This Dordogne Life

The cost of living in the Dordogne

I THOUGHT it might prove useful for people to get an idea of the cost of living in the Dordogne, so you can plan ahead if you want to visit or are looking to make a permanent move. Below is a selection of everyday items that will provide an idea... Read more →

Dordogne airports and driving distances

A guide to airports in the Dordogne and why saving money on flights might leave you a long way from your destination... Read more →

Ticks and Lyme disease in the Dordogne woods

THE Dordogne is an area that has ticks, often found in the woods, and which can attach themselves to you and your dogs and cats. Diseases such as leishmaniasis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and heartworm can prove fatal to your pets so precautions should be taken. If you are bitten then ticks... Read more →

How to recycle your rubbish in Dordogne

RECYCLING your rubbish ensures that you leave only footprints when holidaying in the Dordogne, as we all try and reduce our impact on the planet. The recycling system in the Dordogne uses large coloured containers, but with a twist for non-recyclable rubbish that goes in black bin bags. The system... Read more →

Driving in the Dordogne. Is it safe?

DRIVING around the Dordogne can be a real pleasure. You will find quiet roads with views across the countryside, very few vehicles to get stuck behind and lovely villages where you can stop for a break. But there are some rules of the road that are worth considering if driving... Read more →

Dordogne weather - when to visit and what to expect

THE weather in the Dordogne is usually not too hot, or too cold, for any length of time - there was a good reason Cro-Magnon man settled in the region. You can visit the region throughout the year and see the Dordogne countryside under a different coloured sky, from slate... Read more →

The Dordogne Mysteries of Martin Walker in order

IF there is one way to discover and learn about the Dordogne it is through the books of author, Martin Walker, and his fictional character Bruno, chief of police. The books are set in the small town of St. Denis south-west France, which is based upon the actual town of... Read more →

The wealth of plants

It's the mini 'chelsea flower show' of the locale with a great variety of colours, and juxtaposition of textures in everything. Whether lemon yellow pansies next to cobalt blue - or busy lizzies in seven different shades – rose, crimson, pale scarlet, variegated salmon and pink, lilac, white, and pale... Read more →

May - the warmth of summer in the Dordogne

Yesterday evening I walked along the road to look at the rows of tobacco seedlings - having all been planted by hand, they completely amaze me. Here, to me, is the industrial vegetable plot. Previously, in my Tesco days of food in plastic-wrappers, I had imagined that in fields 'Like... Read more →

Henri Lacheze - the maquis and the Resistance during the Vichy regime

"There is a residual disgust at the idea of eating corn on the cob, swedes or rhubarb which made up so much of the diet in the war" says Henri Lacheze former teacher, member of the foreign service, an historian and poet. It's difficult for the English to understand what... Read more →