Dordogne Property & Description

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You will find a great selection of Dordogne property for sale in the former province of the PERIGORD, now known as the Dordogne, which is a department within the Aquitaine.

Located two thirds of the way from Paris to the Pyrenees adjoining the second sunniest area of La Belle France and within an hour or two of the coast the French department or government district of the Dordogne 24 is passed over by the 45th parallel.

Its location gives it a particularly mild climate, pleasant in all seasons, helping to make it one of the most popular destinations for house purchasers hunting for their dream Dordogne property.

With few large towns, the department capital of Perigueux being the only real conurbation of note, the north west of the Dordogne is typified by rolling hills reminiscent of the down land of southern England. The central band just north of the A89 between Mussidan, Riberac and Bergerac is heavily wooded with numerous lakes hidden away. As one would expect, the southern reaches of the Dordogne around Bergerac, Eymet and Lalinde somehow always seem hotter. The further inland you do the more verdant the countryside and in some ways the area around Thiviers has more a feel of the Limousin.

As time progressed and the taxes from conveying the historically great wines of Cahors diminished the allure to Dordogne property to Englishmen continued although payment was not always offered! The local population created bastides or fortified villages to defend themselves. Yes, even 800 years ago the British were enticed by Dordogne property!

Once it had been “discovered” in the New World tobacco growing rose in importance until today modern agriculture forms the bedrock of rural life in the Dordogne with many of the dictates of “health and safety” carefully kept at arms length.

As the capital of the Dordogne, its commercial hubs for centuries largely created by the wine trade along the Dordogne River, the most striking Gothic and Renaissance architecture is still evident in the oldest residences in Bergerac, Périgueux, and Sarlat. Meanwhile in the rural hinterland, the feudal system meant those generations of peasants slaved away for their masters to create over a thousand historic stone manors, châteaux, castles and major homes. Many of these superior Dordogne properties still sell to modern day nobleman although of course the source of the money has long changed.

A taste for the past glories of some of these buildings can still be seen in the ruins at Bourdeilles and Mareuil, both of which are worth a visit with their historical antiquities on site.

Away from the main routes or where they run close bypassed by the ever proceeding French road improvement program, there is a wealth of quiet, picturesque villages and Bastides. Features such as cave fortresses and churches, open market halls and innumerable abbeys and stone churches show that property in the Dordogne has been kept intact by eons of caretakers.

As for the old quarters of Périgueux or Bergerac, restored and developed into pedestrian areas, they have regained their former charm and continue to attract buyers from across the world and all aspiring to acquire their own Dordogne property.

A good number of small towns, such as Brantôme, Issigeac, Eymet and Mareuil, have withstood the often brash changes of modern times and continue to offer a pace of life that draws people from busier countries looking for their property retreat in the Dordogne.

Road access is good with the drive from the Channel ports taking about 7 hours, whilst there are international flights to Bergerac and nearby Bordeaux, Angoulême and Limoges. Brive airport and the opening of the A89/E80 east west auto route further enhance the excellent communications linking directly to Bordeaux to the west and to the east ultimately Clermont Ferrand, Lyon and the Alps.

The High Speed Train links to nearby Angoulême and thence to Paris and Lille by direct services.

Please find below a brief selection of some of the Dordogne Properties we are pleased to be advertising For Sale. A complete list and advanced search options can be reached by clicking on this text.