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Local Area & Amenities
St Aubin Village
St Aubin Village
boasts 1 grocery store for excellent bread, wine &
provisions. There is also a
delightful restaurant 'Le Bon Charrol' where
proprietors Mark & Bea excel themselves providing delicious
traditional & local fare at a reasonable price - and at
only 1km from Bordeneuve, could be described as our local.
The local bar
is approx. 1 mile from Bordeneuve.
If you feel the
urge to move beyond this haven the market town of Villeneuve
Sur Lot 15 km away has a wide variety of shops, good
restaurants (including Spanish, Chinese and Indian as
well as an abundance of traditional French), theatre and
cinema.
Golf - There is a golf course
in Villenueve. See www.vslgolf.com.
There are also several other golf courses in the area.
If you are visiting us in early September,
you will fortunate enough to enjoy the renowned & colourful
'prune fair' in our
little village of Saint Aubin, which is a big deal around
these parts!
Surrounding local area
Another local point of interest is
Monflanquin, which dates back to 1256 & is noted
as "One of the most beautiful villages of France".
Perched on a hill above the river Lede, it is Aquitaines largest
Bastide town.
Nearby, Le Château de Bonaguil
was the last medieval castle built in France. It is unique
in that it was constructed during the transition between the
Medieval and Renaissance periods.
We are also close
to Penne d ' agenais, an ancient Bastide village perched
on a hill and topped by a Basilica with a great metal dome
which can be seen glinting in the sun for miles around. Penne
has a warren of lovely old streets and houses, a good grocery
shop in the central square and several restaurants. One in
particular has excellent ice cream. There are also several
Artisans here, potters, sculptors, glass blowers and
others.
Just to make
it perfect we are surrounded by vineyards such as Bergerac,
Cahors, Duras, Buzet, and a little further afield Bordeaux
and St Emillion. All of them welcome visitors and have
free wine tasting (Degustation).
Horse riding
facilities are 4 km away and canoe rental is possible on the
river Lot at Cassenueil where there are also especially
good fishing spots particularly during April and May,
and September and October. There are also several golf
courses and of course plenty of long walks.
Cahors
The chief town of rural Quercy,
2000 yr old Cahors is encircled with the natural defences
of the Lot river. It is a
medieval town with a major wine centre. The town is a landmark
site is the Pont Valentre a fortified bridge with seven pointed
arches spanning the river. It is a cosmopolitan town famous
for its Wednesday and Saturday morning market, dark heady
wine, cafes, shops, truffle centre and Cathedral de St-Etienne.
Lot Et Garonne
The region of the Lot et Garonne is
one of the most beautiful in south west France. The River
Lot flows through a stunning and varied landscape from Cahors
and Figeac in the East across to Bordeaux in the West sa land
of plains, hillsides, valleys and stunning countryside offering
one of the largest orchards in Europe with its varied wines,
fruits and mild climate. Situated further south than the more
well-known Dordogne region, it offers a peaceful setting for
relaxed holidays away from the crowds even in the summer season.
The climate is very good with short winters and is mild in
the Spring and Autumn - making it ideal for off season holidays
as well as during the summer months.
The popular wine-growing areas of Bordeaux, Bergerac and Monbazillac
are within easy reach of Bordeneuve, and the area is also
home to the growing areas of the Cotes de Duras and Cotes
de Marmandais where many of the vineyards are open for visits
and tastings. The area is also famous for foie gras, local
fruits and vegetables.
Many of the beautiful 13th century bastide
towns of the region are within a short drive of St.Aubin,
including Monflanquin, Castillonnes, Villereal, Monpazier
and Beaumont. There is a the lovely lake at Lougratte with
beach area, swimming and fishing. Further south is the lake
at Casteljaloux where there are many summer activities. Other
local activities include horse riding, canoeing, golf, fishing,
cycling, hiking, tennis and visiting the wonderful underground
caves. In the Lot alone there are 500 megaliths including
stone tables and standing stones, together with fascinating
cave paintings.
The medieval town of Villeneuve sur Lot
is just 15 minutes away from St.Aubin. Travel south through
the old villages of St Pastour and Casseneuil, the medieval
village where three rivers meet, where you can visit the gothic
church of St Pierre et St Paul, built in the 12th century
standing above the confluence of the three rivers.
Villeneuve sur Lot was founded in 1264 by
Alphonse du Poitiers and has an exceptional heritage. The
old town is entered by 2 old gates, the Gate of Paris and
the Gate of Pujols, which are the last vestiges of the walls
that defended the city during the 14th century. The town squares
are cobbled with beautiful old archways housing many lovely
shops and restaurants, and the bridges across the Lot offer
wonderful views along the river and of the old town.
To the north of the area you drive through
undulating countryside, lovely medieval villages in the Dropt
valley such as Eymet and Lauzun, before entering the Dordogne.
The Dordogne
The Dordogne area offers beautiful countryside, rich meadows,
pine forests, undulating countryside and meandering rivers,
together with underground caverns and caves decorated with
the paintings of pre-historic man. Lovely lanes and country
roads lead through a meandering valley to the picturesque
small towns of Bourdeilles and Brantome where you can wander
through peaceful lanes and cobbled streets which overlook
the river.
It is a region of widely varying and dramatic
scenery and the setting for Rocamadour, a remarkable village,
is on the side of a cliff. There are many castles to visit
along the valley which also provides wonderful places to relax
and spend time swimming, canoeing, paddling and eating a picnic
of french bread, meats, cheeses and local wines. The Dordogne
is rich in castles, from the small renaissance castles such
as the Chateau de Losse to the mighty fortress of Biron and
there are wonderful gardens to visit such as Les Jardins du
Manoir d'Eyrignac.
Perigord is described as the capital of
pre-history and there are many prehistoric sites and caves
in the area, the most important of which are located in the
Vezere Valley of which Lascaux at Montignac is the most famous
followed by the caves at Les Eyzies. It is difficult to describe
the Perigourdine cooking but duck, geese and poultry are the
priorities on the menu together with mushrooms, cepes and
truffles which go extremely well with the local wines of Bergerac
and Montbazillac.
A little further afield are the Pyrenees
and Spanish border. Perhaps you could treat yourself to a
tapas lunch. It's a good 4 hour drive, but well worth it.
Ski-ing season in
the mountains is Jan-Feb.
More
info on our local area here: www.europa47.org |
