Limeuil is not what I'd call a "tiny hamlet." It's a very well-touristed perched village overlooking the confluence of the Vézère and Dordogne rivers - there's a lovely "elbow bridge" there. It's got quite a few shops and cafés and artisans' ateliers, but it certainly isn't a bustling town like Le Bugue.

I love Le Bugue for what it is - a thriving, practical market town, not a tourist destination but rather a place that exists to serve its own community. That's not to say it doesn't attract tourists - you can barely move on market day in mid-summer, but in October you will get to see it at one of the loveliest, most "authentic" times of year. Not to mention it will be cèpe season - yum!

Manaurie and Alles-sur-Dordogne are pretty much specs on the map. If you want to be walking distance to a place with some commerce, those probaby would be poor choices.

St Cirq, I apoligize for making the remark about Limeuil without having done any research beforehand. I thought I had read that it was designated one of Les Beaux Villages and for some reason I thought all those village were tiny. I think some guidebook reading is in order for me in the next few days so I can familiarize myself before posting so many questions! I have both Cadogan and Rough Guides from the very breif trip I took to the area a few years ago. Any comments here on Urval, Siorac and Alles sur Dordogne? I want to have several options to present to my friends and to an agency in case the first choice is not open.
By the way, one place I recall loving on that trip was lunch at a walnut oil mill located someplace near Martel. Can anyone provide the name of the place and let me know if it is still operating? There was a set lunch, choice of lamb or duck confit, served in a large barn-type building; after lunch we were invited to see the actual pressing of the nuts and were able to buy their walnut oil. Of course I bought several bottles, some of which remain in my fridge three years later..sure they are not good buy now.

Those are all OK locations, but still not quite as central as the Le Bugue rental. Do you have the #329 Michelin map? Also, get the Michelin Green Guide for the Dordogne. I have hundreds of travel books about France (really), and the Michelin guide is the only one I take with me when I travel there. Sometimes I'll copy a few pages from the Cadogan Guide - my second favorite.

Stu Dudley

As mentioned, Alles-sur-Dordogne is a spec on the map, near Limeuil. I don't believe it has any commerce at all. It does have a nice romanesque chapel. There's a big, popular stable there where you can rent horses and ride around the area.

Siorac is south of the Dordogne river, across from St-Cyprien essentially. It's not exactly a hill town - more like a mound town. But it's attractive and has the usual complement of commercial establishments, including a B&B cum bar cum restaurant owned by a British expat couple. There's a smallish Intermarché on the main road below the village.

Urval I don't know at all - at least I don't think I do. Where is it?

I don't know of a walnut mill near Martel, but there's a well-known one called Moulin de la Tour in Ste-Nathalène, just outside Sarlat.

Thanks again to both of you. Urval is 3km from Siorac and 9km from St. Cyprien. I checked the Cadogan guide and found the name of the walnut oil mil: Ferme Auberge Moulin a Huile de Noix "at Les Landes along the St. Cere road." This place was a real treat for lunch and to see the oil being pressed. Oddly enough, my Michelin map (yellow cover) is #235 Midi-Pyrenees which covers the Dordogne region. I do not see the #329 listed on the back cover of my map within the outline of the country..could they have changed the numbers? All the numbers on my map's back cover are three-digit numbers beginning with 2. So I seem to have narrowed down the house choices with your help: the Le Bugue house sounds loke a great location except that Judy mentioned that two of the rooms are not so desirable. Perhaps we can agree to switch mid-week! The house outside Siorac and the one in Limeuil sound like the second and third choices. You have all been so helpful; if you have any restaurant tips feel free to post! As I said, I spent three days in Sarlat and ate in the town except for the walnut oil lunch and a lunch at Le Centenaire after a visit to the caves. The place was too formal for our tastes, however, although the food was excellent.

ttt

Get a more current map of the Dordogne. The yellow maps were dis-continued several years ago. The newer maps are the 300 series - 329 for the Dordogne. The yellow maps are on a scale of 1/200,000, while most of the 300 series maps are 1/150,000 (except the 329 map which is 1/175,000)

The 300 series maps have a city index, which is nice when trying to locate a specific village - like you are trying to do.

Do you have my 20+ page itinerary for the Dordogne? It includes a restaurant write-up, although I have not yet updated it to reflect our 4 weeks there this past Sept. E-mail me if you want a copy. [email protected]

Stu Dudley

Many thanks, Stu. You are unusually helpful as usual. I will e-mail you soon with a request for your itinerary. Thanks so much. I will meet with my friends this weekend to go over the houses we have liked so far so I will surely post more questions after that.

I have been searching for accomm in the Dordogne for some time for second lasst week in august and have finally landed one I think! It is about 500 metres from the town of Le Bugue and just wanted to know your opinion of that as a first place to go to visit the area - we will have it for a week. I have nearly gone crazy with all the investigations!!!
There have been mixed messages about Le Bugue on here - ST Cirq and Stu Dudley I have been following some past notes of yours and they have been helpful.
we are two adults and two teen girls adn want to be able to walk into a village to pick up bakery items etc but also be near some rural areas. Is there anyway I can contact you St Cirq directly to find out more.
Thanks heaps
Kate