Ô Bois Dormant

Once the views on site have given you a taster, you’ll no doubt want to be out and about, perhaps enlisting the help of the local horse riding centre (10 minutes’ drive) or mountain bike hire outfit (20 minutes). If you’re concerned about getting lost while cycling, maybe try out the Velorail Périgord Vert (20 minutes) instead – you’ll be confined to a route along an old railway line so there’s no going astray. A canoe trip from Brantôme (20 minutes) is another popular way to take in some of the scenery – and while you’re there you really must stick around to visit the abbey and the troglodyte caves. For more of the fancy buildings, seek out Château de Puyguilhem (20 minutes), Château de Bourdeilles (25 minutes) or Château de Jumilhac (40 minutes); if it was the troglodytes that tickled your fancy, follow up with more cave action at Grotte de Villars (20 minutes). Beyond all that, you may like to potter around the medieval centre of Périgueux (half an hour) or spend more time in the trees at Cornille Aventure (20 minutes).