Lazy Days in the Dordogne

We arrived at Les Bourgézies Hautes and were entranced. The photos on the website don't do it justice and it was such a delight to find that it was even better than we'd imagined. It is the best equipped holiday rental that I have ever encountered (I've experience about 6). The house is comfortable and tastefully decorated. The garden beautiful. There are a number of separate areas for eating indoors and outdoors. There is a huge fireplace in the living room which is cosy and relaxing. On the colder days the central heating was extremely efficient.
The McKennas act as invisible guardians - there when you need them, but invisible the rest of the time

We were fortunate to have fine weather our first week and the pool was immaculate.

It is a very private location but central to all perigourdean excursions. La Bugue is ideal for shopping and one has the regular farmers' markets close for every day of the week.
I couldn't recommend it more highly.
I hope to return in the future since it is such a comfortable special place.

Hello,

We came accross this property by pure chance. Only had a week to spare for holidays and wanted something different from the med.

Was a little bit unsure but booked the house. When we arrived the Owners, Ross & Gillian met us (we arrived late but they were very accomodating).

WOW is all we could say, delightfull property beautifuly and painstakingly restored by the McKennas. Everything we need was to hand and more besides. The owners were on hand when and if we needed them.

The pool can be heated for a reasonable charge and is situated away from the house so as not to distract from its period setting. It is gated and very safe. Having the pool away from the house is a bonus as the playfull ones can have fun whilst thise wanting a little more peace and quite can rest by the house in beatifull surroundings.

The house itself is very warm and cosy and has an open fire in the huge lounge and a log burner in the kitchen. Pleanty of bedrooms and an ajoining barn conversion.

The layout of the house is ideal for large groups or smaller ones. For example when we stayed my Niece and her young family occupied the attached barn, my family stayed in the main house and there is an addtional detached bedroom next to the kitchen.

This realy is a place to relax, very quiet during the day and in the evening the lack of light polution means you can see the galaxy shining above you on a clear evening.

One of the best properties we have rented, a real gem and worth every penny.

Good points, too numerous.
Bad points, not a single one.

Ideal getaway and a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of the Medeteranian and Atlantic coasts.

We have now bought a motorhome so no longer rent cottages and villas. However, this Farmhouse is Number 1 on our list should we ever decide to rent again.

Trevor & Family
STOCKPORT UK

For the first week we saw little of the lovely surrounding area as we enjoyed the beautifully kept gardens, the pool and the house itself. In the second week we explored and were rewarded with ancient towns, markets, castles, forest walks and caves.

For a family, finding a property that is quiet and safe for the kids, but also fun, can be tricky - but this property has it all. The pool is securely fenced (and discretely sited away from the house) and heated so the whole family can dive in but only when parents want them to! The gardens and surrounding fields/woods allow everyone to relax and explore at their own pace - there is no traffic nearby to worry about.

All in all we had high hopes but every aspect of the property exceeded our expectations.

M, F and kids (age 7, 5 and 3)

Les Bourgezies Hautes is simply a magical place to be.Idealy situated down it's own meandering little lane to afford complete privacy, yet only a five minute drive to the bustling little town of Le Bugue.

We were enchanted from the first moment with the house and the beautifully maintained grounds. Inside the property is welcoming and wonderfully equipped. Such a pleasant change to rent a house with a kitchen ready to use ! Oils and vinegars, herbs and spices all provided and plenty of utensils, serving dishes, pots and pans - bliss !! In the lovely comfortable sitting room, a cupboard full of games, DVDs and CDs which were particularly welcome since the first 2 days of our holiday the weather simply refused to co-operate and we were stuck indoors ! All the bedrooms were comfortable, light and airy - and 3 bath/shower rooms meant no arguments in the mornings!!

When the weather did "play ball," the gardens and the pool area were just heaven - our party consisted of adults, teenagers and 2 little boys of 6 and 7 and I can say without question that all of us loved spending time lazing in the sun and playing in the water. The lovely big table under the canopy of trees was perfect for long lunches and al fresco suppers at the end of the day.

However, we did manage to tear ourselves away to enjoy the caves 2 minutes away by car and to sample the gorgeous market on Tues which winds its way through the streets of Le Bugue. We ate in the cafes in Le Bugue and Les Eysies which is only around 10 - 15 minutes away by car.

We would definitely recommend this beautiful house, which is lovingly looked after by Gillian and Ross and would love to return ourselves in the not too distant future.

Jac, Adrian and family.

We spent 2 weeks at Les Bourgezies Hautes with our son, his wife and their 2 daughters, one aged 3 and the other 5 months. We spent a very restful holiday witih plenty of quality time for all.
The house is very suitable for this kind of group as one bedroom is self-contained on the ground floor with its own bathroom and is remote from the sound of early-waking children! The bedrooms are adaptable for different ages and air-conditioning was most welcome, especially for the children.
The house is very clean, well maintained and furnished in an ideal way for a family self-catering holiday. The kitchen is well-equipped with a real home-from-home character, including the invaluable washing machine and drier. The dining-sitting room is very comfortable and cool and well equipped.
The large garden has plenty of shade and the outdoor furnishings are ideal for eating out at different times of day and for games and relaxation. The pool is superb and cleaned daily by Ross. The whole property is very peaceful, being a good distance from neighbours without feeling too remote.
The location is very good for access to all that the Dordogne has to offer, sightseeing, walking, cycling, canooing, swimming, horse-riding etc. The local supermarket in Le Bugue is excellent as is the street market. There are several excellent restaurants in Le Bugue and more in other local villages.
The owners are most helpful and available when needed without intruding in any way. They do everthing possible to make your stay relaxing and memorable. I can find nothing negative to comment on and look forward to spending another holiday here in the future.

We were delighted when we arrived at Les Bourgezies Hautes and found it sited in such peaceful and private surroundings. The farmhouse itself was very well presented and comfortably furnished. In no time at all we felt relaxed and at home. The owners were only too happy to suggest itineraries and provide local information.
We found it a superb base from which to explore the popular and less well known sites of both the Dordogne and Vezere Valleys. We were able to drive to many of 'the most beautiful villages' of the area; see UNESCO world heritage sites; castles; bastide towns; prehistoric sites and to shop at wonderful local markets. (It was a bonus to have such a well equipped kitchen and beautiful dining room in the house.)
We could happily have stayed another week or two, to admire the architecture, bridges, rivers and forests of the area, or simply to soak up the atmosphere of the farmhouse and its gardens. We have made a promise to ourselves to return!

The house and location were everything we were hoping for and more.

After a pleasureable and hectic week in Paris, our group of Canadian friends were eager to enjoy some R & R in the country. Having the use of the swimming pool was an added joy given that the weather was warm and sunny.

The accomodations overall were wonderful. As there were six of us we all had our own bedrooms and having three bathrooms helped us a lot especially in the mornings when we were anxious to head out and explore the countryside.

Days were spent either visiting the markets for farm fresh produce, exploring the many cave dwellings, chateaus, castles and canoeing down the Drodogne River..........as a small piece of advice, believe the brochure when it says the trip will take approximately 8 hours. Our group did not and we ended up canoeing steadily for 5 1/2 hours. While beautiful, had we known the time it took, we would have packed a lunch since the two restaurants we passed on our trip were closed that day. While a little hungry when we arrived back, the experience was memorable and the scenery was fantastic.

Thanks to Ross who maintained our pool perfectly for our daily swims late in the afternoon and evenings. Also, the coffee he was able to provide us was delicious. We also enjoyed his hospitality and interesting conversations about life in France.

The restaurants we discovered on our daily trips were excellent. Unfortunately I do not recall individual names, however all we tried were delicious.

We also were able to buy groceries and wine in LeBuge so had some great dinners at the house since all the appliances and kitchen utensils were available.

A side trip worth taking is to catch the train to Bordeaux for the day. We all agreed that on our next trip to France we would like to spend more time in Bordeaux.

Again thanks for the opportunity to spend time in your lovely home and hopefully one day we will return to enjoy it once again.

Regards,
Laura, Heinz, Chris, Ann, Elisabeth and John
Toronto, Ontario
Canada