Sue Elliott
Chanteranne
24390 LA CHAPELLE-ST-JEAN
Tel / Fax: 0033 (0)5 53 42 26 56
Mob: 0033 (0)6 87 73 73 29
info@bergerac-and-beyond.com

Sue Elliott
THE AREA WE COVER: see Interactive Map centred on the area mentioned
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 BERGERAC AND BEYOND covers the area south of Perigueux (the Préfecture ‘capital’ town of the Dordogne with its superb roman ruins, excellent new Museum, medieval district and lovely shops) down to Marmande (where you can sail a boat along the Canal du Midi down to the Mediterranean if you wish) and Castelmoron (where you can sail up the river Lot now as far as Cahors) and between Ste Alvère/ Monpazier to the east and Castillone la Bataille/ Duras to the west.

This area has a relatively low level of rainfall, summer temperatures that are not usually too high and winters that are fairly short (however, night time temperatures can drop to several degrees below freezing so if you are contemplating living here or buying a property to rent all year round, then a good heating system is essential) Wood burning fires are popular as wood is cheap to buy and store.
The countryside offers mixed farms, large areas of forests or coppiced woodlands (mostly chestnut, oak or hazelnut and hornbeam) vineyards, plum orchards, walnut and hazelnut orchards, fields full of wild flowers in spring and early summer and ..... of course some of the most famous vineyards in the world – Côtes de Bordeaux, St Emilion, Bergerac, Côtes de Duras, Buzet, Monbazillac to name but a few. Those of you who purchase a property with a chalk based soil will probably find that if you leave the grass uncut in spring you will have an amazing variety of wild orchids growing in your ‘lawn’ – the best excuse for not cutting the grass and seeing an incredible variety of wild flowers, butterflies, moths,and crickets – and it’s environmentally friendly!
The Perigord is renowned not only for its gastronomy and foie gras production but also for certain natural products which are not always that easy to find – cèpe mushrooms in the autumn, and truffles in the winter. You can tell when the mushroom season starts as when you go out in the morning you will see cars parked on the country verges and people looking very surreptitious with plastic bags and long sticks – they often look up at the sky as you go past in an effort to distract you from seeing what they are up to! Cèpes and truffles command a high price and so their whereabouts are kept secret from all but close family.... If you find some on your land the best thing is to keep very quiet about it and enjoy them.

We don't all feel ‘at home’ in the same place................ so why not take your time to explore the area and decide which places please you and where you could make your home. Bon Voyage...... here are the basic descriptions of the different areas of this beautiful area of SW France to set you on your journey and whet your appetite.
Starting from the northernmost point ie the borders with the Limousin and the Corrèze, the areas are:
  • Perigord Vert – the ‘green’ Dordogne, basically the northeastern area down as far as Mareuil/Nontron/Thiviers/Jumilhac _ Called ‘green’ because this area does have a slightly higher rainfall and thus has larger areas of mixed forests, lakes and fertile soil. It also has the protected Parc Régional Perigord-Limousin ideal for walkers.
  • Perigord Blanc – the ‘white’ Dordogne which is the western and central area including Riberac/Perigueux/ Neuvic/ Mussidan/ Montpon/ Vergt - Called ‘white’ because it is a chalk based plateau – the fields often shine in the sunshine due to the chalk rocks – and this is an area of mixed farmland, grazing pasture and woodland – very few vineyards in this area but the rivers Isle and Dronne are beautiful and quiet.
  • Perigord Pourpre – the ‘purple’ Dordogne which is the southern/south-western area ie Vélines/Bergerac/Ste Alvère/Beaumont/Issigeac/Eymet - Called ‘purple’ (rather a tourist orientated invention!) because of the prevalence of vineyards. Poor soils give good wine – but just to the north of Ste Foy la Grande and Bergerac is the ancient forêt landaise – an area of rich chestnut and oak woodland and mixed farms stretching west to Ste Alvère and where some of the best truffles and cèpes are to be found. The river Dordogne winds through this and boat trips are available at Bergerac, Creysse, Mauzac
  • Perigord Noir – the ‘black’ Dordogne, to the east and south east ie Terrasson/Le Bugue/Belvès/Villefranche du Perigord/Domme/Sarlat - A much hillier area with deep valleys and chalk cliffs. Evergreen Holm and deciduous oaks give the darkness to the landscape from which the name is derived. Here you will find stone villages perched on hillsides, the valley of the Vézère which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the hundreds of prehistoric sites (which now makes planning applications more difficult!) – plus of course the famous Lascaux cave wall paintings. The riverDordogne winds through with its rich history, hilltop chateaux and in summer the possibility to spend a day in a canoe or lying on a river beach just enjoying the peace
  • Quercy – this is the ancient name for the area south of the Dordogne ie the Lot, the Lot et Garonne, Tarn and Tarn et Garonne – an ancient area of farms, vines, plum orchards, fruit/maize and tomato production in the fertile valley of the Garonne around Marmande/Tonneins/La Reole, the historic villages by the side of the river Lot (part of which is now navigable around Villeneuve). Here there are village church towers that make one think one is in Spain or Italy, due to the influence of the peoples from these southern countries that have emigrated to southern France over the centuries.

    • "BON VOYAGE & A TRES BIENTOT - SEE YOU SOON"