Elegant Living on the Riverbank With a Shimmering Salt-Water Pool

We love this property for the way it addresses that great rule of Location, Location, Location.

Location #1: The Dordogne itself. We've vacationed in this region since the late 1970's and we believe it's the loveliest corner of France. This is an area of exceptional natural beauty, steeped in history, glowing with sun and fine weather, with outstanding cuisine at every turn. Our fellow expats here claim, and we agree, that for certain people there's a definite magnetism here that draws you in and just doesn't let go -- kind of a mystical, visceral pull, in fact.

Location #2: Our little corner of the Dordogne. The Périgord Noir, as it's called, is the heart of the heart of the region, known for its indigenous black truffles and the black shade of the pine forests that still stand in many areas, however open to farming and scenic vistas it may be today. We have far less of the tourist-jammed traffic of the Sarlat area, 40 minutes to our east, and far more of the sumptuous tranquility which is the region's greatest asset.

Location #3: Our own plot of land. Turning our backs to the quiet little road that we're on, we overlook our own pool and gardens, and beyond that the open fields and river, with our own land blending into the neighbours' as far as the eye can see. Giant sky, total privacy. Sweet.

When we bought this property, it was a very tired working barn -- the cows were still living on its mud floor! We designed the renovation to be in harmony with the region's architectural heritage. From the street, it still looks rather like the barn is always was, with large-scale louvers around the front door to reflect the house's original heritage as a tobacco-drying barn. But from the back -- the side facing the river -- it's clearly more like the 'Relais et Chateau' properties that inspired its design. More than one friend has called our house a Tardis -- a seemingly-modest box by the road, with a whole other UNIVERSE inside and out back.

We love to cook -- elaborate meals, for lots of friends. And so we designed the kitchen to suit this joy. It's got everything you could possibly want in terms of equipment -- fish poachers, cherry pitters, cake and tart pans of all sizes, the works. And given the quality of even the most basic foodstuffs here -- from the daily farmers' markets or the superb Grand Frais shop in Bergerac and other specialty shops like Arvouet Foie Gras in Le Buisson -- well, you can cook the same recipes you use at home and come up with flavours you never thought possible! But you can also use our many French cookbooks (all in English) and cook like you've never cooked before.

What sets us apart from most other rental houses in the area is that it's really a HOME, and not a calculated, Ikea-furnished rental property. We applied some basic calm good taste to it and have decorated the house in muted colors, with subtly elegant fabrics and authentic French country antiques. When you compare us to many other properties, you won't find 'that' sofa here (as one of our guests recently exclaimed with relief)!

Further, while it's indeed our home, we always de-clutter it completely before any guests arrive, so that you're never living with any of our 'stuff' -- every closet and cupboard is completely empty and sparkling clean. No clothes, photos or toys. You're not working around us; the house is all yours when you're here. We rent HomeAway homes on our own holidays, and a key factor for us is just this -- not feeling like we're bunking in with strangers!

We want this to be your very own home away from home.