The Area
Aubeterre is the perfect French village that ticks all the boxes - built into a cliff face, cobbled lanes, beautiful old buildings with balconies and restaurants set on the tree lined square. Every Sunday a small market is held here. The underground church hosts a number of concerts during the summer months and can be hired for weddings.

Look out for fireworks which are held in the summer and visit the Marie (Town Hall) for a fantastic view towards the Dordogne.

Chalais a few minutes drive, has both individual shops and an Intermarche store. The Monday market takes over the town in the morning, by midday Chalais goes back to sleep for a week.

There is large open air pool in Chalais, river beaches at Aubeterre and St Aulaye and a water park at Parcoul as well as canoeing on the river Dronne.

A little further afield is Riberac (30 mins) - largest market town in the Dordogne. Angouleme the capital of the Charente is 45 mins, has a TGV link to Paris and Lille. The city has many shops and an old quarter full of restaurants. On the out skirts are the larger stores.

There are plenty of local restaurants to choose from traditional French restaurants with long tables and a set menu, to Pizzas and Crepes - and plenty of places offering children's menus.

We are lucky enough to have 2 of the finest restaurants in the area within a short drive. The restaurant at the Chateau which dominates Chalais is very popular and offers excellent value. The Hostillerie du Perigord (Aubeterre) serves local produce of the highest standard.

If you stay for 2 weeks and eat out every night - you still would not have visited them all!

Out and about
Ideally situated to visit the cities of Bordeaux and Angouleme, plus there are many market towns and pretty villages.

Seasonal events are held in the area including the regional Show Jumping event at Chalais, Circuit de Ramparts at Angouleme (Vintage car racing), Cognac car Rally. Night markets, Farmers markets. Snail racing and festivals.

The local daily paper is always featuring events.

Visiting the Vineyards
Le Logis is in the area of France where Cognac is produced (the Fin Bois area), but the main production area is now based around the town of Cognac about 50 minutes to the north. There are a number of houses to visit including Hennessy and Martells, which have organised tours.

The local drink is Pineau which is a blend of grape juice and Cognac and is drunk chilled, most Cognac estates produce Pineau. A dry white wine is also available and some of the Cognac estates have a sparkling wine, which is matured in the hills at Angouleme.

Bordeaux is about an hour away and to drive there you go through Libourne (45 minutes) and some of the well known vineyards of Pomerol and Lalande de Pomerol. Fronsac is about 1hour.

St Emillion, the medieval hill top village is full of shops selling the local claret and certainly worth a visit, and only a 60 minutes drive.

Bergerac, on the Dordogne River, is another medieval town with many half timbered buildings, is just over 1 hour away. Monbazillac, where the sweet dessert wines come from, lies just the other side of the river. The chateau is well worth is visit, if only to enjoy the spectacular view.