Maine de la Garde
St Martin de Ribérac
The Dordogne is 'something for everyone' country. It is the 'other South of France' ... the unspoiled and less expensive one.
Interested in history? Choose your era. Pre-historic cave paintings at Lascaux or Les Eyzies? Roman ruins? Eleventh century fortified churches? Turrets and battlements of the Hundred Years War? Or maybe the still lived in, ivy-covered chateau just down the road.
No visitor to this region has ever left on an empty stomach. The Dordogne is one of the gastronomic centres of France, a place for sampling country specialities: goose and duck confits, foie gras, Périgordian omelettes, walnut dressings and the worlds most expensive garnish, the truffle. All, of course, washed down with wines to rival the world's best.
Interested in history? Choose your era. Pre-historic cave paintings at Lascaux or Les Eyzies? Roman ruins? Eleventh century fortified churches? Turrets and battlements of the Hundred Years War? Or maybe the still lived in, ivy-covered chateau just down the road.
No visitor to this region has ever left on an empty stomach. The Dordogne is one of the gastronomic centres of France, a place for sampling country specialities: goose and duck confits, foie gras, Périgordian omelettes, walnut dressings and the worlds most expensive garnish, the truffle. All, of course, washed down with wines to rival the world's best.
The immediate vicinity
Maine de la Garde lies on a ridge a couple of kilometres south of Saint-Martin-de-Ribérac, which itself is about 2.5 km south of the
busy market town of Ribérac.
There are many small, unspoilt villages nearby. Our favourite is Siorac-de-Ribérac - again only a couple of kilometres away. Siorac is built on the side of a hill around a 12th century Romanesque church. It has an unpretentious, but good, restaurant, 'Le Lavoir', named after the old stone wash-house from which it was converted. Le Lavoir also has a tiny épicerie, complete with coffee bar, and is run by a very friendly couple. Siorac is well known locally for its annual four-day fête, which is held at the end of July. There are cycling and walking events, a fun fair, bric-a-brac stalls, communal lunches, a barbeque and crèpes evening, and the whole affair ends with a fireworks display set against the backdrop of the church.
There are many small, unspoilt villages nearby. Our favourite is Siorac-de-Ribérac - again only a couple of kilometres away. Siorac is built on the side of a hill around a 12th century Romanesque church. It has an unpretentious, but good, restaurant, 'Le Lavoir', named after the old stone wash-house from which it was converted. Le Lavoir also has a tiny épicerie, complete with coffee bar, and is run by a very friendly couple. Siorac is well known locally for its annual four-day fête, which is held at the end of July. There are cycling and walking events, a fun fair, bric-a-brac stalls, communal lunches, a barbeque and crèpes evening, and the whole affair ends with a fireworks display set against the backdrop of the church.
The Dordogne
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