Take a look at the map and you find it peppered with the symbols for places to stop and admire the view. Apart from the grand rivers, the Dordogne, the Vézère and the Garonne, there are countless smaller ones littered throughout the countryside.
It is a wine growing region also, with the wine hub Bordeaux within easy reach; the mountains of the Massif Central on the east; the Pyrenees in the south and the glorious Atlantic seaboard in the west. It is a rich tourist region in summer when the weather is hot and dry; in winter as the rain and cold descends, it is time to recharge the batteries after all the hectic activity.
For anyone wanting to be involved in tourism whether it is wine tasting, walking or cycling holidays, a bed and breakfast business or a gîte, there are many opportunities, but beware, there is plenty of competition in this field.
Périgord Pourpre, in the south west of the Dordogne, named after the colour of the wine, is centred around Bergerac, the main town. Although red wine predominates, white and rosé is also produced and the sweet wines of Montbazillac are renowned. Bergerac is surrounded by fields of maize, vines and tobacco, Truffles are also discovered here. In the countryside south of the town some of the finest examples of bastides can be found such as Monpazier. In the words of Anthony Peregrine, writing in the UK Sunday Times ‘Essentially, bastides were a medieval planning ploy to drag scattered peasants in from the countryside, put them in one place and make them easier to tax. The town layouts — chessboard street pattern around a central arcaded square and market hall — were so logical and harmonious that they’ve scarcely budged since, except that, these days, they’re hit by an epidemic of craft shops.’
Eymet is situated on the river Dropt. The Bastide was founded in 1270, by Alphonse de Poitiers, Count of Toulouse and brother of Louis IX of France. The village is situated at the extreme south of the Department of Dordogne between Bergerac and Marmande.
South Dordogne for you?
This region is well known for its beauty en good weather so it attracts quite a lot of tourists. That said, interesting properties can still be found here, for all budgets. This is and always will be an interesting region to buy a house.