Expansive Estate Villa with Pool in PalajaN°001
Dordogne, France
From $1,302 per night
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on UnsplashGolden stone, slow rivers and the deep green of Périgord
The Dordogne, historic Périgord, is south-west France at its most seductive: a landscape of honey-stone villages, clifftop châteaux and oak woodland threaded by the slow Dordogne river. Renting a luxury villa here means a private pool among walnut orchards, market mornings in Sarlat and long candlelit dinners, all supported by our concierge.
- Château country along the river: Castelnaud, Beynac and the bastide villages
- Sarlat-la-Canéda, one of Europe's best-preserved medieval market towns
- Prehistoric cave art in the Vézère valley, including the Lascaux replica
- Canoeing, cycling and walking through classic Périgord countryside
- Private-pool manor houses and estates with concierge and private-chef support
Known forClifftop châteaux, Sarlat-la-Canéda, Lascaux cave art, river canoeing, truffles, foie gras and Bergerac vineyards
Best time to visitMay to June and September for warm days and quiet villages; July and August for full summer and river days
Nearest airportBergerac Dordogne Périgord (EGC); Bordeaux (BOD) and Brive (BVE) as alternatives
Ideal forFamilies, food lovers and multi-generational groups seeking rural France with space and privacy
1homes available
11–11bedrooms
up to 22guests
Dordogne in pictures
Events not to miss in Dordogne
- Mid-January
Sarlat Truffle Festival (Fête de la Truffe)
Sarlat devotes a winter weekend to the black Périgord truffle, with markets, demonstrations and tastings through the medieval town. The most atmospheric moment of the Dordogne's quiet season.
- Early July
La Félibrée
The Périgord's great Occitan festival, hosted by a different town each year, which is decked entirely in paper flowers for a day of costume, music and tradition. A rare window on the region's older culture.
- Late July to early August
Festival des Jeux du Théâtre de Sarlat
One of France's longest-running open-air theatre festivals, staged against Sarlat's golden-stone façades on summer evenings. Book a post-performance table in town and wander home late.
- August
Festival du Périgord Noir
Classical and baroque music performed in the abbeys and churches of the Périgord Noir, including Saint-Amand-de-Coly. Candlelit concerts in Romanesque settings make memorable villa-holiday evenings.
Dordogne through the seasons
- Spring (April – June)
Gardens, markets and green valleys
The valley turns vivid green, the gardens of Marqueyssac and Eyrignac are at their freshest and market squares fill with strawberries and asparagus, all before the summer crowds arrive.
- Summer (July – August)
River days and night markets
Canoe beneath the castles by day, then join the marchés nocturnes, village night markets where you eat duck and drink Bergerac at long communal tables under the plane trees.
- Autumn (September – November)
Harvest gold and wild mushrooms
Vineyards around Bergerac and Monbazillac bring in the harvest, the walnut and oak woods turn gold and cèpes appear on every good menu. Warm days, quiet roads.
- Winter (December – March)
Truffle markets and firesides
The truffle markets of Sarlat and Sainte-Alvère define the season, and the region is at its most local. A manor house with log fires and a heated pool suits the mood.
The Area and Where to Stay
The Dordogne divides loosely into its coloured Périgords. The Périgord Noir, around Sarlat and the river villages of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Beynac and La Roque-Gageac, is the classic postcard: cliff, castle and water. Westwards, the Périgord Pourpre around Bergerac is gentler wine country, with quiet hamlets such as Sadillac set among vines. To the north, the Périgord Vert near Mareuil en Périgord offers green, uncrowded farmland and drowsy market towns. Our villas and manor houses sit in and around these landscapes, typically restored stone properties with mature gardens, private pools and generous shaded terraces. A base near Sarlat keeps the headline sights close, while the Bergerac and Mareuil countryside suits travellers who value stillness, with the concierge arranging chefs, cellar visits and market guidance wherever you settle.
Things to Do
Days here follow the river and the market calendar. Canoe the Dordogne beneath the castles of Beynac and Castelnaud, both open to visit, or drift instead through the gardens of Marqueyssac with their clipped box parterres above the valley. The Vézère valley holds some of humanity's oldest art: the Lascaux IV replica at Montignac and the painted caves around Les Eyzies. Sarlat rewards slow wandering, especially on Saturday market mornings, and the bastide towns of Domme and Monpazier are easy excursions. Cyclists have quiet lanes and rail-trail greenways, golfers can play near Sarlat and Bergerac, and hot-air balloon flights at dawn show the château country at its best. Your concierge can arrange guides, tastings and private after-hours cave visits for your party.
Food and Local Flavour
Périgord is one of France's great larders. This is the home of black truffles, foie gras, duck confit, walnuts and strawberries, sold from farm stalls and the night markets that fill village squares in summer. Sarlat's twice-weekly market is the region's theatre of produce, while winter brings truffle markets to Sarlat and Sainte-Alvère. The vineyards around Bergerac and Monbazillac produce serious reds and golden sweet wines at friendly prices, best explored on a private cellar tour. Restaurants range from farmhouse ferme-auberge tables to refined dining in Sarlat and along the river. A private chef at your villa, arranged through the concierge, turns the market haul into the easiest dinner of the holiday.
When to Visit
Late spring and early autumn are the connoisseur's seasons. May, June and September bring warm, settled days, green landscapes and quiet roads, ideal for pool afternoons and unhurried sightseeing. July and August are full summer: lively night markets, warm river water for canoeing and the region at its most animated, so book villas early. October turns the oak and walnut woods gold and opens the wild mushroom season, while winter is truffle time, cold, quiet and atmospheric, with markets and log fires. The Dordogne is a genuine three-season destination, and a villa with a heated pool stretches the margins comfortably.
Getting There
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC) is the local gateway, with seasonal routes from the UK and elsewhere in Europe, roughly an hour from the Sarlat area. Bordeaux (BOD) offers far more connections and is around two hours' drive west, while Brive (BVE) serves the eastern valley. Trains run to Sarlat, Bergerac and Périgueux via Bordeaux. A car is essential: the pleasure of the Dordogne lies in its lanes, villages and markets, best strung together at your own pace. The concierge can arrange private transfers, car hire and airport meet-and-greet for your arrival.