Over Le Bourdil

The Bergerac area is often referred to as the Gateway to the Perigord as many visitors use it as a base from which to plan their stay in Dordogne. All visitors are offered a superb choice of attractions, many of which are distinctive to this corner of south west France.
Bergerac itself is a modern attractive town which offers a wide range of restaurants and many quaint traditional cafes. Nestled on a riverbank, at the heart of a wine producing area, it boasts interesting reminders of its past and offers easy access to the surrounding countryside and many famous wine producers.
Environment : Country setting, 5 km from Bergerac.

PLACES TO VISIT:
Monbazillac. 10 km. Surrounded by the vineyards which carry its name, the town overlooks the huge plain of the Dordogne Valley. Its 16th century castle is a listed historical monument and of course has a cave where you can sample the wines, and plenty of opportunities to purchase some.
Lalinde. 20 km. First English bastide, founded in 1267 by Henry III Plantagenet, Lalinde boasts several listed buildings and owes much of its charm to the Dordogne River and canal.
Beaumont du Périgord. 25 km. Lively and attractive bastide town with 13th century church and various examples of medieval buildings.
Eymet. 30 km. Attractive bastide town on the banks of the Dropt river, with a thriving market square and lovely bridge over the river.

THINGS TO DO:
Aquapark Junior Land, St Laurent des Vignes. 10 km. 4 swimming pools with water slides and direct access to the river for canoeing activities. Mountain biking, beach volleyball, table tennis and archery are all available on site as well as fitness, jacuzzi, sauna and hammam. Ten-pin bowling and crazy golf nearby.
La Brande, Fouleix. 25 km. Great for kids, with an amazing collection of houses built of willow and various other materials hidden throughout a woodland walk.
Jardin de Planbuisson, Le Buisson de Cadouin. 40 km. Fabulous garden, almost entirely made up of bamboos and grasses, displaying the enormous range and versatility of both. With over 600 species of bamboo and grasses, it is the largest of such collection in Europe.
Grottes de Lascaux. 80 km. World famous caves boasting paintings estimated to be from around 19,000 years ago. Open to the public after WWII but closed in 1963 because the paintings were being damaged by the carbon dioxide produced by thousands of visitors. The current site is a replica situated 200m from the original site.

FURTHER AFIELD:
Monpazier. 40 km. One of the most stunning of the Bastide towns in the region with fantastically preserved medieval centre and boasting no less than 30 buildings designated as national monuments.
Périgueux. 50 km. Capital city of the Dordogne department, set on the banks of the River Isle. The city boasts a beautiful medieval centre as well as a smaller but nonetheless fascinating roman quarter.
St Emilion. 60 km. Delightful village with steep narrow streets lined with beautiful historical buildings and monuments, and surrounded by prestigious vineyards and chateaux producing some of the very finest wines in the world.

Sarlat. 75 km. Beautiful, well restored town with old quarters dating from both medieval and renaissance times, with a maze of narrow medieval cobbled streets to explore.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Low cost flights from UK to Bergerac (10mn), Bordeaux (1 hr 45mn).