastery in a peaceful setting in the valley of the River Loue.

 

In addition to the interesting old-town itself with its gothic church and 16th century houses, Excideuil has a castle located high on a rocky promontory. The castle successfully repelled Richard the Lionheart on three different occasions (however the main castle is not open to the public).

 

Excideuil also has a market every Thursday which is apparently the busiest market in the region.

Hautefort

Home to one of the most prestigious chateu in the south west of France, and sorrounded by incredibly beautiful gardens, Chateau Hautefort. (20 minutes away)

Beynac

 

The strategic position of the village of Beynac is a point of interest in the Dordogne Valley. From the very start, the village will charm you with its cobbled, steep little lanes and stairways which climb up to the formidable castle, where the view is simply breathtaking. Unsurprisingly, Beynac gained the prestigious title of “one of the most beautiful villages of France” with its houses clinging majestically to the cliff-face.

 

Towering on a limestone crag 150 metres above the Dordogne River, the impregnable and austere Beynac Castle stands as one of the most important castles in the region. This strategic position on the plateau atop the cliff had a direct influence on the castle’s defence architecture.

Sarlat

 

Sarlat, 1 hour and 10 minutes away, is a medieval town with beautiful architecture and good shopping. Indeed it’s the most famous town in the region and one of the most renowned and visited in France. It is also one of the most attractive.

 

Don't miss the streets around the cathedral and the streets to the north of the old town - you will soon become lost in the maze of narrow lanes, with something new to see around every corner.  Before setting off for your walk around Sarlat, visit the tourist office which can provide a suggested walking tour to take in the key attractions. The cathedral is to the south-east of Sarlat, with the attractive Cour des Fontaines and Cour des Chanoines behind.

 

Markets are held Wednesday and Saturdays. You can also canoe nearby at Vitrac. 

Limoges

 

 

 

Limoges, 50 minutes away, has one of the main airports in the area and is

renowned for its production of enamelware and fine porcelain - if you’re looking to pick up some

French crockery, then this is certainly the place to do it. Despite gothic churches and buildings,

Limoges is better known these days as a buzzy university town, home to around 17, 000 students and

plenty of bars, clubs and drinking holes.
Wine Tasting Tour

Wine tours to St Emilion, Bergerac or Bordeaux. Below are a few that came recommended

Thiviers

Thiviers is a pleasant village just 8km from the chateau. Thiviers prides itself on its local specialty- foie gras, walnuts, and truffles.  The town prides itself on being the "Capital of the foie gras in Green Perigord".

 

Thiviers has a wonderful Saturday market and 2 patisseries, so grab a pain au chocolat to enjoy with a coffee from the cafe.

The church is the main attraction of the town, with carvings along the columns of the church.

Brantome

Brantome: 40 minutes away.

 

When the reclusive monks of the abbey of Brantôme decided the inhabitants of the village were getting too nosy, they dug a canal between themselves and the villagers, setting the brantômois adrift on an island in the middle of the River Dronne and remains one of the prettiest villages in France.

 

Enjoy a walk along the river or through the old, narrow streets. The meandering river follows you wherever you stroll with cafés and small shops abound.  There is something for everyone: Canoeing on the river (safe and shallow, but take a towel!), leisurely boat trips, good restaurants, pavement cafés, craft shops, medieval buildings, prehistorical and megalithical sites, and troglodyte houses carved into the cliff face.

 

The Brantome Belfry is said to be the oldest in France and the Benedictine Abbey was founded by Charlemagne. It also has a great Friday market (there is also a market on Tuesdays).

Check out the benedictine abbey as well (built by Charlemagne in 769 and the main historical highlight of the town).  The Church of Saint Peter is also worth admiring, with certain parts dating back to the 15th century (especially part of the cloisters) as is the bridge that crosses the river, and provides a good vantage point to admire the town.

 

Above all, Brantome is on the river Dronne, that encircles a large part of the town, and what adds most to its attraction - the river is calm and gentle at this point, covered with lilies, and sheltered by weeping willows - it is very pleasant to walk along the edge of the river and through the gardens.

Canoes can be hired at Brantome for a relaxing glide along the river (a favourite with adults and children).

Perigeux

 

Perigueux is the capital of the Dordogne region (population of approximately 35,000) and is approx 40 mins from Excidueil and 50 mins from the Chateau. It is a very busy city, which is sure to meet all of your needs, whilst providing a very pleasant shopping experience. The town is beautiful with its old cobbled streets and restored architecture, a medieval city centre with the biggest cathedral in southwest France (which inspired the architect of the Sacre Coeur in Paris).
 

Perigueux also contains an interesting medieval and renaissance centre, with attractive boulevards and streets lined with medieval houses to explore - these are concentrated in the region around the cathedral Saint Front, which also retains its attractive arched cloisters.

 

Descending to the river, there is an ensemble of particularly attractive medieval houses - the 'maison Lambert', the 'maison des consuls', and the 'hotel de Lur'. These are best admired from the bridge that crosses the river at this point.

The town also houses the 'Museum of art and archaeology of Perigord' which contains important prehistoric and roman artefacts.

 

The town is most lively on market days, Wednesday and Saturday 

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