The Paradise for Brits?

Life in the Dordogne

– The Dordogne is one of the largest French Departements, so where in the Dordogne you are going to choose to settle can make a huge difference, especially if you are considering running gites.

Gites de Cénac is in the ‘golden triangle’ of Perigord noir (black Perigord, black because of the oaks, not truffles) which goes from Limeuil up the Vezere to Montignac and up the Dordogne to Domme.

This is where visitors want to be because of the exceptional density of sites (prehistoric caves, medieval villages and bastides, literally hundreds of castles, natural sites and gardens…).

You have to realise that roads are slow and distances are significant: Driving from North to South or East to West of the Departement will take you 2 and a half hours.

– What is the difference between the Dordogne and the Périgord?

There is no difference. Périgord is the name of the province before the French Revolution. What was the province of Périgord became the Departement of the Dordogne.

– Dordogneshire, really?

8 to 10 000 Brits live in the Dordogne which is not that much – until you go to Eymet where 20% of the inhabitants are British. But as you move away from Bergerac, you will hear less English on the markets.