Le Petit Paradis, Rechignac, Chalaix 24800 Dordogne
A pair of picturesque rural gites, north dordogne border, in owners' two & a half acre hamlet. Sleeps 3+6

Amber Gite : sleeps 3, open plan living area, double bedroom (+ bed/ cot) en-suite shower-room with w.c. House Gite: sleeps 6, open plan living area, 2 bedrooms both with double bed and a single bed, one of the bedrooms is downstairs with bathroom/shower,w.c. and handbasin (bathroom fitted with disability accessories).

   

   

 

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Le Petit Paradise is set in its own little two & a half acre hamlet 300 metres from the RN 21, halfway between Limoges & Perigueux, on the North Dordogne/Haute Vienne border, close enough to local villages for a quiet walk & a coffee in one of the bars but secluded enough for peace & solitude when required. The Fabulous Chateaux of Jumillac Le Grande & Mavaleix are within 15 minutes drive as well as a number of superb restaurants where you can sample the local range of food & drink. From the Porcelain of Limoge through the walking countryside of the Parc Naturale to the truffles from Sorges, there are sites to interest everyone, young & old. If you want a day swimming at the inland beach, its twenty minutes away at Nantheuil.

Welcome To Le Petit Paradis

Jill & Keith would like to welcome you to Le Petit Paradis, at Rechignac, the reason for the name? Well, Jill’s grand daughter is called Amber, & when she saw the pictures of the place in France that nanny was moving to, she decided that when she comes over, she would stay in the little Gite, as it’s just the right size for her. Welcome to the area guide, we have tried to include here all the little bits of useful information that you may need during your stay with us, if you think there are any bits missing, please feel free to ask us to put it in, & more importantly, answer your questions. Airports The nearest airport is Limoges, approximately 30 Km north of us, about 10 km from the centre of the town, Follow the N21 north until you reach Aixe sur Vienne then take the left hand turn for Bellegarde, which is the local name of the airport. Going South the nearest airport is Bergerac, it is about 70 Km from us, follow the N21 south until you get to Perigueux then follow the N21 to Bergerac, when you get to the town follow signs for the Roumaniere, which again is the local name for the airport. Antiques The nearest local antique shop is in La Coquille, on the left hand side just as you get into the village.

Barbecues: We have provided a barbecue for all our guests, please feel free to use it at any time, we have barbecue charcoal & lighter fluid for sale at the house, please ask if you need it. Buses The local bus service is very patchy., Cash point Machines The nearest cash point machine is at the Credit Agricole Bank in La Coquille (2 Km) on the left hand side by the large car park, before you get to the traffic lights.

Chateaux: The nearest Chateaux is at Mavaleix, about 2 Km South of us. Go south until you come to a crossroads for St Paul La Roche on the left, turn left and at the bottom of the road you will see a gate with a line of trees behind it, this is the entrance to the Chateaux, it’s a 13th Century building that is being lovingly restored, it has a lovely restaurant, & bar, as well as fishing & tennis in its 170 acres of grounds. Give our regards to Gwillum, the Dutch owner, if you visit it.

Chemin Rural: The track/road from the main road is a local Chemin rural, the equivalent of the English “Rights of way” it goes behind Rechignac and you can follow it all the way up to the local village, La Coquille. Church The Local Church, (Catholic) is in the Centre of the village of La Coquille, 2 Km, on the right hand side about 50 Metres after the Traffic lights. Cycling The chemin rural is used occasionally by cyclists, as it is a safe way of getting around the country side, please feel free to follow the example of the locals if you feel energetic. If the demand is there we are hoping to have a number of bicycles for hire to allow people to follow this very healthy pastime, See Jill or Keith for more information.

Remember that unless you are covered by insurance, any visits to Doctors, & Dentist etc, may have to be paid for, you may be able to reclaim this when you return home. Emergency Telephone Numbers Fire 18 Police 17 Ambulance 15 All services (English language) 112.

Fishing: there are a number of opportunities for fishing locally, & also within a short drive, the nearest is at the Chateaux de Mavaleix, 2 Km south, & within a half an hours drive North at Pageas there is both Carp & Trout fishing, at Domaine de la Ribiere See Jill for fishing tips, she is the expert, several 20 lb + carp to her name. Tight lines! Fresh Produce for sale

Depending upon the time of year we hope to have fresh produce from our garden on sale at the house, please look at the board outside to see the specials for the week. We do keep a stock of essentials such as bathroom bits & pieces in case you have forgotten something, soap, razors, shampoo etc. please see Jill or Keith if you need something.

Horse Riding: There are a number of opportunities for Horse riding locally, & also within a short drive, the nearest is at the Chateaux de Mavaleix, 2 Km south.

Immobilier's: The nearest Immobilier's is in La Coquille (2 Km) on the left hand side just as you reach the outskirts of the village (Opposite the Shopi supermarket) it is called Grandechamps Imobillier, and the office is run by a lady called Djillian, she is very helpful, and has a good command of English. The office is well organised & has a wide range of properties for sale.

La Troc: This is a phenomenon unique to the French, literally it means “to Barter” but actually what it is, is a second hand store with vengeance. You can get anything, from ashtrays to a complete kitchen or bedroom suite, all at knock down prices. Go to one, they are in all the big towns, and really good fun to go around.

Local Coffee Bars: There are a number of bars in La Coquille, all serve coffee as well as alcoholic drinks.

Local Farms: Nearly all of the local land around Rechignac is farmed in one form or another either for crops or raising cattle (Limousin). Please consider this if you go walking in the area. Thank you.

Local History: The local history books tend to refer to the area of Chalaix, which is actually the area or commune which Rechignac belongs to.

Local Markets: La Coquille market is held on a Thursday, in the square outside the church, there are a range of stalls serving all sorts of things, from shoes through plants & flowers to organic vegetables and fresh fish. Go early to get the best deals, and remember, from 12 till 2 it quietens down dramatically. Thivier hold their markets on a Saturday, it’s really worthwhile taking the time to go and see it, they run it through all the streets in the town, not just a market square. Again go early to see it at its best; it starts to close down after 2 pm.

Local wildlife: Dependent on the time of year, there are a wide variety of animals around the area, Buzzards, falcons, (we have some nesting in the end of the gite block) pied wagtails, herons, Deer, foxes, as well as dozens of frogs & toads in the stream.

Main Road (N21): The main road at the end of the drive is the Route Nationale N21, go left to go South towards Thivier & Perigueux, or right to go North towards La Coquille & Limoges. Please take care when leaving Rechignac & pulling out onto this road, there is a brow of a hill about 100 metres to the left as you pull out and heavy traffic can come down the road at quite some speed.

Restaurants: There are a number of local restaurants within 5-6 Km, in no particular order, they are, Chateaux Mavaleix 2Km South on the left from the N21 Le Voyager Hotel, 2 Km North on the right in La Coquille Le Maison Rouge 4 Km South on the right hand side of the N21.

Shops: La Coquille (2 Km North) is the nearest shopping centre, there are a wide range of shops including, Supermarket Pharmacies Boulangeries Spar Mini Market Pizza take away Flower Shops Butchers Tabac’s & Newsagents Patisseries Hairdressers Antique shop Insurance office Post office.

Stream: The field next to the row of Christmas trees belongs to us, at the bottom is a small stream, where in the evenings you may hear the frogs croaking, please feel free to wander down to the stream at any time, we are planning on setting up a couple of pathways for visitors to follow, & maybe a picnic area, for the future. Please do not allow young children to wander down to the stream unsupervised.

Supermarkets: The nearest small supermarket is Shopi, on the right hand side as you reach La Coquille, (2Km north). Larger supermarkets can be found at Thivier (12 Km south), they are Champion & Casino, both on the left hand side as you get to Thivier, and Atac, on the right hand side as you get to the market square in the centre of the town. They are all very well stocked with high quality food at sensible prices. If you like the very large hyper market stores they are a little further a field, there are L’eclerc and Carrefour, in Perigueux (40 Km south) & Limoges (35 Km north).

Swimming pools: The nearest swimming pool is at the open air pool in Thiviers Tennis There are a number of opportunities for playing tennis locally, & also within a short drive, the nearest is at the Chateaux de Mavaleix, 2 Km south.

Tourist information: The nearest tourist information office is at the other end of La Coquille, it is open at strange times so we suggest you check the opening hours first, there is a wide range of information available as well as internet access for those looking for that little bit more.

Tourist Sites: There are a number of places all within easy driving distance of Rechignac, for example, Limoges Famous for its porcelain. Perigueux Famous as the administrative centre of the Dordogne, and also its cathedral, go and see the fabulous wooden altar Sorges. The heart of the Truffle area Negrondes famous as the heart of the Pate de fois gras region. Jumillac le Grande Napoleonic influences at work here with an impressive chateaux & gorge Sarlat Famous for “The doors” Bergerac No, not the Jersey detective, but a lovely old city on the river Dordogne. Beyenac. If you like river boat rides try this one, you will not be disappointed.

Trains: The Local town La Coquille is served by the French SNCF (Fast) service which can take you from here all the way to Paris. The Station is down a turning on the left, as you get to the Credit Agricole Bank, then take the next left & it is on your left. We can be found, 30 minutes from Limoges airport, or 75 minutes from Bergerac airport Our address is:- Rechignac Chalaix 24800 France.

Directions From Limoges are:- From the town or Airport of Limoges in south west France follow the N21 main road south towards Perigueux, After about 35-40 miles you will come across a small town called La Coquille, Go through La Coquille, after 1 ½ miles you will see a large farm house on the left, & a 10 Km Marker post. After 100 yards on the left there is a Unmade Road, that leads to Le Petit Paradis, (its about 300 yards long).

Directions From Bergerac are:- From the town or Airport of Bergerac in south west France follow the N21 main road North towards Perigueux, Head through Perigueux & follow the N21 main road North towards Thivier After about 9 -10 miles you will come across signs for 2 small villages called St Jory de Chalaix & Chalaix, Go straight on, after ½ mile you will see an 11 Km Marker post. After ½ mile on the right you will see a large farm house with a restaurant sign 100 yards before it on the right, there is an Unmade Road, that leads to Le Petit Paradis, (its about 300 yards long).