Restored Ancient Perigordean Farmhouse and Barn in Beautiful Setting

Property description

Farmhouse (3 bedrooms – sleeps 8) and Barn (5 bedrooms – sleeps 10), both with 10m pools, on large landscaped site in peaceful hamlet adjacent to village. Also restorable bakery in the grounds with large bread oven currently used as garage and store. Historic area with caves, castles and restaurants. Ideal for living and letting.

Area

Located at La Chapelle Aubareil between Sarlat and Montignac in Dordogne department (24) of South West.

The rivers Dordogne and Vézère are wide and slow moving with deep gorges and rugged cliffs. All shades of green and brown make the area a feast for the eyes at every season. The hills and valleys team with wildlife, birds in abundance and the woodlands with wild flowers – orchids and cowslips – and mushrooms. The cultivated areas have a mixture of walnut trees, tobacco plantations, sunflowers and many fields of maize.

The best example in the world of prehistoric cave paintings and artefacts are in the Vézère valley around Les Eyzies and at Lascaux, 5 km from La Rouchie.

Every village and town is full of history and the town of Sarlat, some 14 km from La Rouchie, is a completely preserved historic town unique in France. The summers can be very hot and generally long. Spring and autumn are favourite seasons with clear, warm days making for perfect sightseeing. Indeed the area attracts holidaymakers throughout the year.

The Périgord is ideal for water lovers with many lakes and rivers for swimming, also many towns have good swimming pools. Fishing and canoeing are well catered for, as is tennis and the whole area is a walkers paradise.

The Périgord is famous for its truffles and geese and ducks. Fois gras production is very important. Local produce is the mainstay of restaurant food with fresh food generally being bought daily at the local markets. Excellent value for money is given by the many, mostly family run restaurants.

La Chapelle Aubareil is a typical French village with a church and square as a focal point overlooked by the school and mairie and café/bar/restaurant. The provisions shop fulfils everyday basic needs and fresh bread is available daily at the village bakery. All shopping requirements can be satisfied 8 km away in Montignac, where there is also the nearest supermarket on the road to Thonac. The best local markets are held at Montignac, Terrasson and Sarlat and a small Sunday market is most handy at the pretty village of St Genies. The village has two hotels with restaurants and there is also great food at Le Bareil, a restaurant within walking (stumbling coming back) distance from La Rouchie, which is open in the summer. There is a very good tennis court in the village and lake swimming at Tamnies.

There are several golf courses within easy driving distance.

La Rouchie itself is a hamlet of seven typical Périgordean houses, all occupied by French locals and one being a Gîte de France, which is let most of the year. It is about a kilometre from La Chapelle Aubareil.

The area is abundant with footpaths and woodland tracks. Lovers of bird life will be pleased to see the many large birds of prey, owls and woodpeckers and many other species that inhabit the woodland around the house.

In lazy moments you can sit in the garden and watch the lizards run up the walls and butterflies flutter in the grass. It is a very quiet hamlet with only a few residents’ vehicles coming and going, so there is little danger for the children.