The Le Mas & Le Mazet blog
Here are various blogs about Le Mas & Le Mazet and the Dordogne. We hope you find them useful – if you want to recommend a subject for us to write about, please contact us!
- Château des Milandes
Château des Milandes There are 3 reasons to visit the Château des Milandes: firstly it’s a beautiful château with stunning gardens; secondly because you can see a flying show of birds of prey; and thirdly because it was the home of an extraordinary woman, Joséphine Baker. The castle is about 40 minutes drive from Le Mas & Le Mazet. In 2021, several decades after her death, Joséphine Baker was interred in the Pantheon in Paris. This is the highest honour that France can bestow on it’s citizens, especially as she’s the first black woman and the first entertainer to… Read more: Château des Milandes - What to do and see in Monpazier
What to do and see in Monpazier Monpazier is full of character and charm, a medieval bastide village only 10 minutes from us at Le Mas & Le Mazet. To help you get the most out of a visit, we have put this article together about what to do and see in Monpazier. Monpazier is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, and rightly so. When you drive towards the village you’ll see a medieval gate ahead of you. At that point you can either follow the road around the the left and take the first right and… Read more: What to do and see in Monpazier - The water lilies and lotuses at Latour-Marliac
The water lilies and lotuses at Latour-Marliac About an hour’s drive from Le Mas & Le Mazet are the water lilies and lotuses at Latour-Marliac, a stunning 19th century garden which is now the French national centre for these flowers. Latour-Marliac was founded in 1875 when M. Latour Marliac created fantastic hybrid coloured water lilies never seen before in Europe. The only hardy water lilies in Europe were white, and he managed to cross them with a tropical water lily – how he did it is still a mystery. The resulting hybrid, named Laydekeri Floribunda, soon went extinct, but… Read more: The water lilies and lotuses at Latour-Marliac - Top 6 things for kids to do in the Dordogne
Top 6 things for kids to do in the Dordogne There is so much to choose from, but these are the top 6 things for kids to do in the Dordogne as recommended by our guests. So when you stay at Le Mas & Le Mazet, try one or two of them! Château de Bridoire (40 minutes from us) This is the château of 1001 games! There is so much for kids to do inside and out – a labyrinth, lots of games of skills, caves, treasure hunts and the beam game, grass skiing, tug-of-war, giant berdinguette, reflex game,… Read more: Top 6 things for kids to do in the Dordogne - Eat at Le Petit Léon
Eat at Le Petit Léon One of the most incredible experiences you can have when staying at Le Mas & Le Mazet is to go and eat at Le Petit Léon in Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère. The food is delicious and unexpected, the service wonderful and the setting in the garden is glorious. The restaurant is run by chef Nick Honeyman and his wife Sina, who is the sommelier. The perfect partnership! Nick is from New Zealand and also has his own restaurant, Paris Butter, in Auckland. You must book if you want to eat there, and check their website for menus… Read more: Eat at Le Petit Léon - Markets in the Dordogne
Markets in the Dordogne A town comes alive when there’s a market on, it’s a brilliant time to visit a town and enjoy the hustle and bustle of it all. There are lots of markets in the Dordogne, here are the ones close to Le Mas & Le Mazet. Here’s information about markets in different parts of the Dordogne. - Canoeing down the Dordogne
Canoeing down the Dordogne When you stay in the Dordogne, one of the best ways of experiencing the area is by canoeing down the Dordogne river. You can also canoe down the Vézère, but we recommend our guests at Le Mas & Le Mazet to go down the Dordogne as there’s more to see. If you want peace and quiet, Children under 5 years old are not allowed to canoe. The canoe rental places will rent you a canoe/kayak etc. (their websites should tell you what they have and for how many people), paddles, life jackets and a big… Read more: Canoeing down the Dordogne - Walk to St. Christophe and Montferrand
Walk to St. Christophe and Montferrand There is a wonderful walk to the church of St. Christophe and Montferrand from Le Mas & Le Mazet which we recommend you do whilst staying here. Start the walk by going down our drive and then left. Follow the road until you come to a fork in the road and go left. This will take you up the hill to the church of St. Christophe (with the cemetery). St. Christophe was the medieval village church of Montferrand, only part of the nave is left, but it’s worth going into and seeing the… Read more: Walk to St. Christophe and Montferrand - Bistro d’en Face in Bergerac
Bistro d’en Face in Bergerac If you’re staying at Le Mas & Le Mazet and you have time between checking-out and your flight from Bergerac airport, then we suggest lunching at Bisto d’en Face in Bergerac. It’s open more frequently for lunch than for dinner, and you’ll find yourselves between locals who are on work lunches and tourists who are enjoying a day out in Bergerac. The restaurant is situated on the Dordogne river, at one end of the main bridge. If the weather allows you to sit on the terrace, you’ll have a magnificent view over the river… Read more: Bistro d’en Face in Bergerac - Visiting the Grotte de Combarelles
Visiting the Grotte de Combarelles Homo sapiens sapiens, or Cro-Magnon, arrived in the Dordogne-Vézère 35,000 years ago. So much of their lives has been discovered, such as decorative items (beads, pierced teeth, bracelets), sculptures and engravings on bone and stone, and by the magnificent caves and decorated shelters. If you’re interested in the prehistoric period and/or in art, it’s worth visiting the Grotte de Combarelles. There are very limited number of people allowed into the caves each week, by guided tour and it’s quite a complicated way of buying tickets, but if you stay at Le Mas & Le… Read more: Visiting the Grotte de Combarelles - Filming in Monpazier
Filming in Monpazier Monpazier is a beautiful medieval town, one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. For this reason, there is often filming in Monpazier for movies set in medieval locations. Perhaps the best-known is Ridley Scott’s film ‘The Last Duel‘ staring Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck. It’s a really interesting film telling the story of an alleged rape and the subsequent duel, the last in France to be sanctioned by the king, between the husband of the victim and the alleged rapist. It was believed that God would vanquish whoever was lying during… Read more: Filming in Monpazier - Eating at Le Vieux Logis
Eating at Le Vieux Logis Le Vieux Logis is a beautiful hotel in Trémolat in the Dordogne, about 25 minutes drive from Le Mas & Le Mazet. It’s has one of the best restaurants in the area, awarded a Michelin star, so if you’re looking to celebrate a birthday or just want an amazing meal in a stunning setting, we recommend eating at Le Vieux Logis. The centre of the village isn’t very big, with a village square and behind it the 4-star hotel, Le Vieux Logis. They have their own parking around the back of the hotel, just… Read more: Eating at Le Vieux Logis - A guide to Bergerac
A guide to Bergerac Bergerac is a beautiful town on the river Dordogne, well worth spending a morning or afternoon there to explore. So here is our guide to Bergerac, for when you’re staying at Le Mas & Le Mazet! Spend half an hour at Dordonha, a new small museum in the centre which tells the story of the town from prehistoric man to the present day. We think it’s well worth a visit, and it has an exhibition space in it as well and a fab courtyard. Then go onto two great concept stores which are fun to… Read more: A guide to Bergerac - Wild boar, deer and stags in our garden
Wild boar, deer and stags in our garden We have a lot of fruit and nut trees in our garden at Le Mas & Le Mazet, and we’re surrounded by field and woods. So there is a good chance that you’ll see deer grazing when you stay here – and if you’re very lucky you’ll see wild boar, deer and stags in our garden. Some of our guests said that they heard load snorting and chomping one night, coming from the area of the garden with fruit trees. We have a motion-detector nighttime camera for guests to use for… Read more: Wild boar, deer and stags in our garden - Flying over the Dordogne
Flying over the Dordogne There are many ways to enjoy the stunning countryside, châteaux and rivers, but flying over the Dordogne is one of the most spectacular. If you’re staying at Le Mas & Le Mazet, we can arrange for you to take a 30-minute flight from a local aerodrome. The planes are 4-seaters, so they take the pilot and three guests. After taking off, you’ll head towards Limeuil, where the Dordogne and Vézère rivers converge. Then you’ll follow the Dordogne river over the châteaux of Marqueyssac, Beynac and Castelnaud, which look amazing from above. You really do get… Read more: Flying over the Dordogne - Dancing in Monpazier in the Dordogne
Dancing in Monpazier On Tuesday evenings throughout the summer, there is live music in Monpazier and the chance to join in dances to the traditional music from this region of France, the Occitanie. Dancing in Monpazier in the Dordogne is brilliant fun! The musicians and dancers gather at the gates to the village, which is officially one of The Most Beautiful Villages of France (Le Plus Beaux Villages de France). They then walk down to the main square, playing music and inviting everyone to join in. After dancing on the main square, they then return to the other first… Read more: Dancing in Monpazier in the Dordogne - Christmas in the Dordogne
Christmas and New Year in the Dordogne Christmas and New Year in the Dordogne can be a spectacular experience, mainly due to the clement weather (hopefully!), the amazing food and wine and the festive experiences taking place. Le Mas & Le Mazet are decorated with trees, holly from our neighbouring woods and mistletoes from our own garden. The fires will be lit when you arrive, ensuring that your stay will be warm and cozy. So what’s the weather like at Christmas? It’s very unlikely that it’ll be a white Christmas here, you’re more likely to be able to sit… Read more: Christmas in the Dordogne - Antique-hunting in the Dordogne
Antiques, brocantes, vide-greniers in the Dordogne You will see flyers advertising a local “brocante” or “vide- grenier” when you’re driving around. There are some great antiques in the Dordogne to be found! My first job was as an auctioneer in the UK, running the fortnightly general sales. Everything would come into the saleroom, and from there be valued and either sold in the general sale or in a specialist sale. Handling ceramics, silver, furniture, researching paintings and books, and going through the jewellery with a specialist was the best way of learning about art and antiques. I then moved… Read more: Antique-hunting in the Dordogne - Test guests at Le Mas & Le Mazet
Test guests at Le Mas & Le Mazet In the past 3 weeks, 20 friends have come to stay at Le Mas as test guests. They ignored the builders (and us!) and put the house through its paces – trying out all the bedrooms, showers and baths, cooking in the kitchen, lying in the sun and jumping in the pool, visiting local tourist attractions and restaurants. At the end of their stay they filled out questionnaires. The location, stunning views, attention to detail and the character and comfort of the place were all praised. There were recurring themes like… Read more: Test guests at Le Mas & Le Mazet - Getting to grips with a big property
Getting to grips with a big property In the Netherlands there is a brilliant TV programme called ‘Ik vertrek’ (I’m leaving). When we announced that we were leaving Amsterdam to move here, the first question everyone asked was if we were going to be on ‘Ik vertrek’. Not wanting a million viewers to see how obsessed I was with colour coding the packing boxes, with my excel budget (approx 1,200 costs over 5 pages including a 3 year cashflow chart) and with weekly (soon to become daily) two-country to-do lists… I thought it best not to participate. The programme… Read more: Getting to grips with a big property - Ricard and stroopwafels
Ricard and stroopwafels We’ve been meeting our new neighbours. There are 85 of them in our village, but it’s so spread out I’m not sure where they all are…We started with the most important person, our impressive mayor Jean-Pierre. Not only has he been the mayor since 1971 but he’s also the most efficient mayor in France. When he granted our planning permission two weeks after we submitted it, our architect’s eyebrows shot up and he refused to believe anything in France could be done in 2 weeks. It’s traditional in France to give your new neighbours a small… Read more: Ricard and stroopwafels - Our first month in France
Our first month in France A month ago we moved from Amsterdam to France. We swopped the security of jobs, a tiny flat and a wonderful life there for an old farm in the Dordogne, which we are renovating into holiday homes. The most surprising change to our lives is time. Time whizzes by faster than ever, but it’s vaguer and less structured. I’m not contracted to work certain hours, I’ve forgotten how to set my alarm clock, I don’t commute, lunch is when I’m hungry and lasts as long as it lasts, weekends and weekdays are interchangeable, I… Read more: Our first month in France