Camping Le Repaire

If you’re interested in foie gras and its production, head into the Maison de Foie Gras in Thiviers; for other bits of local produce, poke around the market on a Tuesday or Saturday morning. If you’re on a bike, take the trail out of town to Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière, a small town in the Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park. Those who prefer to explore on horseback can take trips from a riding centre in Lempzours, 20 minutes’ drive from the site. Take the 10-minute drive (or half-hour cycle) to Corgnac-sur-l’Isle for canoe trips on the Isle river or to ride on the vélorail along the old railway through the woods. On warm days you can also cycle for 10 minutes or so to reach Nantheuil’s lake for some au-naturel swimming. A cool place to be on a hot day is Villars cave, where you can see splendid stalactites and stalagmites as well as 17,000-year-old prehistoric paintings.