Handpicked by your hosts
This page explores our personal top 12 attractions within easy reach of Beaux Souvenirs - from prehistoric cave paintings and medieval villages to bustling weekly markets and fairytale châteaux - that give a genuine flavour of what makes this corner of Périgord Vert so worth discovering.
Some sit just over the border into the Haute-Vienne and Corrèze, but all are very much part of the landscape and culture you come here to explore. We've personally visited every one, and all are between 15 and 60 minutes away by car.
Benedictine Abbey in Brantome
Brantôme
Brantôme is probably the most visited town in the Périgord Vert, and it's easy to see why. The historic centre sits on an island almost completely surrounded by the Dronne River, earning it the nickname the Venice of the Périgord — with stone bridges, old watermills and tranquil canalside walks giving it a romantic, unhurried charm. The 8th-century abbey, founded by Charlemagne, began life as habitable caves that can be visited at night during the peak holiday season. It has a beautiful mix of medieval and Renaissance architecture and is rated among Les Plus Beaux Détours de France.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 37 minutes (36km)
Brantôme makes a perfect day trip. After exploring, enjoy lunch at one of the excellent restaurants (including one with a Michelin star) and then relax on a river cruise.
In our experience, every single guest who stays at Beaux Souvenirs makes the trip to Brantôme — and none have ever been disappointed.
Highlights:
- Benedictine Abbey includes the oldest bell tower in France and caves
- Artist Ferdinand Desmoulin Museum
- Dronne river cruise
- Canoeing and river activities
- Château de la Hierce
- Le Bimbillou Parc Industrial Heritage Museum
- Jardins Tranquille (3-minute drive nearby)
Cobbled back streets of St Jean de Cole
Saint-Jean-de-Côle
Saint-Jean-de-Côle is officially classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, and it's the kind of place that stops you in your tracks. Its ochre-coloured houses, half-timbered buildings and renowned tiled roofs make it one of the most photographed villages in the Périgord. The 12th-century Château de la Marthonie dominates the main square — and while it's private and can't be visited, right beside it stands the Romanesque-Byzantine church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which more than compensates. Its architecture is unlike that of any other church in the region, and the moment you step inside, gentle, sacred music begins to play — quietly atmospheric and completely unexpected. In summer, the church also hosts concerts, making it worth checking what's on during your stay.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 22 minutes (22km)
In May, thousands of visitors flock to buy at the famous 'Florelies' flower and plant fair. Meanwhile, throughout the year, there are numerous other events.
TIP: Why not combine with the nearby Grotte de Villars and Château Puyguilhem?
Highlights:
- Roman-Byzantine Church of St. John the Baptist
- The old bridge and the miller's house
- The priory with its cloister
- Clovis Reymond's old distillery shop
Grotte de Villars prehistoric living
Grotte de Villars
Grotte de Villars is one of the largest underground cave systems in the Périgord, with nearly 13 kilometres explored to date. Carved out by an underground river, the chambers are filled with calcite flows, fine stalactites, translucent draperies and countless stalagmites. It is the only cave in the Périgord with original prehistoric paintings alongside its natural formations. Dating back 20,000 years, the horse rotunda is particularly striking, its paintings tinted an extraordinary blue by a thin film of calcite. Unlike Lascaux, everything here is original.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 20 minutes (20km)
Outside, a trail features replica prehistoric dwellings with informative panels - a good way to round off the visit before heading to nearby Saint-Jean-de-Côle.
Highlights
- Guided tour of the cave system and original prehistoric cave art
- The bison and man scene — one of the rarest human depictions
- Stalactites, stalagmites and calcite formations
- Outdoor prehistoric settlement trail
Wednesday street market at Piegut-Pluvier
Piegut-Pluviers market
The village of Piegut-Pluviers has ancient roots - known in Gallo-Roman times as Podium Acutum - and its castle was destroyed by Richard the Lionheart in 1199, leaving only the tower standing. But the real reason it makes our top 12 is the Wednesday morning market, held here since 1642 and now one of the largest in south-west France.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 29 minutes (24km)
Sitting on the border of the Charente, you'll find produce from both departments - including the fragrant Charentaise melons - alongside crafts, antiques and brocantes (local flea-market stalls). Pull up a seat at one of the café terraces and watch the world go by. If you've flown, Beaux Souvenirs has its own coolbox - ideal for market finds.
Highlights
- Large Wednesday morning market
- Artisan foods and regional produce from the Dordogne and Charente
- Crafts, antiques and brocantes
- Café terraces for people-watching
- Tour de Piégut with panoramic views
The spectacular Chateau Jumilhac
Jumilhac-le-Grand
Jumilhac-le-Grand is a small hillside village within the Périgord-Limousin Regional Nature Park, dominated by one of the finest châteaux in the Périgord - a listed national monument whose extraordinary roofline, said to have inspired Walt Disney's castle, is unlike anything else in France. The area has a long history of gold mining stretching back to Gaulish times, and the village sits on the route followed by Richard the Lionheart and the Camino de Santiago.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 21 minutes (19km)
In summer, you can dine by the fountain, and on selected evenings, a candlelit château tour is available - highly recommended. The village also hosts excellent vide greniers (car-boot sales), where we have made some great finds!
Highlights
- 15th-century Château Jumilhac and terraced gardens
- Candlelit château tour on summer evenings
- Galerie de l'Or - gold mining exhibition with life-size mine reconstruction and gold panning in the Isle river
- River walks and hiking trails
Saint-Yrieix-La-Perche Town Hall
Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche
Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche is a medieval town in the Haute-Vienne, its name dating back to a 6th-century Christian saint, Aredius, founder of a prosperous abbey. The town and its medieval quarter are listed among Les Plus Beaux Détours de France and sit on the Richard the Lionheart Route. An economic crossroads since antiquity, it was here in the 18th century that kaolin - the white clay essential to fine porcelain -was first discovered at the nearby Marcognac quarry, making Saint-Yrieix the cradle of Limoges porcelain. The Marcognac archaeological site tells the full story of that remarkable industrial history.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 32 minutes (30km)
We love it for its mix of small independent shops specialising in wine, cheese, chocolate and porcelain, a Saturday market, and a cultural programme that punches well above the town's size.
Highlights
- 12th-century church
- Gardens of the Maison du Patrimoine
- Cultural centre with an illustrated 12th-century Bible
- MP Samie Porcelain Outlet shop
- Saturday market
- Marcognac archaeological site
The old medieval streets of Limoges
Limoges
The city of Limoges is world-famous for its porcelain — but it deserves a full day out for so much more than that, and pairs naturally with a visit to Oradour-sur-Glane, next on this list. Known as the Capital of Porcelain, it blends 13th-century history, stunning Art Deco architecture and industrial heritage into a city that rewards exploration on foot. It divides into two distinct areas: the Ville Haute, with its narrow cobbled streets, artisan boutiques, and covered market, and the Cathedral District, clustered around the magnificent Gothic Saint-Étienne Cathedral. Renoir was born here, and his paintings can be seen at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, housed in a beautiful 18th-century Bishop's Palace.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 54 minutes (49km)
The Adrien-Dubouché National Porcelain Museum houses over 18,000 works — the world's most extensive collection of Limoges porcelain — and is not to be missed. In summer, a tourist train offers a good introduction to the city before you explore on foot.
Highlights
- Saint-Étienne Cathedral and gardens
- Adrien-Dubouché National Porcelain Museum - 18,000 works
- Musée des Beaux-Arts — Renoir, enamels and history
- Les Halles Centrales — bustling covered food market
- Le Pavillon du Verdurier — 1919 Art Deco exhibition space
- Limoges Benedictine Art Deco railway station
- Bernardaud Porcelain and outlet Casseaux Oven Museum - preserved 19th-century porcelain kiln
- Resistance Museum
- Summer tourist train
The preserved village of Oradour-sur-Glane
Oradour-sur-Glane
Oradour-sur-Glane is unlike anywhere else on this list — or anywhere else in France. The village was destroyed in June 1944 by the Nazi SS, its 642 inhabitants massacred, and the buildings burnt to the ground. By order of President de Gaulle, the ruins were preserved exactly as they were left, as a permanent national memorial to the atrocities of war. Burnt-out cars, crumbling walls and empty streets remain untouched to this day, drawing around 300,000 visitors a year. It is one of the most significant memorial sites in Europe.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 50 minutes (58km)
The museum provides full historical context through headphone audio guides available in English, before you walk through the ruins themselves — a deeply moving and unforgettable experience. It pairs naturally with a day in Limoges, just a short drive away. All of our guests who have visited highly recommend it.
What to experience
- Museum with English audio guide
- Preserved village ruins — a permanent national memorial
- Self-guided exploration
St Front Cathedral Perigueux
Périgueux
Périgueux is the ancient capital of the Dordogne and a designated City of Art and History with over 2,000 years of history to explore. It is dominated by the remarkable Cathédrale Saint-Front - a UNESCO World Heritage site whose five Byzantine domes are said to have inspired the Sacré-Cœur in Paris and to be a stop on the pilgrims' route to Santiago de Compostela. The city is divided into the medieval Puy-Saint-Front quarter with its narrow streets and Renaissance buildings, and the Roman Vésone district, home to the finest Gallo-Roman remains in France.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 53 minutes (55km)
We love it for its antique shops, river setting and leafy corner cafés. Crossing the Pont des Barris over the Isle River gives some of the best views of the cathedral. The Saturday market is superb — foie gras and truffles very much centre stage - and Périgueux features six restaurants in the Michelin Guide, one holding one star.
Highlights
- Cathédrale Saint-Front - UNESCO World Heritage site
- Vesunna Gallo-Roman Museum
- Medieval Puy-Saint-Front quarter
- Maison du Pâtissier — birthplace of pâté de foie gras
- Saturday morning market
- Tourist train
Chateau de Pompadour
Arnac-Pompadour
The name Pompadour is known the world over, thanks to Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson — Madame de Pompadour, favourite of Louis XV, who gifted her the château and the title of Marquise. Today, the town is home to the Pompadour National Anglo-Arab Stud, headquarters of the French National Stud and France's principal production centre of Anglo-Arabian horses, making it an absolute must for horse lovers.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 60 minutes (55km)
One of only two racecourses in France with a château as its backdrop - the other being the world-famous Chantilly - Pompadour is a thoroughly enjoyable day out. Relaxed rather than formal, cheap to get in, and with betting via the tote. Beyond race days, the stud regularly hosts over 150 equestrian events throughout the year. A good tip: Arnac-Pompadour sits just 25 minutes beyond Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, making the two a natural pairing - though avoid combining on a Sunday or Monday when many places close.
Highlights
- Château de Pompadour
- Pompadour National Anglo-Arab Stud Racecourse — summer race meetings
- Equestrian events throughout the year
- Orangerie stables
- Puy Marmont equestrian stadium
Chateau Chalus Chabrol
Château de Chalus Chabrol
The small town of Chalus, just 15 minutes from Beaux Souvenirs, punches well above its weight historically. It was here in 1199 that Richard the Lionheart was struck by a crossbow bolt while besieging the château, dying days later — his entrails are buried in the castle chapel. The opening scene of the 1976 film Robin and Marian was set here, giving the town a second claim to fame among UK audiences.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 15 minutes (16km)
The 12th-century keep can still be climbed to the very top via rickety iron steps and cobbled stairs — so high that large birds of prey nest on the upper levels. The final staircase is so narrow you have to crouch and go sideways, emerging onto the rooftop ramparts with views that will take your breath away. Coming back down — backwards, on wobbling steps — has been known to turn legs to jelly. In the town, you'll also find the ruins of Château Chalus Maumont, a summer eco-museum, and the Hôtel Saxo, where T.E. Lawrence stayed as a student while studying 11th-century architecture. Richard the Lionheart's name runs through several entries on this list, but Chalus is where the trail ends.
Highlights
- Château de Chalus-Chabrol — the room where Richard I took his last breath
- Climb the tower for panoramic views
- Castle chapel — burial place of Richard's entrails
- Château de Chalus Maumont ruins Eco-museum (open in summer)
- Hôtel Saxo — T.E. Lawrence connection
Velorail 5-seater bikes at Cognac Sur L'isle
Vélorail du Périgord Vert
A vélorail is a small pedal-powered rail vehicle that runs on an old disused railway line — one of the more unusual and enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon in the Périgord Vert. Two people take the saddles and do the pedalling, while up to three others sit back and enjoy the ride. As a passenger in the middle, you simply go along for the journey — though you do need to keep moving, as there's usually another vélorail not far behind you.
Distance from Beaux Souvenirs: 30 minutes (26km)
The route runs between Cognac-sur-l'Isle and Thiviers through glorious countryside, via viaducts and old railway stations. The going is largely gentle, though when the pedals hit an uphill stretch, you can pay a little extra for a battery pack to give your legs a boost - a wise investment! Several different routes run throughout the season.
Highlights
- Pedal-powered railway adventure on a disused line
- Scenic Périgord Vert countryside
- Historic viaducts and old stations
Planning your visit
This list isn't an itinerary - it's a menu. Dip in and cherry-pick according to your mood, interests, and how much time you want to spend by the pool. There is no right way.
What the list does show is the remarkable diversity of this corner of France - prehistoric cave paintings, a Roman city, a Nazi massacre memorial, horse racing with a château as its backdrop, a pedal-powered railway, medieval villages and weekly markets. All within an hour's drive of Beaux Souvenirs.
This is also, quietly, one of the reasons we believe the North Dordogne outshines the south. The famous villages and châteaux of the Dordogne Noir draw enormous crowds in high summer - queues, coaches and peak-season prices. Up here in the Périgord Vert, you get the history, the culture and the beauty without any of that. The roads are quieter, the markets are more local, and the experience feels more genuinely French.
At the gîte, you'll find a folder of local leaflets covering smaller events and hidden spots that rarely make it into the guidebooks. And if you'd like a more personalised steer - where to go, when to go, what to combine - just ask.
Things to See & Do
Mialet
The charming village of Mialet is located in the Dordogne, South West France in the Aquitaine region.
Top 12 Attractions
There are many places to visit and things to do in this area. Here are your host's top 12 favourites.
What to See in Our Region
There are countless places to visit within a 2-hour radius of Mialet. Here are the main sites, including drive time and distance.
Where & What to Eat
Eating out is a fabulous experience in this part of France and there is a huge variety of establishments to choose from.
Festivals & Events
Annual calendar of festivals & events in the Dordogne and nearby departments.
Sports & Outdoors
The North Dordogne or Perigord Vert is a perfect location for those with a great affinity to the great outdoors.