The beautiful Dordogne is a department located in the Aquitaine region of South West France. Situated between the High Pyrenees in the east and the Loire Valley to the west, Dordogne is named after the river of the same name which runs east to west through the department. It is sometimes known by its older name of Perigord and its inhabitants are called Perigourdins. An amazing area with stunning countryside, a rich history, great wines and fantastic cuisine, the attraction of a Dordogne Property, whether as a holiday home or a permanent base in France, is clear.
An astoundingly beautiful and historic part of France, just some of the attractions of the Dordogne area are the 1500 or more castles, legendary stone villages, some of the best prehistoric caves in the world, amazing regional cuisine and stunning countryside. With its amazing natural beauty, many castles, ancient forests and honey coloured stone houses and villages, it is unsurprising that many liken this area to a fairytale land.
With just 43 people for every square kilometre of land, Dordogne is a tranquil and quiet place, with a sedate lifestyle, lots of open countryside to explore and remarkably quiet roads. With a temperate climate and four seasons, Dordogne enjoys temperatures a few degrees higher than the United Kingdom throughout the year, rarely suffering extremes of heat or cold.
Renowned throughout France for its fine foods including strawberries, walnuts, foie gras, duck dishes and pates, the Dordogne is a fantastic place for great French cuisine. The Perigord black truffle is in season from November to February every year.
Dordogne is a diverse department with four areas each with their own defining features, named after colours and the old name of Dordogne, Perigord. The Green Perigord is the first of these. Situated in the northern part of Dordogne, this region is known for its outstanding natural beauty with stunning woodlands and green valleys interlaced by hundreds of small, sparkling streams draining down from the foothills of the Pyrenees. The Perigord-Limousin National Park is here.
In central Dordogne is the White Perigord area, so called because of the limestone plateaus on which it sits. Beautiful countryside with forests, lakes and green valleys form this part of Dordogne. Perigueux, the capital of the department is here, with its historic cathedral and roman fortifications.
The Purple Perigord area to the south west was named most recently, due to the region’s wine making history. Bergerac is the wine making capital of the region and is also home to the department’s main airport. Both the French and English built many castles and ‘bastide’ or fortified towns and villages during the Hundred Years War.
The Black Perigord area in the south eastern part of the department is probably its most famous and popular region. With ancient pine and oak forests and deep, sweeping valleys, dotted with 100s of castles the area is known for its breathtaking scenery and architecture. Its prehistoric caves with 30,000 year old cave paintings are considered some of examples in the world.
With almost 2 million visitors a year the Dordogne is a great place to own a holiday property. There is a wide range of different property available in the area to suit all budgets, from castles, to medieval stone built houses right through to more modern wooden built holiday homes. Properties for renovation are not as common place as in some other areas of France, but there are some still available in the region. There are several agencies in the region that can assist with locating, buying and renting out properties. As the southern area of Dordogne has been very popular with buyers from all over Europe prices were relatively high, but have settled in recent times. A decent road network and airports in Bergerac and Limoges make the Dordogne accessible to visitors from the UK.
The peaceful and unspoilt department of Dordogne is an amazing place to own a holiday home. With clement weather, a wealth of attractions and outdoor activities, natural beauty and tranquility, fascinating history, fantastic food and the most amazing scenery this is simply a stunning part of France in which to enjoy many memorable holidays.
Without a doubt that the Dordogne region of France cannot be beaten. Take a look at a variety of Dordogne Property and dream about that place you’ve always dreamed of? The website of MCM Dordogne Property: www.riberacproperty.com has an extensive selection of properties available just waiting to tempt you into fulfilling the dream.