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| In south-west France, in the region of Aquitaine,
the department of the Dordogne is world famous for its
outstanding beauty and for the wealth of its history.
Add to this long, sunny summers, numerous glittering
rivers and lush green countryside and you have a really
wonderful holiday location. |
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| Les Taloches is on the outskirts of Tourtoirac, about
35km from Périgueux, the capital of the Dordogne.
It is a very rural area but there are supermarkets,
shops and banks in several nearby villages. Tourtoirac
is on the river Auvézère and is dominated
by a 1000-year-old abbey. In medieval times it was an
important place and there are still many lovely old
buildings. |
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| From Les Taloches, it is very easy to travel north
or south to reach the most celebrated sights of the
Dordogne – the prehistoric caves of Lascaux, the
castles of Beynac or Castlenaud – or further north
– the island town of Brantôme, the fairytale
castle of Jumilhac. We are also only a short distance
from the hidden delights of the Limousin – one
of France’s least discovered areas. |
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| Many of the surrounding villages have lively traditional
markets, including our local town of Excideuil (8kms)
but the liveliest of all are in Périgueux and
Sarlat – both towns with beautiful medieval centres. |
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| There is so much to do at Les Taloches, many of our
guests barely leave. But if you are moved to go out
and about, there is plenty to entertain you. We have
a big collection of brochures to help you choose but
here are a few ideas: |
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| To Do |
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With 4 rivers and many lakes within easy reach,
there are endless opportunities for water activities
– you can canoe our local river, the Auvézère,
and arrive at Tourtoirac – great fun for
all as there are a few small weirs and some gentle
‘white water’. There are opportunities
to canoe on all the rivers around or to swim at
lake or river beaches, go fishing, wind-surfing
or wake-boarding |
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Exceptional walks and cycle-trails – we
have bicycles for all sizes to borrow (but no
helmets) |
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Dining in the many fine restaurants using the
celebrated products of the region - foie gras,
confit of duck, mushrooms, walnuts, truffles and
cheeses |
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Golf courses - 5 within 25 miles |
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Horse riding - a stable in the village |
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Tennis courts available for free in several
nearby villages |
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Climb through the trees at nearby Thenon |
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| To See |
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The château of Hautefort, with its outstanding
classical garden (10 mins) |
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The world-famous prehistoric cave paintings
of Lascaux (30 mins) |
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Fantastic limestone formations in caves and
caverns at Les Ezyies (40 mins) |
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The medieval city of Sarlat (50 mins) and the
breathtaking cliff village of Rocamadour (1 hour) |
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The city of Brantôme - the 'Venice of
the Perigord' (40 mins) |
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Dordogne claims to have 1001 castles and there
are certainly many to visit – towers, turrets,
battlements, ruins or stately splendour –
take your pick |
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Many villages designated among the most beautiful
in France |
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Pompadour, celebrated for its national horse
stud and horse racing (45 minutes) |
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St Emilion, the gem of the Aquitaine wine-growing
regions (1.5 hours) |
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