La Bouraine Holidays

To discover France is to fall hopelessly in love with a small village with its labyrinth of cobbled streets and Romanesque church. It is to experience surprise at having taken a wrong turn and catching the sight of a vast chateau in the distance. It is to be inspired by images, which provide tangible proof that despite encroaching progress, nothing has really changed. Payrac is one of those villages.

The Village of Payrac

It is a comfortable base for exploring historic, rural France. The warm welcome of the villagers, the moderately priced, renowned cuisine and wine, and the fact that English is spoken by many, creates a relaxing cultural getaway vacation. Payrac has a well-supplied supermarket, bakery, pharmacy, physician, garage/gas station, restaurants, public swimming pool, tennis courts, post office, beauty shop, and a great tourist office, all within walking distance. It's weekly farmer’s market is not to be missed! The interest and kindness of the locals to visitors is heart warming and genuine. The simplicity of village life has a timeless quality to it. Everyone should experience it at least once.

The Market in Cales

The Dordogne Region of France is known as the capital of pre-history and has a deserved reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful river valleys. The rivers are unspoiled and unpolluted. Everywhere you look there are great castles, fortified towns and villages, churches, farmhouses and forts built into cliff faces.

Monfort Castle

Chateau de Salignac

Pont de Terrasson

The town of Sarlat, the market hub of the region, has been restored to its 17^th-18^th century magnificence with such perfection that it is lit at night by gas lamps and it is the set for a myriad of French movies.

Sarlat Square

Whatever your interests, the Dordogne will suit you. You’ll never run out of things to do. If pre-history doesn’t grab you perhaps the Hundred Years War will. The cliffs overhanging the rivers are lined with impressive castles dating from the 10^th to the 12^th century. Renaissance and later castles litter the hillsides, too. Canoeing and kayaking are popular sports and there are plenty of rental outfits. AND of course, one of the best activities is eating and drinking. It’s hard to find a bad meal. The region has earned the honor of gastronomic capital of France.

A really nice way to spend a day in the area is to pack a picnic, rent a canoe and glide down the Dordogne admiring the castles looming above you, then stop for a picnic on the riverbank surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature.

Other activities include horseback riding, bicycling, hiking, walking, cave diving, golf and tennis.

The area is lovely throughout the year, although it is most beautiful in the spring when the many fruit orchards and flowers are in bloom and the air is fragrant with nature’s perfume. In fall the light is rich and the landscapes full of color. The summer months are more active, but no more crowded than other places in Europe. In winter, the region feels like a medieval play ground, as rural life in many villages goes on while many shops, restaurants and hotels are closed for the season.

The summers (May-September) are warm and dry around 75 to 85 F with cool nights. The mid-season (March-April, October-November) gets more showers and the winters (November-February) are mild 40 to 50 F in the day and cold nights with occasional frost.

A car is virtually essential to appreciate the area as so many of its charms are hidden down tiny lanes and forest roads.

The train Paris -Toulouse stops at Souillac.

Two small towns Souillac (north) and Gourdon (south) are 10 km and 10 minutes from Payrac and two larger towns, Brive La Gaillarde and Cahors are about 40km away.

A fast new highway A20 allows travel between Payrac and Paris. By car, it is a 5 to 6 hour drive. Regional airports at Limoges, Bergerac, Toulouse and Bordeaux have daily connections to Paris and the UK.