La Grange dans la foret is a huge 100 year old barn that forms not only a home for ourselves but also a spacious and extremely comfortable holiday gite situated in a quiet woodland setting a short drive from the amazing Bastide of Monpazier. The gite forms the lower part of half of the barn with part of our bedroom accommodation above.
Whether your ideal holiday is to relax in the private courtyard, visit the many local sights, watch the world go by from a town square or enjoy a picnic on the river bank, the variety of things to do in the area mean you can do a different thing every day.
Throughout we have tried to give the barn a homely contemporary decor which we hope you will enjoy. We have spent a long time choosing furniture in a typically French style and have tried to make it as comfortable as possible. It is all on one level with a very spacious kitchen diner with a range cooker, fridge freezer, kettle, toaster and a full comprehensive range of utensils and equipment, including a basic larder of staples. The kitchen is also equipped with dishwasher and a washing machine for the sole use of our guests.
Also within this lovely room is the lounge, it is a lovely sunny room and if you ‘do as the French do’ and keep the French doors closed during the day, the very thick stone walls will ensure the room will keep extremely cool in the summer. The lounge has a tv with video player with a variety of films (unfortunately not french tv). We also have a selection of books for you to enjoy while spending a quiet afternoon in the courtyard.
The large pretty bedroom has a king-sized bed with an orthopaedic mattress, and ample hanging and clothes storage. Leading from the bedroom is a luxurious bathroom which has a freestanding bath, separate shower, toilet and basin (Keith’s job in the UK was a kitchen and bathroom fitter so the shower is a good one!)
Both the lounge and bedroom have French doors that open on to a large sun filled walled courtyard that has a covered terrace with a table and benches for alfresco dining and gas BBQ, The courtyard is totally private also has comfortable lounger chairs and large sun shade (the perfect place for a quiet afternoon with a good book). An ideal place to enjoy the French sunshine!
We purchased this lovely old stone barn 12 years ago. It has taken us that long, during breaks from work and with the help from friends and family, to convert it into the home we enjoy today with comfortable accommodation for our guests. We are very proud of the result and hope our visitors find it as good a place to spend time to unwind as we do.
Guest access
The gite is totally self-contained with its own private courtyard. There is ample parking space outside of the courtyard. On receiving a confirmed reservation we will send a clear map giving directions. It is not difficult to find but the last thing you need at the end of a long journey is any difficulty in finding your holiday home.
To ensure the comfort of all of our guests (including those who suffer from allergies), please note we have a no pets policy for the La Grange dans la Foret gite (we do have a cat ourselves but she has never been allowed into the gite)
Interaction with guests
As we will live on-site during your stay we look after the gite ourselves we can ensure it is kept spotlessly clean. Whilst offering our guests complete privacy in the spacious courtyard we will be on hand if needed.
We hope you will find the barn well equipped with everything that you need. In addition to the usual kitchen basic larder ingredients we welcome our guests with a small welcome pack for your stay.
Local Area
We are a only a ten minute drive from the very popular and very well known Bastide village of Monpazier which has a variety of really good shops, typically French bars and many restaurants offering dining experiences ranging from pizza to fine dining. Monpazier has a large weekly market on Thursdays which is the ideal way to spend a morning either shopping or simply watching the world go by whilst enjoying a coffee at one of the cafes in the town square. During July and August Monpazier hosts numerous events including, in late July the annual nocturnal cycle race, and in August a two-day vide grenier, outdoor concerts, horse racing and an outdoor cinema. There are guided tours around the village which is an good way to learn about the history of the village..
Although there are many other beautiful places to visit in the Dordogne area, two of the most popular are the towns of Sarlat and Domme, both fantastic historical towns that offer a wealth of photo opportunities and perfect places to soak up the history. Sarlat has a large weekly market on Saturdays and has a wide variety of shops and restaurants. The square is the ideal place to watch the street entertainers whilst enjoying lunch.
If you love your garden a visit to Marqueyssac is a must! During August there is a weekly evening candlelit event with music which is very special.
A short drive from the barn is another smaller village of La Capel Biron which also has a small number of shops for essentials, plus a bar restaurant. The history of this little village is worth researching. La Capel Biron also boasts an activity centre where, for the more active, it is possible to enjoy activities such as swimming, crazy golf and a tree top adventure with zip wire.
There is an inland lake at Lougratte which is a good place to swim and relax on the surrounding beach. Alternatively swimming in the Dordogne river is popular as is the opportunity to canoe down the river, stopping off at the amazing riverside villages for a picnic as part of the day. Believe us, you do not have to be experienced in the art of rowing as going wrong is all part of the fun!
Château Biron is just one of many chateaux in the area to visit, and finally we must not forget the french wines,. Local vineyards are plentiful for sampling the local red wine of which there are too many to mention.
We are enthusiastic about the local area and hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.
Many animations await you in Monpazier
(information taken from the Tourist Office Information site):
Every Thursday morning: market.
Spring of Minou: the 2nd weekend of April - variety of bands (free concert).
Horse racing: in May.
Fête des fleurs: the 3rd Sunday in May.
Go to the gardens, Fête de la musique: in June.
Flea markets: the 2nd weekend of June, the 2nd weekend of August, the 2nd Sunday of October.
Nocturne cyclist: in July.
Vide-grenier: the 1st Sunday of July, the 1st Sunday of September.
Book festival: the 4th Sunday of July.
Horse races, Producers' market, Outdoor cinema: in July / August.
Festival l'Eté Musical in Bergerac, Adoreed: in August.
For the Love of Art, Heritage Days: in September.
But also: market with ceps (according to the shoot), market with truffles (December, January, February), excursions, archaeological exits, theater...
To know all the events planned for Monpazier, contact the Tourist Office in +33 5 53 22 68 59.
