In south-west France, in the region of Aquitaine, the Dordogne is world famous for its outstanding beauty and for the wealth of its history. Add to this long, sunny summers, numerous glittering rivers and lush green countryside and you have a really wonderful holiday location.
Les Taloches is ideally situated on the outskirts of Tourtoirac, 35km from Périgueux, the capital of the Dordogne. It benefits from being a rural area but with supermarkets, shops and banks nearby. Tourtoirac is on the river Auvézère and is dominated by a 1000-year-old abbey. In medieval times it was an important place and there are still many lovely old buildings. Tourtoirac also hosts an annual week long music festival in August (genres ranging from classical, jazz and Celtic).
From Les Taloches, it is very easy to travel north or south to reach the most celebrated sights of the Dordogne – the prehistoric caves of Lascaux, the castles of Beynac or Castlenaud – or further north – the island town of Brantôme, the fairytale castle of Jumilhac. We are also only a short distance from the hidden delights of the Limousin – one of France’s least discovered areas.
Many of the surrounding villages have lively traditional markets, including our local town of Excideuil (8km) but the liveliest of all are in Périgueux and Sarlat – both towns with beautiful medieval centres. During the summer, many towns hold night markets where you can enjoy locally prepared food and live music.
There is so much to do at Les Taloches, many of our guests barely leave. But if you are moved to go out and about, there is plenty to entertain you. We have a big collection of brochures to help you choose but here are a few ideas:
To Do
- With 4 rivers and many lakes within easy reach, there are endless opportunities for water activities – you can canoe our local river, the Auvézère, and arrive at Tourtoirac – great fun for all as there are a few small weirs and some gentle ‘white water’. There are opportunities to canoe on all the rivers around or to swim at lake or river beaches, go fishing, wind-surfing or wake-boarding
- Exceptional walks and cycle-trails – we have bicycles for all sizes to borrow (but no helmets)
- Dining in the many fine restaurants using the celebrated products of the region – foie gras, confit of duck, mushrooms, walnuts, truffles and cheeses
- Golf courses – 5 within 40km. There is a 9-hole golf-course near Excideuil with a very nice clubhouse.
- Horse riding – a stable in the village
- Tennis courts available for free in several nearby villages
- Climb through the trees at nearby Thenon
- Locally, bikes can be hired and delivered for on / off roading.
- For further information please visit the Perigord Tourist Office website www.perigorddecouverte.com.
To See
- The stunning stalactites and stalagmites and crystal clear underground river in the huge Grotte de Tourtoirac (5 mins)
- The château of Hautefort, with its outstanding classical garden (10 mins)
- The world-famous prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux (30 mins)
- Fantastic limestone formations in caves and caverns at Les Ezyies (40 mins)
- The medieval city of Sarlat (50 mins) and the breathtaking cliff village of Rocamadour (1 hour)
- The city of Brantôme – the ‘Venice of the Perigord’ (40 mins)
- Dordogne claims to have 1001 castles and there are certainly many to visit – towers, turrets, battlements, ruins or stately splendour – take your pick
- Many villages designated among the most beautiful in France
- Pompadour, celebrated for its national horse stud and horse racing (45 mins)
Cyclists
“Virtually empty roads lead you through three coloured regions of the Perigord – Vert, Blanc and Noir – in one of France’s most sparsely populated areas. A stage of gourmet as well as scenic delights as you travel through the truffle capital of France and cross paths with the Route de Foie Gras” – France En Velo
There are more than 120km of on-road and MTB routes from the door, including the Lawrence of Arabia route which goes through the village.
We have a large barn with bike racks for storage, plus plenty of space for maintenance, repairs and cleaning. There is a local bike delivery service nearby, which has hybrids, tandems and MTB bikes.
B&B available (with home-cooked meals) on request, usually in spring and autumn when it’s cooler for point-to-point cycling and ideal for shorter stays.
Need more information about cycling in France? Check out http://www.freewheelingfrance.com/
