THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN THE DORDOGNE...
The house is in a beautiful part of France and is within easy reach of all the attractions of the Dordogne - the castles, chateaux, churches, bastides, fortresses, caves, gardens, rivers and much more!
The village of Cerveillac is about four kilometres south of Coulaures which is on the D705 between Savignac les Eglises and Excideuil, and around 28 kilometres east of Perigueix.
In Coulaures, just four kilometres from 'Terrieres' there is a bakers, grocery store, bar/tabac and also the river Isle. The Isle is the nearest river to 'Terrieres' - fly fishing and coarse fishing are available but a permit must be obtained. Five kilometres in the opposite direction from the house is the village of Tourtoirac and the lovely river Auvezere. Here there are shops and you can have a meal or drink or indeed a picnic on the banks of the river.
THE LOCALITY
The local area abounds in restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets. The Dordogne specialities of duck, goose and foie gras together with the wines of Bergerac and Montbazillac feature prominently on nearly all local menus and there is one outstanding restaurant 'Auberge de la Truffe' 12 kilometres away for that special holiday occasion. Our everyday favourites with a more modest menu and prices (around 11 euros for the four course lunch) are only 6 and 12 kilometres away at Mayac and Chervais Cubas.
The town of Excideuil is close by and here you will find all the shops you might need. There is a supermarket - open every day of the week, bars, restaurants, tennis courts and a large open air swimming pool which is heated to 24C during the summer months. Should you require a doctor or a dentist these can also be found here and the market is held every Thursday morning in the town square.
At Corgnac-sur-L'Isle the whole family can enjoy a day out on the Velo-Rail or you can go to Lac du Rouffiac 15km north of Excideuil where there are sunbathing beaches, lake swimming and a wide variety of watersports available.
June 2009 saw the first 9 holes open at the new golf course at Chateau d'Essiendieras near to Excideuil
THE AREA
The area is dominated by pre-history, beautiful architecture and gastronomy. Whether you wish to visit caves with their drawings dating back 20,000 years, picnic by the banks of the Auvezere or Dordogne river or visit the local markets with some of the best produce France, you can do all of these easily from 'Terrieres'!
The departmental 'capital' town of Perigueux is less than 30 kilometres away and the pedestrianised medieval city with its superbly restored lanes and squares around the cathedral is a great place for a coffee or lunch. Also the town has extensive Roman remains which are well worth exploring along with the excellent markets in the medieval city on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you require some 'retail therapy' the large shopping complex at Trelissac as you approach Perigueux will be worth a visit too!
At Champcevinel near Perigueux Aquacap is a superb new water park with pools, slides, toboggans etc providing fun for all the family and a great day out at very reasonable cost.
There are many pre-historic sites and caves in the area, the most important of which are located in the Vezere valley - Lascaux at Montignac is the most famous followed by the caves at Les Eyzies - all are within easy reach.
Picturesque Brantome, the 'Venice' of the Dordogne surrounded by the river Dronne with its troglodyte caves is less than 40 kilometres distant, whilst nearby is the village of St. Jean de Cole - surely one of the most beautiful in France.
The pretty town of Sarlat with its warren of alleys, virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages, lined with warm ochre stone houses must be seen and the medieval village of Domme perched on its rocky peak is easily accessible across the River Dordogne. World famous Rocamadour built on the side of a cliff can be visited further away to the south.
There are lots of gardens to visit including the magnificent Les Jardins du Manoir d'Eyrignac and those at the Chateau de Hautefort. Numerous other attractions include the reconstructed Perigord Village du Bournat and the aquarium at Le Bugue - there is much to see and to do in the Dordogne!
The great activity around all of these tourist sites makes 'Terrieres' all the nicer to come back to as the area surrounding the house has been overlooked by many of the less attractive developments of the last century.
