Welcome to the Chateau Blog
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While Thiviers might be small, it sure is mighty and while we love spending our days just sitting around the Chateau and enjoying the garden and pool - everyone gets itchy feet from time to time and that is where the local train station comes in. While it might not look like it’s up to much, it has links to Bordeaux, Périgueux and Limoges which are all great for a day out.
Staying in town? Well, we have not one but two great pharmacies, three supermarkets, an amazing butcher seven notable restaurants of which one is the local pizzeria and gets the thumbs up from the Italian side of Poppy’s family.
Want to catch up on the local gossip? The Church square is at the heart of the town and a morning spent at the local cafe will have you up to date on what’s going on.
For more on restaurants and attractions, keep reading for more blog posts
One of the things we love to do when we are in France is to eat and Thiviers certainly has its fair share of must-visit restaurants. Here are just a few of our favourites.
Pizza U Laziu Pizz'
As an Italian, I like to think I know a thing or two about pizza and this local little spot gets a big two thumbs up from me and, most importantly, my mama. Thin, crispy and always piping hot, these pizzas are pretty good. The restaurant has 3-4 tables outside so if you are planning to sit out, best to book. Service is quick and friendly and just a little note to say that the pizzas here are BIG so kids and smaller stomachs might want to share.
Also great to take away
Le Foch
If you want to feel like a Thiviers local, then head to Le Foch. A bar/ restaurant this friendly little joint offers simple but good classics like steak frites, pates, cassoulet and they do a mean chocolate mousse.
They are also great in letting you buy your morning croissants from our favourite bakery and patisserie next door and eat with your coffee.
Relais Saint Jacques
This is a family favourite in town. It’s simple, it’s basic and it’s classic France. There’s a small space outside which is lovely on warmer nights and the inside is bigger than it looks. Get there for midday on a lunchtime to catch the local pompiers at their regular table and have the set menu - the daily soup, charcuterie, a simple plat du jour and desert, followed by pretty much-unlimited cheese (or our son seems to think so....)
Out and about in Thiviers
Our perfect day in town would go something like this:
8am: Walk up the road to Boulangerie Boclet Bernard on Rue Jules Sarlandie before taking our tasty treats to over to La Fosh to enjoy over a nice coffee or chocolat chaud.
930am: Have a quick history tour. On the Place du Marche aux Truffes in town, you can see Hautefort House which was once used as a leper-hopital and was under the care of the order of Saint Lazare of Jerusalem. Pop across Rue Jean Jaures and you come to Place Jean Paul Sartre which didn't get its name by accident - Sartre actually lived in Thiviers as a child.
10am: Pop to La Boudoir, also on Rue Jules Sarlandie , for a quick wash and blow dry before walking home via the church. Did you know that the Church itself dates from the 12th century but has been renovated and altered over the centuries. On your way home, take a look at the remaining half-timber houses, many have been pulled down for renovation now but interesting examples still exist.
1230: Time for some lunch and our favourite place to eat lunch is the round table by the kitchen. It's nice and shielded from the often strong midday sun. When in France, there's no finer lunch than fresh French bread with local cheese and foie gras, for which Thiviers is so famous for.
130: Time to head to the pool for a spot of sunbathing and a siesta.
5pm: After a wonderful day spend lolling about by the pool, what can be better than popping back into town for a quick aperitif. La Fosh does a wonderful campari which you can enjoy outside on the square, people watching as you sip your drink.
7pm: Time to head home for dinner, expertly cooked by our chef, David.
The nearby village of St Jean de Cole is both beautiful as well as having a number of great places to eat
Atelier Volumes
Lovely pottery shop. You will find a few of their things in the Chateau - run by a lovely couple who are always happy to talk about their work.
Chez Robert - One of our favoujrite spots for dinner. Robert is English and cooks only the freshest ingredients with the menu changing daily. He does all the cooking himself so its not for those in a hurry but its a great dinner. Dinner only and best to phone.
Le Temps des Mets - Lovely spot for lunch or dinner. Worth checking online to see if they are open in advance as their opening hours can change. Need to book.
La Perla Café - Perfect for a spot of lunch and great with kids. Book in advance as it gets busy, especially on market day and in the summer.
Restaurants further afield
L'essential
One of Perigaux's top restaurants - they do a fabulous set menu which, although still on the pricey side, is good value for a restaurant of its caliber. Small and pretty - I would say this is an adults only venue as its serious food and serious people!
La Table du Pouyard
This pretty restaurant is only about 15 minutes from the Chateau and is worth a visit. Staff are welcoming and frindly and the food is light but delicious. Bookings are recommended and request the main dining room as there's a back room that doesn't have much atmosphere and can dampen the experience.
Dyades Au Domaine Des Etangs
This one is a bit of a schlep but well worth it. I drove the hour and a half hoping to sweet talk Richard into buying a donkey and although the gorgeous venue and delicious rose tempted him to the idea, sadly I failed to get this grand plan over the line. The restaurant is stunning and food is modern with a classic twist. Part of a hotel, the grounds are wonderful and its well worth walking around to work off some of that lunch.
Le Vieux Logis - Dordogne
Gorgeous venue which is part of the Relais & Chateau group - don't bring young kids to this one. Serious eating for serious people - you need a good hour and a half to two hours for lunch here as you are encouraged to dine at a leisurely pace. Quite old school formal but really good food.
La Réserve du Presbytère - Saint Emilion
A miracle was performed here. Both sets of parents, all the kids and both of us all liked it! A friendly, happy and beautiful restaurant - the food is light and modern and service is wonderful. You need to book and ask to sit downstairs so you can overlook the church next door. They also do one of the best house reds I have ever tried.
Restaurant @ L'Esplanade - Domme
So this one is nearly two hours away but its set in a beautiful village which is well worth a visit and a look around. Don't be put off when you walk in - it's stuck in the 90's with thick brocade curtains, silver domes presenting the food and carpets but the food is amazing.
Cafe Louise - Perigaux
We come to this lovely restauant at least twice a week when we are in France. The staff are super friendly and accommodating, especially with the kids and the food is really good. Right in the main square of the town, it gets super busy at weekends so you need to book.
Restaurant Oxalis - Perigaux
Our kids call this the cave restaurant because it has been carved out of the side of the town wall. A really interesting restaurant - food is innovative and fresh and the restaurant is run really well.
Redon Phillipe - Limoges
We come here for lunch whenever we pick guests up from the airport and while Limoges isn't the prettiest of towns, this is a really good restaurant with lovely staff. Their apple cake is out of this world.
Palatino - Bordeaux
Take it from an Italian, this is some of the best pizza you will ever have. This fun and lively restaurant is our go-to after a morning of shopping in Bordeaux and weve never had a bad dish. Run by Italians, staff are super friendly (not that I'm biased!) - they also do an amazing bresaola. You have to book though - there are always queues round the block to get in.
On those rare days that you don't want to sit by the pool, here are some things to fill your time.
Le Grottes de Villars - This fascinating cave is the only cave in Perigord to have original prehistoric paintings and is one of the region's largest underground networks with paintings dating back more than 19000 years ago. Great for young and old.
AquaPark at the very nearby Natheuil lake (edge of Thiviers)
The amazing water park in a nearby lake open for the summer. Also serves not bad food and has a man made beach
https://www.aqua4jump.fr/
Wine tasting
Château Belingard https://www.belingard.com/
Group tours in English take place on Tuesdays and Fridays at 3pm or you can phone up and make an appointment for a private tour. (In fact, it could be a good idea to call all the places you would like to go to in advance)
Château de Fayolle https://www.chateaufayolle.com/
Chateau de la Jaubertie - https://www.chateau-jaubertie.com/
Another recommendation would be to visit Quai Cyrano on the river front in Bergerac’s centre ville – it has a large selection of wines, a wine bar where they can recommend different options according to your tastes, there is a lovely terrace overlooking the river and a nice garden at the back - they also do small plates of local cheese and charcuterie.
You may also want to visit Château Monbazillac for the views over Bergerac... there is a gift shop there where you can taste their signature sweet wine as well.
Want to sightsee, get fit, get tanned and have fun all at once? Then Le VeloRail de Perigord is for you. Each section sits about nine people so don't worry, its not too hard. There are several routes all from around 10-14KM that you can take around the local area and booking in the Summer months is recommended.
There are actually quite a few options for this but one of our favourites is L'appel de la Foret - lots of options for young and old and super clean and safety conscious.
The Little Beach - L'eau des Grissles
One of our favourite finds is the man-made beach, complete with a lake, water sports, water games and not bad fast food!
Chateaus
The region is home to some stunning castles - a shortlist of ours includes:
Chateau de Razac
Castelnaud-la-Chapelle Castle
Château de Beynac
Château des Milandes
Château de Hautefort
Château de Biron
Markets and Brocantes
We happily boast that Thiviers has one of the most famous markets in the region! Saturday is market day in town with over 40 vendors ranging from paella, pork belly to fruit and veg. If you are planning on grabbing a coffee in town on market day, please remember cash only!
Our favourite stalls are the cheese man (who loves to let you sample) and fruit and veg stall opposite Nelly Brocante Patisserie.
Perigueux is market day on Wednesday and really worth a visit.
Brocantes
Driving around you are sure to see the little yellow signs advertising the local brocantes but it's worth checking online to see incase they have been cancelled. The site brocabrac.fr has all the local listings up to date. Word to the wise - if you see a Brantome brocante advertised do not miss it - it's the best in the region.
The Dordogne river
There are two majestic rivers, the Dordogne and the Vézère, which meet up in Limeuil (one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France), and is a great place for swimming. You can also swim at Le Buisson.
You can rent canoes in different locations, in the Dordogne or Vézère valleys. The rental company will meet take you to a point in the river and then you canoe back to where you parked. We recommend Vitrac to Beynac, where you pass some amazing riverscapes, chateaux and villages.
Sarlat and neighbouring villages
Often described as the pearl of the Dordogne, Sarlat is a town of exceptional beauty with its narrow winding streets, stone roofs & open squares. It is one of the most important undamaged medieval city centers of the world. Thousands of tourists visit this small town yearly, so plan your trip well!
On your way there, stop off at the villages of La Roque-Gageac and Domme (one of the most popular villages in France) where you will get spectacular views across the Dordogne countryside.
Gardens
There are three magical gardens worth visiting. The classical Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac near Sarlat with an alley of hornbeam and flower meadows is stunning. The hanging gardens of Marqueyssac were planted on a rocky spur south of La Roque-Gageac in the 19th century. Some 150,000 vintage boxwoods, trimmed twice a year by hand, blaze a symmetrical riot of swirls, whirls and curvaceous patterns. Latour Marliac is a water garden with waterlilies and lotuses founded in 1875 when M. Latour Marliac created fantastic hybrid coloured waterlilies never seen before in Europe. They were so modern that he exhibited them at the Paris Exhibition in 1889 alongside the new Eiffel Tower. Monet was so amazed that he ordered all his waterlilies from Latour Marliac, which he famously went on to paint.
Prehistory
The Dordogne is famous for the caves and rock shelters, settlements and burial sites which have been discovered. Lascaux IV is the Sistine Chapel of prehistory, a cave discovered by 4 boys in 1940 out walking their dog. The cave paintings date from around 18,000 BC. In order to preserve the paintings, an exact copy of the cave has been made which you can visit. There is a museum at Les Eyzies and troglodyte (cave) dwellings underneath Belvès main square.
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