If you love peaceful countryside, scenic views and picturesque market towns, enjoy walking and boating, appreciate good food and wine, then the Dordogne, our region of the month, will delight you.
The first time I saw Dordogne country, I thought I’d discovered The Shire, Tolkein’s idyllic pastoral land that time seems to have forgotten.
The Dordogne is a great holiday area. The climate is warm and sunny and it’s reachable in a day by car from the channel ports. Holiday lets in the Dordogne range from quaint village houses and romantic rural cottages to luxury villas and easy going family farmhouse conversions, most with their own private pool.
Families love to combine days by the pool with nights around the barbecue, along with interesting outings and reasonable meals of fresh local produce and delicious wine in friendly auberges.
Main towns are Perigeux, Bergerac and Brantome, all small and welcoming, with fascinating markets and museums, arts and crafts. Prehistoric painted caves and museums deserve exploration. The countryside is perfect for walking or cycling and the rivers ideal for canoes, kayaks and slow cruises.
Find your Dordogne accommodation and check out our useful guide.
This year’s Tour de France starts on Saturday 2nd July in North Western France by the famous Le Mont-Saint-Michel and finishes on Sunday 24th July in Paris.
For the first time in Tour de France history, the famous cycle race will start in Manche, Normandy before crossing Western France, with a long stretch down through Angers, Saumur and Limoges.
The tour will pass through southern France and will then dip its toes in Northern Spain before winding its way back up. Stage 16 and 17 diverts through Switzerland summits promise to really put the cyclists through their paces.
One of the final stages is expected in landlocked Andorra but, as usual, the Tour will culminate on the Champs-Élysées in Paris for a sprinters’ showdown.
Much of the route is through areas of France perfect for combining relaxation and sightseeing with the excitement of the race, so check out our easy search in relevant regions for self-catering accommodation or a friendly B&B.
Close to the Normandy start is La Cidrerie, formerly an old cider farm and now three beautifully renovated cottages. Orchard stands alone whilst Cider and Apple are semi-detached. The cottages are ideally suited for couples, families or larger groups and La Cidrerie is situated just outside the pretty village of St Pierre Langers.
This is a great time of year to find a property to buy in France, whether you’re looking for a holiday hideaway or a permanent home. All of France is within easy reach of the UK by flight or car, so why not go on a fact finding mission?
It’s worth setting aside a long weekend or a week to discover the region of France you’re interested in and to view suitable properties. Find out about climate and accessibility, communities and culture.
Be prepared for a more leisurely culture when dealing with a French estate agent, or Immobilier, particularly in rural areas. Best to plan ahead and make appointments to give them time to prepare a list of suitable properties - and make sure an English speaker is available if you need one.
Go well equipped with maps and/or satnav, a camera and your French phrase book. Make sure your mobile phone can be used in France and give agents your number. Pack some drinks and snacks in case you miss the 12.00 to 2.00pm opening time of many French restaurants!
We have an abundance of property for sale on our site for you to browse. Some are for sale through agents and others direct from the seller. Many are real bargains.
You can still buy property to renovate from £20,000 to 40,000 and a village house in the south of France that’s ready to move into for less than £50,000.
There are lots of properties for less than £100,000, including very nice village houses and countryside properties, either for renovation or ready to occupy.
Between £200,000 and £300,000 you’ll find some really gorgeous, private countryside houses with pool and land and at the top of the market even a chateau will cost less than you might think. Caupels Farmhouse in the Aveyron, shown in our photo, not only oozes chocolate box charm but also boasts 5 bedrooms, a swimming pool and outbuildings – all on the market for £265,000.
We’ve teamed up again with FrenchEntree magazine for our latest competition. This time the prize is a week’s stay at a luxury 18th century granite stone barn renovation in Manche, Normandy.
The barn renovation is in a small, rural hamlet close to the pretty market town of Sourdeval, ideally situated to explore Normandy and regions of Calvados and Brittany. Owner Suzanne Crown has created a spacious, light and airy space for adults only, featuring modern furniture with a French twist and a comfortable, eclectic style.
Enjoy a King Size bed, an enormous bath and walk-in separate showers, a study nook for internet use and two terraces outside to catch the sun as it rises and sets. There’s a fully fitted and equipped kitchen, large open plan lounge-diner, wood burning stove and under-floor heating throughout.
See full details here.
Enjoy Normandy’s famous apple cider and brandy, green pastures, stone houses and delicious cheeses. Explore Mont St Michel, Caen Cathedral, the Bayeux Tapestry, Mortain Cascades and historic, scenic Avranche. Visit the D-Day beaches and local museums to learn more about the history of World War II, or go cycling or walking in the nearby National Park.
The usual price for a week at the barn in autumn is £495 and the prize can be taken commencing between 5th September and 31st October 2016, subject to availability. Travel is not included. Enter the competition here.
Indre et Loire, our region of the month, is the former region of Touraine, based around the city of Tours and the Loire river. At the heart of the rural escape for Paris aristocracy before the Revolution, it’s rich in history and architecture, with plenty to do and explore.
Visit exquisite chateaux, especially Chateau de Chenonceau, with its arches across the river,
Château de Chinon and Château de Villandry, famous for its amazing vegetable garden, where cabbages are planted alongside roses in a formal parterre
Explore the ancient city of Tours and enjoy a gourmet meal at one of its fine restaurants
Visit the town of Amboise, where you can see the final home of Leonardo da Vinci, with its interesting artefacts and inventions, all set in lovely gardens
Have a wine tasting and learn how to judge a wine by its colour and aroma, also how to select the best food to accompany it
Buy local wines from small vineyards at bargain prices. Vineyards produce some famous fine Loire wines, such as Bourgeuil, Chinon and Vouvray, and are set in pretty, rolling countryside.
Stay in a chateau, a handsome maison de maitre, a farmhouse or pretty country cottage. Choose from our great range of accommodation in the region.
The French Property Exhibition at Wetherby Racecourse is back for 2016 on the 13th-14th May, from 10am to 5pm. If you live in Northern England or Scotland and have always dreamt of owning a property in France, this is the perfect opportunity for you to find out more!
The exhibition will feature:
A wide range of French properties for sale to suit all budgets
Legal and financial advisors
Removal companies
An informative seminar programme
Free admission
A café/bar
French Property Exhibitions are the largest, most informative property events in the UK and a must for any potential French home buyer; they bring together estate agents, developers, solicitors, banks and other professionals covering just about every aspect of buying your property in France. Our photo shows the typically French small town of St Antonin Noble Val, but whichever location has taken your fancy - and suits your budget - you're sure to get a taste of the market and may even find a suitable property.
The exhibition is organised by French Property News, the leading French property publication which regularly publishes advice and information features from French Connections.
Register at the exhibition website for free entry and to see more information.
Now is the perfect time for an activity holiday in France, especially if you enjoy walking, cycling, riding or just being in the great outdoors. The weather is warming up, the countryside is fresh and beautiful and the evenings are long.
France has wonderfully varied landscapes and scenery and most regions offer opportunities for just about any sport or activity you can imagine. Activity holidays have become very popular among visitors to France, not least because many take several breaks a year and are looking for a new experience each time.
Some of our favourite activities and regions are:
• Walking in the Ardennes forest, Massif Central, the Dordogne and all the National Parks
• Horse riding in Normandy, the Gironde estuary, the Camargue and the Limousin, which is great for all outdoor pursuits.
• Cycling long distance routes in Burgundy and the Loire Valley
• Hang-gliding and paragliding in the Pyrenees, Corsica and the Hautes-Alpes of Provence
• Canoeing on the Dordogne, Vézère, Lot and Tarn rivers and canal-boating in the Loire, Burgundy and the Canal du Midi.
• Windsurfing on the beaches of Normandy, the Nord-Pas de Calais and the Mediterranean
An activity holiday is so easy at a gite or self-catering house, where all members of the group can mix and match the way they spend their days with flexibility. Many of our accommodation owners have a desire to pass on their own passion or hobby.
Owners really know the region and are often happy to go the extra mile to book activities, lend cycles, maps and other equipment and generally help you make the most of your holiday time. When you browse holiday rentals, look out for special mention of activities in the area and ways in which owners can help. Also scroll down the right hand side of our Accommodation home page to find Search options for regions, properties and facilities.
