Planning Your Journey to Mialet in the Périgord Vert
The Dordogne lies in southwestern France, part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, with Périgueux at its centre and Bergerac to the south. It's one of the most beautiful and accessible regions in France for UK travellers. Beaux Souvenirs sits in the far north of the department, in the Périgord Vert, just a few kilometres from the Limousin border — which actually makes it one of the easiest parts of the Dordogne to reach from the UK.
Use this guide to find the best route to us, with drive times, distances and a few practical tips along the way.
The Dordogne and Mialet
The Dordogne is the third-largest department in France, covering around 9,000 square kilometres — roughly the size of Yorkshire. About 45% of the land is forested, and 80% of residents live in rural areas, so a car is essential. Public transport is limited, but you'll barely notice once you're here.
The south of the Dordogne draws the big tourist crowds — and in summer, the roads around Sarlat and the Vézère valley can be slow and congested. Up here in the north, it's a different story. The roads are quieter, the villages are unhurried, and you can drive for miles without hitting a coach or a queue.
Mialet is well connected by road, with the N21 running directly south to Périgueux and north toward Limoges.
One practical note: there is another village called Mialet in France, in the Gard region near Montpellier — 6.5 hours south of us. Worth double-checking your sat nav before you set off.
Driving to Beaux Souvenirs : French Ports
For many UK guests, the ferry and drive is the favourite way to travel — you arrive with your own car, you can pack as much as you like, and the journey through France is part of the holiday. As a guide, below are realistic drive times and distances from the main French ports to Mialet in the Dordogne.
- Portsmouth to Caen is 5 hours 35 minutes (339miles/545km)
- Portsmouth & Dover to Calais is 7 hours 26 minutes (462 miles/743 km)
- Poole and Portsmouth to Cherbourg is 6 hours 50 minutes (416 miles/670km)
- Newhaven to Dunkirk is 7 hours 45 minutes (496 miles/798km)
- Portsmouth to Le Havre is 6 hours 3 minutes (338 miles/545km)
- Plymouth to Roscoff is 7 hours 5 minutes (409 miles/659km)
- Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth to St Malo is 5 hours 49 minutes (322 miles/519km)
Flying to Beaux Souvenirs — airports and drive times
Limoges is by far the most convenient airport for us - almost on our doorstep via quiet country roads with no city traffic to navigate. It's a small airport with just a handful of flights a day, which means no need to arrive hours in advance.
Volotea also operates flights from Paris Orly to Limoges, making it a good option for those connecting through Paris from further afield.
- Limoges 45 minutes
- Bergerac 1 hour 32 minutes
- Brive 1 hour 42 minutes (by toll road 1 hour 35 minutes)
- Bordeaux 2 hours 14 minutes
LIMOGES BELLEGARDE is served by Ryanair from Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Stansted and Manchester.
BRIVE regional airport is served by Ryanair from Stansted.
BERGERAC regional airport is served by Ryanair from Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Stansted, and by Jet2 from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Manchester.
BORDEAUX-MÉRIGNAC international airport is served by EasyJet from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Luton and Manchester.
Please note that not all flights operate year-round.
Trains and taxis to Mialet
Trains in France are run by SNCF, and tickets can also be booked via Trainline. Take the Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, then cross the city to Gare d'Austerlitz for the SNCF service to Limoges-Bénédictins — a journey of around 3 hours 15 minutes. From Limoges, take the train toward Périgueux and alight at La Coquille, 40 minutes down the line. La Coquille is a 10-minute drive from Mialet.
Taxis are available locally, though they don't come cheaply. From Limoges Airport to Mialet, the fare is approximately €160, and from La Coquille to Mialet, approximately €18. To book, contact Fontanaud et Fils at 0033 553 62 85 59.
Tip: Several car hire companies operate from Limoges and Bergerac airports and meet incoming flights. We particularly recommend Buggs, a local firm that has looked after many of our guests over the years.
Useful Travel Links
A few resources worth bookmarking before you travel:
- Ferries - which companies operate ferries to France here
- Flights - which airlines fly to France
- Car hire - more information about national car hire companies at French airports
- Road - traffic in France in real-time
- Driving - rules and regulations for driving in France
- Electric vehicles - where are the electric charge stations in France
TIP: If you're driving into or near a large French city, you may need a Crit'Air windscreen sticker. They cost less than £5 and arriving without one risks a significant fine. Order via the official government website and allow a few weeks for delivery, as it's posted from France.