Brantôme :
A cliff crescent, overlooked by a wooded setting at the foot of which stands the abbey and its river Dronne that surrounds the city: Brantome,the "Venice of Périgord" is an island. Former stop on the road to St Jacques de Compostela and today the gateway to the Regional Périgord-Limousin Natural Park and jewel of the Val de Dronne, Brantôme welcomes lovers of nature, well-being, gastronomy and heritage all year round.
If you love hiking and walks you can rent canoes and bicycles, hop on a bigger boat for a guided tour, or follow the 100 kms of marked trails surrounding the town (GR 36 and 436). Horse lovers, you have a riding school within 100 meters from the campsite.
Heritage lovers, you can visit and discover prehistoric and megalithic sites (including the dolmen of Pierre Levée), cliffs with quarries, water sources and cluzeaux, the rock shelters and cave houses, a primitive troglodyte abbey of ten cavities (including the famous cave of the Last Judgment and the fountain Saint Sicaire), a Benedictine abbey (founded by Charlemagne) with its cloister, an abbey church, the oldest bell campanile of France and rennaissance monuments (Pavilion, unique angled bridge , resting places of the garden of the monks, castle Hierce, pigeon towers), and numerous testimonies of the XVI, XVII and XVIII, the very heart of the town.
Périgueux:
Located 24 km from Brantôme, Périgueux is the capital of Périgord, famous for its gastronomy and architecture. Founded 2000 years ago, its history can be read in two distinct neighborhoods. The ancient city, located at the site of the former Vésone, is dominated by the cupolas of Saint-Etienne. Many remains are testament to the magnificence of the ancient Gallo-Roman city. The old town, towards the district of Puy Saint Front, includes fully restored medieval buildings and Renaissance splendour. In the background are the domes of the Cathedral Saint Front, a magnificent example of Romanesque-Byzantine art. Stroll in the pedestrian streets and stop on its many squares to enjoy its architecture and its outdoor cafes. The city of Perigueux has been famous since the Middle Ages for its foie gras markets, geese, ducks, livers and truffles. Once a month, on the occasion of the fresh food markets, tasting, music and périgordin dances are also scheduled.
Villars: Located 12 km from Brantôme, discover three sites of Villars: The Chateau de Puyguilhem, a listed building from the first renaissance period is worthy of the finest residences in the Loire Valley from the time of François 1st. Great harmony characterizes the volumes, as evidenced notably in the main building with towers and turrets of various shapes and the facade of the mullioned window. A rich sculptural decoration contributes to the elegance of this building. La Grotte de Villars is small but contains all the features that you can find in the great caves of the Périgord Noir. It was discovered in 1953 by the caving club of Périgueux. The developed portion belongs to a huge network with 13 km having been charted to date. You will see all kinds of concretions from the most impressive calcite flows to the finest stalactites, translucent draperies, countless stalagmites and prehistoric paintings. Admire under a thin layer of calcite which gives them this very special blue color, a horse fresco and the famous scene of the sorcerer and bison, one of the few human representations of prehistoric art. And the remains of the Cistercian abbey of Boschaud.
St Jean de Cole:
Located 19 km from Brantôme and classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, St Jean de Cole is proud of its XI century Byzantine church, Marthonie château, its cloisters, its stone bridges, its main square that is surrounded by half-timbered houses, its covered market and its houses and their picturesque roofs. In May it hosts a famous flower exhibition and during the summer months there are music concerts organized in the XII century church. It's a beautiful place to visit.
Bourdeilles:
A beautiful small village located 8 km from Brantôme, built around a medieval fortress, which happens to be one of the four baronies of the Perigord. There are two châteaux from different eras, built on a raised rocky terrace of a rampart overlooking the Dronne. The first is a feudal fortress (XIII - XIVth centuries) which is dominated by a unique octagonal keep, 35m high. The second house is renaissance (XVI century), with ornate state rooms and houses a prestigious furniture collection (including the bed of Charles V).