Where and What to Eat

Discover the Culinary Delights of Southwest France

The Dordogne and its neighbouring regions - the Limousin and the Charente - are a true haven for food enthusiasts, brimming with culinary treasures that will delight your palate. Whether you're seeking exquisite fine dining or authentic local specialities, this corner of Southwest France is a food lover's paradise.

From lively summer night markets to quaint auberges, delightful bistros and sophisticated restaurants, this region has something for everyone. Seven Michelin-starred restaurants are within an hour's drive from Beaux Souvenirs. Here's our guide to the best dining spots in the area, along with regional specialities to look out for while exploring menus or browsing shops and markets.

A charming 3 story ivy clad mill and restaurant nestled by a serene river, surrounded by lush trees. A perfect blend of tranquility and beauty

Moulin de L'Abbeye Brantome

A mouthwatering salad on a pristine white plate, showcasing a delightful mix of crisp vegetables, leafy greens, and tangy dressing.

Where to Eat Near Beaux Souvenirs

Within walking distance.

Casa O - Mialet (500m, 5-minute walk) Our village brasserie offering Corsican-influenced cuisine. Three-course set lunch specials and Corsican-style evening meals. Sit inside, on the veranda or under shady trees. Perfect for a relaxed meal without having to drive.
Epicerie de Sarah - Mialet (400 m, 4-minute walk) serving breakfast and lunch, using local produce

More about Mialet village.

Within a 15-minute Drive

Auberge Saint Georges - Saint Jory de Chalais (5.8km) French and European cuisine
Hôtel Les Voyageurs - La Coquille (6.7 km) French and European cuisine
La Paillote de Saint-Saud - Saint-Saud Lacoussière (6.8 km) Traditional French home cooking
L'Odyssée - Saint Saud Lacoussière (6.8km) Bar and typical French snacks
Hostellerie St Jacques - Saint Saud Lacoussière (6.8km) French and European cuisine
The Fiddlers Rest - On N21 towards Périgueux (8.7km) Irish pub
La Taverne de Montbrun - Dournazac (11.9 km) French pub food
Hôtel de France - Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière (13.9 km) French and European cuisine
L'Escapade des Sens - Thiviers (14.9 km) French and European cuisine

Worth the Drive (15-35 minutes)

Temps des Mets - St Jean de Côle (15.2km) French and European cuisine in a beautiful riverside setting
Le Moulin du Roc - Champagnac de Belair near Brantôme (29km) French and European fine dining
Le Moulin de L'Abbaye - Brantôme (35.3km) Michelin-starred restaurant in a spectacular riverside mill location

Eating In at Beaux Souvenirs

Our exceptionally well-equipped kitchen is perfect for preparing your own meals using fresh local ingredients, including herbs from our garden. Pick up bread from the village bakery (6-minute walk), meats from the butcher, and fresh produce from Mialet's Tuesday morning market or the famous Wednesday market in Piegut-Pluviers (30 minutes).

Your welcome hamper includes local treats and wine to get you started, and we provide a coolbox - perfect for picnics or transporting market finds.

Local Markets

When visiting the Dordogne, please make time to explore a few of its local markets. These lively gatherings are the best places to discover fresh, seasonal produce and to see towns at their most vibrant and colourful. Markets are at their most significant and busiest in summer, though they can feel relatively quieter out of the primary season. Below you’ll find a guide to the main market days across our area. In summer, many towns also host evening marchés nocturnes, where locals and visitors come together to eat, drink, and enjoy live music under the stars.

Monday - Day off for most!
Tuesday - Mialet
Wednesday - Piegut Pluviers
Thursday - Excideuil, La Coquille
Friday - Chalus, Brantome
Saturday - Perigueux, Thiviers, Nontron
Sunday - Jumilhac, Sorges

Ask your hosts for info on local evening markets and special one-off evening foodie events.

The bustling Wednesday market in Piegut Pluviers

Regional Specialities to Try

Dordogne Favourites

Wines:

Bergerac wine - Pécharmant wines are the finest from this area, blended from Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
Monbazillac - Sweet dessert wine

Signature Dishes:

Foie gras - Fattened duck (canard) or goose (oie) liver, prepared in numerous ways, including pâtés
Confit de canard - Slow-cooked duck leg
Cassoulet - Pork, duck and white bean stew
Pommes Sarladaises - Potatoes roasted in duck fat with garlic and parsley
Salade Périgourdine - Salad with walnuts and duck gizzards
Cou d'Oie Farci - Gooseneck stuffed with goose meat
The Black Truffle of Périgord: Fresh from late November through February - look for Sauce Périgueux (truffle sauce) on menus

Other Specialities:

Cèpes - Wild mushrooms
Cabécou - Small, round, flat goat's cheese
Trappe d'Echourgnac - Hard cheese with smoky flavour and added walnut liqueur
Walnuts - Look out for liqueur, oil, cakes, biscuits and nougat
Chestnuts - Infused in honey or in black pudding
Strawberries - Gariguette, Darselect, Charlotte and Mara des Bois varieties

Sweet Treats:

Canelés - Small domed cakes made from batter and glazed
Gâteau de Roi - Flaky pie with almond paste

Traditional Dishes:

Blanc de Turbot Rôti Gnocchi à La Farine Châtaigne - Roast turbot with chestnut flour dumplings
Tourain blanchi - Garlic soup with egg whites
Velouté aux châtaignes de Périgord - Chestnut soup

Specialities of the Limousin

Limousin Favourites

Just across the border in the Limousin, look for these local treats:

Meat & Savoury:

Limousin Beef - From the famous red-brown cows
Cul Noir Pork - Famous black-bottomed pig from St Yrieix la Perche
Boudin noir - Black pudding with chestnuts
Limousin Grillons - Shredded pork flavoured with garlic and herbs
Mique - Giant dumpling cooked in stew with pork and vegetables
Potée Limousine - Meat and vegetable stew
Bréjaude - Limousin soup with bacon, potatoes and turnip

Cheese:

Calhada - Goat's cheese
Pâté de pommes de terre - Potato pie filled with crème fraîche

Sweet Treats:

Clafoutis - Batter cake filled with cherries
Cruesois - Very soft and moist hazelnut and butter cake
Madeleines - Small almond-flavoured sponge cakes
Massepains - Small golden almond biscuits

Other Specialities:

Galetou - Salted buckwheat pancakes with ham and cheese
Sweet chestnuts
Limousin apples - The only apple in France with an AOP quality label
Limousin cider and apple juice
Brive Violet mustard - Made from grape must, red wine and spices
Vin Paille - Sweet wine from dried grapes (only 50,000 bottles produced annually)

Torteau Fromager a round black topped cake made from cheese on market stall

Insert caption

Specialities of the Charente

Charente Favourites

The Charente region borders the Dordogne, and you'll find these specialities at local markets:

Drinks:

Cognac - Most famous: Courvoisier, Hennessy, Martell and Rémy Martin
Pineau des Charentes - Fortified wine made by adding unfermented grape juice to Cognac

Food:

Barbezieux chicken - Bred for flavour since the Middle Ages
Poitais - Charente lamb with delicate flavour
Chabichou du Charente - 6cm high cone-shaped goat's cheese
Torteau Fromager - Black-skinned cake made from fresh cheese
Farci Poitevin - Stuffed herb terrine with vegetables and bacon, tied in cabbage leaves
Broyé du Poitou - Sweet butter pastry cake
Charente Melon - Fragrant and juicy with orange flesh
Sauce aux Lumas - Snail sauce

A selection of garlic varieties on a market stall

Plan Your Culinary Adventure

From Michelin-starred dining to village markets and authentic regional cuisine, discover the culinary treasures of Southwest France from the comfort of Beaux Souvenirs. Centrally located in Mialet with easy access to the N21, our gîte places you within easy reach of the region's best restaurants, then welcomes you home to your private pool, peaceful garden, and exceptionally well-equipped kitchen.

Check Availability | Contact Us | View Our Accommodation