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Local Attractions

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Where are We?

Mid-way between Angouleme and Limoges, the house is 1km from the busy village of St. Mathieu. Nearby are local market towns of Piegut and Nontron with good shops and a variety of restaurants, as well as the castle at Chalus where Richard the Lionheart was fatally wounded. Two beautiful lakes are close by and famous sights such as the prehistoric caves at Les Eyzies and towns like Brantome, Bergerac and Montbazaillac are within reasonable distance.

Travel

You can fly to Bordeaux, Poitiers or Bergerac and Ryan Air are now offering very reasonable flights to Limoges, which is about 50 minutes drive from the farmhouse. Alternatively, by rail, you can take the Eurostar and TGV to Angouleme and hire a car. The journey from Waterloo to Angouleme takes about 7 hours. The house is 6 hours drive from Caen and 7-8 from Calais.
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Local Activities

Tennis, Windsurfing, Canoeing, Fishing and Bike hire are all avaliable at the St. Mathieu Lake. Horse riding is available in Piegut and Marval. See the Links Page for information on equipment hire, trails and local events.
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The Hamlet

This old settlement consists of nine other dwellings including a working farm and a manor house. There are lovely walks in different directions - beside the river, through the woods, or along a Roman path to the ancient village of Champniers. A quiet unspoilt landscape of chestnut forests, pastureland and lakes. It has changed little for centuries and is noticeably unpolluted and peaceful.
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St. Mathieu and the lake

3 mins by car, the village has a church, restaurants, chemist, boulangerie, patisserie, bars and a supermarket which stocks almost everything including fresh oysters and langoustines on Fridays. 5 mins by car takes you to the beautiful unspoilt lake of St. Mathieu with safe swimming, pedalos, fishing and bar/restaurant. Our children have swum there since they were toddlers and in summer we go in the early evening for a quiet swim before dinner.
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Gourmet's Paradise

Local produce is excellent including such specialities as pate de foie gras, truffles, cepes, confit and clafoutie. The wine is from Bergerac, St. Emilion and Bordeaux, or Pineau and Cognac from the Charente.
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Medieval Market Towns

We visit the market every Wednesday at Piegut, stretching for half a mile with 3 fresh fish stalls, oysters, paella, cheeses, saussisons, olives, wine and local produce. A little further is Nontron, principal town of the Perigord Vert. This lovely wooded area is crossed by rivers and streams with Nontron itself perched dramatically on a hillside overlooking the River Bandiat. It is a typical small French town with ancient ramparts, a fine 18th Century square and the noteworthy Grand Hotel where you can eat Perigordian delicacies on the terrace overlooking the pool. The hotel, which has been in the same family for half a century, has been mentioned every year in the Michelin Guide for 102 years.
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