The gardens of Marqueyssac
Discover these garden close to our rental vacation accommodations
Publicly opened in 1997, the the overhanging gardens of Marqueyssac were designed by André Le nôtre, they are the most visited gardens in the Périgord region. Overlooking the Dordogne valley, they are situated close to the village called Vézac. They stretch along a spur on the Dordogne valley with an east and west exposure.
Guided tour and walking path are organized to visit the garden. All pathways lead to the Belvedere 800 meters away from the castle. This is a marvelous panoramic point of view, 192 meters the river, of the Dordogne valley. Les Jardins de Marqueyssac also offer evening visits. They allow you to do the same visits with evening temperatures much more pleasant than the afternoon heat and to experience a quite different atmosphere. Marqueyssac aux Chandelles (Marqueyssac by candlelight), are Thursday nights in July and August. With music and animations as well as some entertainment for children.
The garden are situated on a limstone hill. Due to the very dry soil, the vegetation had to adapt to these particular conditions. That's why you will find in the parks plants that are usually found close to the Mediterranean see. Some holm oaks, traditional oaks, maples & berries were planted. The dark and evergreen foliage of the holm oak is the origin of the name of the region « Black Perigord » in the area of Sarlat. This is also were our rental accommodation are situated.
Built during the 18th centuries, the Castle of Marqueyssac is listed as nationnal heritage (national historical monument) since 1948. Constructed with great simplicity, the castle displays a remarkable roof made out of typical material of the region : limestone slabs (lauze) or stone tiles.It weighs more than 300 tons ! This roof is currently being repaired.
Sarlat in the south of France
Visits close to our rental holiday properties
Sarlat has been ranked as the European town with the highest number of classified monument per Km²!
Sarlat is situated in the centre of the Dordogne department, just north of the Dordogne river. One of the most renowned and visited towns in France, Sarlat is also one of the most attractive. Often called just Sarlat, the town is really twinned with its less famous neighbour and is more correctly called Sarlat la Caneda. We advise every single person who has a holiday trip in Dordogne in our lovely rental properties to visit it.
If you come in one of our rental holiday accommodation, Sarlat is just a few miles away. Every person who stay for vacations in our rental properties should not miss the opportunity to visit the most beautifull city of Dordogne.
Enjoy a walk around the cathedral and in the streets to the north of Sarlat. You will soon become lost in the maze of narrow lanes, with something new to see around every corner. Visit the tourist office when you arrive in the town - they can provide a suggested walking tour around the medieval centre that will pass all the key attractions.
Sarlat is a beautiful, well restored town a few kilometres north from the Dordogne river. Its location and attractions mean it is besieged by tourists all year long.
Saturday is market day in Sarlat. The old town, with fine examples of architecture from both medieval and renaissance times, is a pleasure to visit, especially during the spring and autumn, or early in the morning to avoid the crowd.
For more information on the city of Sarlat
OFFICE DU TOURISME
Rue de Tourny
BP 114
24203 Sarlat cédex
Phone : 05-53-31-45-45
Proumeyssac and Padirac caves
Proumeyssac caves, close to our vacation house in France
Proumeyssac, close to our rental accommodations is currently the largest developed cave in the Périgord.
A tunnel provides easy access to this huge underground vault, whose walls are adorned with countless crystallizations of exceptional density.
A light show combined with a musical background add to the originality of this site.
The 45 minute visit, with commentaries by knowledgeable guides, will be an unforgettable experience.
This huge underground vault can be encompassed in a single glance. The density and variety of the crystallizations decorating the walls are of undeniable geological interest. You will find a brochure in our rental cottages to inform you about the visiting hours and prices
Padirac chasm - while enjoying your holidays in our cottages
Padirac chasm is a natural, it is 99m (325 ft) around its rim with a diameter of 35m (115 ft). It is situated in the Lot, the region next to Dordogne in the south west of France. The cave, at a depth of 103m (338 ft), contains a subterranean river system that is partly negotiable by boat. You enter it by lift or using the stairs. The visit then starts on the river for a 500m journey in the underground tunnels.
After getting out of the boat in the so called Rain lake (Lac de Pluie), the journey continues by walking to the Grands Gours room with gorgeous Calcareous sinters, a 40m high und 6m large Stalagmite and a 25m long, 4m large stalactite, the Grand Dôme room with its 94m high roof.
The whole visit lasts for about 2h and you will navigate and walk about 2Km. Padirac is the most frequently visited underground tourism facility in France, with more than 350,000 visitors annually
Lascaux caves
Discover one of the most famous cave in the world while spending your holidays in our cottages
In Dordogne, close to the village of Montignac-sur-Vézère, in the heart of Périgord Noir, lies Lascaux, the masterpiece of prehistoric art. This cave of medium size for the region extends for about 200 metres and is made up of alternating chambers which are more or less circular, and passages.
Approximately 600 animals are depicted in the cave. Horses dominate with 355 examples, followed by 107 cattle, aurochs and bisons, 88 animals of the deer family, 35 ibex, a few members of the cats family and one bear. Despite being prolific in the Magdelanian age, the reindeer is represented only once and the mammoth isn't at all. The creature which has been named "the unicorn" has given rise to a number of hypotheses but its interpretation remains a mystery.
The organic debris found in the Lascaux cave has been dated at around 15'000 years BC, which ties in with other finds that have been attributed to the early Magdalenian period. This cave is a must, do not miss the opportunity to visit it if you book our holiday houses in Dordogne
So far the paintings themselves have not been directly dated using physical methods. But a number of arguments suggest that they are contemporaneous with the archaeological remains: bones and lamps decorated with the same symbols as those on the walls, the presence of pigments, palettes, jars, mortars, and flints probably used for engraving.
Rates (2017)
Adultes: from 6.50€ to 9.80€
Kids : 6.50€ to 8.80€
Beynac castle
Visit this village and its castle close to our rental accomodations in Dordogne
Beynac, situated high upon a rock, is not only a castle, it is also a beautiful little village which has managed to retain all of its medieval charm. Often used as a symbol for the region, the castle of Beynac and the village are very typical. This is the castle on the picture in the background of our rental accommodations pages. Get lost in the narrow and sinuous paved streets up to the top. Build during the bronze age on this strategically ideally placed, the castle and the village of Beynac has hosted some famous names such as Richard co Richard Cœur de Lion or Simon de Monfort.
The fluvial traffic (mostly gabarre, a scow, in the original sense, is a flat-bottomed boat with a blunt bow, often used to haul bulk freight) has stopped in the Beynac harbor for centuries. Richard Ier aka « cœur de lion » takes the castle in 1197. He was living in the castle's keep. At this time the village was very animated and was a central buy and sell point in the region. The photograph shows the chapel of Beynac. build during the 12th century and renewed and restored in the 18th, it is dedicated to Marie.
You must walk the steep paved lanes, stone made stairs worn by the time to enjoy and admire the clear view on the Dordogne river. Once up there, the castle and its panoramic view is waiting for you.
We recommend to visit the village to anybody coming in our rental accommodation. It's a couple kilometers away from our cottage and easy to access. You will find a brochure giving you some more information inside our houses
