Where to live in France: Dordogne… Located in southwest France between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, Dordogne is famous for its dramatic river gorges and lush greenery, as well as for its great weather and delectable food.
The area known as Dordogne is one of the most popular regions for expats from around the world, lured by the laidback way of life and the many charms of its four distinct geographical areas: the lush valleys and forests of Périgord Vert (Green) lie to the north; the limestone of Périgord Blanc (White) centres around Périgueux; Périgord Noir (Black) – ‘truffle country’ – lies southeast around Sarlat; while around Bergerac is Périgord Pourpre (Purple), an area famous for its wines and named after the grapes.
Dordogne is also the headquarters for Leggett Immobilier, the award-winning estate agency set up by Brit Trevor Leggett in 1988 and which now employs some 650 agents across France, several of whom are focused on the Dordogne area.
Where to live in France: Dordogne
“When I first visited Dordogne, I was totally seduced by the quality of life,” recalls Dordogne Leggett agent Bruno. “People take time to appreciate good food, good wine and good company. Back then, I had a high-pressure sales career in Paris, and my wife brought me here for a holiday. Dordogne was a complete contrast to city life, offering gorgeous landscapes, endless blue skies and a totally different way of living. I didn’t need much persuading to leave the stress behind – we moved here in 1995 and haven’t looked back!”
“In the big cities, history is visible through the architecture but in Dordogne, heritage extends through every aspect of life through the outstanding natural landscape, with more than 12,000 hectares of vineyards and fertile farmland, a long rich history, culture and gastronomy.”
There’s plenty to do in Dordogne from visiting ancient castles to historic, fortified towns known as bastides, built in a circular structure to protect from attack. One of the best known is Monpazier, which was founded in 1284 and has over thirty listed historic monuments. There are prehistoric caves, street markets galore, dazzlingly pretty villages, and extraordinary sites like Rocamadour. The climate – warm summers and mild winters – means you get to spend a lot more of the year outside.
And you’ll certainly enjoy the good life when it comes to food. The culinary heritage of Dordogne is famous, think goose, duck, wild truffles and goat’s cheese, accompanied by fabulous local wines.
“It seems that everywhere you turn here, there are vineyards, fields of fresh produce and gourmet shops or traditional bakeries,” agrees Bruno. “People are very aware of what they eat, and they want to consume produce that’s grown close to home. This authenticity is a way of life, gathering around a table, spending time over your meal and enjoying every mouthful. Life doesn’t feel hurried, every day is to be enjoyed.”
“Dordogne is a very affordable part of France,” explains Bruno. “You can find renovation projects for as little as €50,000. For €150,000 you can buy a property that might need a bit of work.”
“When it comes to buying property you can find everything from contemporary homes to farmhouses, town houses, cottages, and vast manor houses. You could even have your own vineyard!”
Perigourdines are a property type particular to this region. Built from exposed stone, they generally face south or south-east, and usually feature a steeply angled roof with gables. A Périgourdine starts at €350,000 although they tend to sell quickly.” Many of the older properties are built from the local stone which seems to glow in the golden sunlight, bringing a touch of magic to an already stunning landscape.
If you’re looking for a village home that’s ready to move into, €250,000 will buy a pretty house in walking distance from the bakery and schools. For a larger family home, €350,000 is a good budget for a property that is well-presented and move-in ready with a large garden and either a swimming pool or space for one. If your budget stretches higher, there are some fabulous properties available.
Dordogne is popular with English speakers drawn to the laid-back way of life, great weather, cuisine, wine, heritage and culture. “The village of Eymet, for example, is just 20 minutes from Bergerac, and several British families set up restaurants and businesses here, which in turn drew other English-speakers.
“There are many lovely villages in the area, like medieval Issigeac, about 20 minutes southeast of Bergerac which has a superb Sunday morning market, and everything you need including schools, doctors and shops in easy reach. Another lovely village is Lalinde, a good location for bringing up a family or for early retirement. Again, you have a supermarket, bank, all the services, restaurants and bars and plenty of activities so you can get involved in local life, all 25 minutes east of Bergerac. It also has great rail connections to Bordeaux and Sarlat-la-Canéda, one of the most beautiful towns of Dordogne.
“Bergerac (population 30,000), the second largest town in the department of Dordogne after Perigueux is lively and offers a good balance with a range of property types from half-timbered houses to modern apartments. This town of “Art and History” (a heritage culture label), through which the Dordogne River runs, has everything, great facilities, culture – museums, restaurants galore, and yet retains its villagey feel.”
“We get young couples moving here to escape the anonymity of big cities and get a better quality of life. It’s a great place to bring up a family, and it’s also ideal if you work from home, because the living cost is relatively low, but you get the wonderful location. Transport links are good too, with Bergerac, Brive and Limoges airports locally. Bordeaux and Toulouse are slightly further afield but still only a couple of hours drive plus excellent motorways.
I can’t think of anywhere better to live than Dordogne.”
See properties for sale in Dordogne at Leggett Immobilier: frenchestateagents.com
