St Paul la Roche is a small village in the north of the Dordogne, in south west France. The surrounding area consists of beautiful countryside, undulating and wooded, interspersed with grazing land for the local breed of Limousin cattle, as well as fruit orchards.
Located within the Perigord region, famous for its truffles, the house is also within the Parc Naturel Regional Perigord Limousin, which offers visitors a chance to discover a preserved countryside and a large variety of landscapes.
For the more active, this is a lovely part of the world to enjoy cycling. The roads are quiet and we can advise on cycle routes of various distances, or you can be accompanied, as Andrew is a keen cyclist. Please see our “cycling” tab for more details.
There are numerous places and sites of interests both nearby and within an hours drive. As well as the chateau at nearby Jumilhac-le-Grand, the area has many other chateaux open to visitors.
Both Thiviers and St Yriex la Perche have lovely town centres, with bars and restaurants and a wide variety of shops. Perigueux is the capital of the Perigord and has Roman ruins and a medieval centre, with lots of shops, bars and restaurants as well.
St Jean de Cole, 20 minutes drive away, is described as one of France’s “beaux villages” and has several bars and restaurants to enjoy a drink, a delicious lunch or an evening meal.
Some 20 minutes drive further on is the town of Brantome, which is encircled by the river Dronne and has a beautiful abbey, plus shops, bars and restaurants. Hiring a canoe is a wonderful way to see the town and locality or, for the less energetic, small pleasure boats gently take in the sights. An adventure parc is nearby for those who enjoy more adventurous activities.
There are wonderful caves to visit at nearby Villars, with prehistoric paintings and vast calcite formations, plus café and gardens.
A small zoo near Limoges has a wide variety of animals and is ideal for younger children. There are also nearby lakes, which variously offer swimming, canoeing, pedaloes, fishing and other activities. At various locations around the area, go-karting, golf and horse-riding are available.
Please see the Out & About tab for local web sites and information.
Local markets offer traditional french produce and are a regular feature of french life. Nearby markets offer a taste of locally produced food, wines and a variety of other goods.
The market in Thiviers is on a Saturday morning and has a wide variety of stalls, spreading throughout the town. In Jumilhac-le-Grand, on Sundays during the summer months, a small market on the square in front of the chateau has a good variety of produce to try.