Local Area
Visit our beautiful countryside and sights
Le Sorbier is a small hamlet just 3km from the ancient and pretty town of Montignac-Lascaux, situated on the Vézere River in the Dordogne region of France.
The Vezere Valley, also known as the Valley of Man due to the history chronicled in the 15 Unesco World Heritage sites detailing mankind’s occupation of the area going back 30,000 years in the form of cave paintings, carvings and remains.
The most important artefacts were discovered at the caves in Lascaux which is now home to the International Centre for Prehistorical Art. For more information see Vézère Valley (france-world-heritage.com).
The region is well known for its history, cuisine and beautiful countryside. The area offers so much to explore: châteaux, markets, brocantes, prehistoric caves and much more besides.
Sue & Simon
Chateaux
There are hundreds of Chateaux in the Vezere and Dordogne valleys, some are privately owned but many are open to the public. The nearest one to Le Sorbier is Chateau de Losse which is just a 15 minutes drive away and well worth a visit.
Markets
Most towns in the Dordogne and indeed the whole of France, have at least one market day per week where you can buy beautiful locally grown produce as well as gifts.
In Montignac there are markets every Wednesday and Saturday in the summer. The market in Sarlat La Caneda is particularly good and is also held on Wednesday. The markets tend to start early and finish around 1pm
In July and August several towns and villages hold night markets where you can buy hot food and sit at long tables to dine amongst the locals whilst being entertained by musical performers. There is a night market in Montignac every Monday and in St Leon sur Vezere on Thursday. They are definitely worth a visit.
Cuisine
The region is famed for its black truffles, duck, foie gras and walnuts which can be found on the restaurant menus and in the local shops
Things to Do
There is an abundance of things to do for all the family such as:
- Canoeing on the River Vezere
- Horseriding
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Mini golf in Montignac
- Museum of Chocolate
- Visiting Pretty medieval towns and villages
For more information on what there is to see and do in the region please see the following websites
Montignac
This very pretty small town on the Vézère River is most famous for being home to the Lascaux Caves (and Lascaux II caves).
However as well as visiting the caves Montignac is also well worth a visit.
Amble round the town – visit the church, look at the 14th century half-timbered buildings, and The Chateau de Montignac, This was once a very important castle in the region, but now stands largely in ruins.
There is a wide variety of shops and places to eat and drink as well as a bank and post office.
There is also an indoor crafts market selling a variety of crafts including jewellry and paintings.
St Leon Sur Vézère
The pretty village of St Léon Sur Vézère is only a 15 minute drive from our house. In the summer you can hire a canoe in Montignac and travel down the River Vézère, passing by Chateau de Losse which is on the edge of the river, to St Léon and beyond.
There are picnic benches on the edge of the river but without a doubt in the summer the best place to eat in St Léon is Le Petit Léon which is a pop up restaurant run by New Zealand “celebrity” chef Nick Honeyman.
Sarlat La Caneda
Sarlat La Caneda is a beautiful medieval town just 20 minutes drive from Le Sorbier.
Here you will find an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants as well as stunning medieval architecture including the beautiful Sarlat cathedral.
There is a large busy market held on Wednesday and Saturday
Terrasson Lavilledieu
Terrasson Lavilledieu is also just 20 minutes drive.
The old town is a beautiful place to stroll, there are some nice little restaurants to visit as well as Les Jardins D’Imaginaire
Chateau de Hautefort
The pretty village of Hautefort is just a 30 minutes drive from Le Sorbier.
It is dominated by the stunning chateau which is open to the public. A walk round the chateau and gardens is highly recommended.
There are a few restaurants in the village and just a 5 minute drive away you will find Lake Coucou where you can sit in the shade with a picnic or have a snack at the beach bar.
There is also a restaurant serving lunch and dinner which we recommend.
In July and August there is an impressive aqua park on the lake for children.
St Emilion
St Emilion is a delightful town in the heart of the Bordeaux wine region.
It is about 1hr 30 mins from Le Sorbier but is well worth a day trip – or on your way to/from Bordeaux Airport.
Wine enthusiasts don’t need an introduction to Saint Emilion. The small wine appellation (comprising only 6% of the vineyards in the Bordeaux denomination) has long gained a reputation as one of the greatest wine regions in the world. It’s no wonder it attracts more than a million tourists every year.
However, when many visitors plan their day trip to Saint Emilion they don’t realise it’s also one of the most beautiful and fascinating villages in the Southwest of France, registered as a heritage site by UNESCO.
