NEARBY TOWNS
Beaumont
Beaumont has a large church that is worth visiting as part of a tour of surrounding churches and abbeys (along with Montferand, St. Avit Riviere, Cadouin and Belves). It has a good supermarket and a petrol station. There is an excellent ironmongers on the narrow road up from the village square.
Markets are held in the Place Centrale in Beaumont on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Belvès
Belvès is a beautiful town perched on a hilltop and quite distinct from other surrounding towns with its beautiful faded ochre colours and turrets, perhaps more reminiscent of town in Umbria.
Belvès has a supermarket, a selection of butchers and bakers, and an outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts. The weekly market is held on Saturday and there a regular antique fairs in the summer. There are a number of interesting little bars and restaurants:
Auberge De La Nauze
05 53 28 44 81
This very pleasant family run restaurant is on the road below Belves between the roads to Siorac & Domme. With pine ceilings and big windows looking out onto pleasant grounds with stream (and car-park), La Nauze has great food but service can be slow.
Le Parfum de Mets
05 53 59 60 34
Essentially a pizzeria, this place has a terrace with a lovely view over the road to the valleys beyond. The pizzas are wafer thin and really good.
Cadouin
Cadouin is a valley village also about 8 kilometres from Le Mas. Cadouin is famous for its cloistered medieval Abbey which was home for many years to one of the reputed shrouds of Christ. The main square has a couple of bars with outdoor seating and in another adjoining square there are a number of interesting galleries and atelier. On the road out of the village towards Beaumont is a good pottery shop.
Villa Marguerite
06 16 10 34 99
This beautiful restaurant with rooms is run by lovely Caroline and Florence. With tables outside, they serve coffee and a selection of open-sandwiches with delicious toppings and a small but excellent wine selection. Or reserve a table in the evening for a special dining experience.
Domme
Domme is a stunning, walled, medieval town located on top of a steep hill overlooking the Dordogne valley and the mighty Dordogne River. On a clear day the views are breathtaking. During the summer time it is full of tourists but don’t let that put you off visiting, especially if you combine it with lunch at L’Esplanade:
L’Esplanade
05 53 28 31 41
Situated on the cliff edge with fantastic views from its terrace, L’Esplanade is great for a leisurely and classically elegant French lunch. Be sure to eat outside if the weather is good or ask for a window table if not.
Issigeac
Issigeac is a pretty medieval town on the road from Villereal to Bergerac. The square and church are worth a look and the Saturday market is excellent. Two restaurants are worth a mention:
L’Atelier
05 53 23 49 78
A fine restaurant with a focus on fresh local produce, the owners are English and the young French chef is well regarded.
La Brucelière
05 53 73 89 61
Situated on the first roundabout as you arrive from Villereal, this place gets good reviews from Michelin and other food guides.
Montferand du Perigord
A rural medieval hamlet on a hillside off the road between Beaumont and Cadouin, Montferand du Perigord is lovely but very quiet with no shops, cafés or bars. There is a very pretty little Roman chapel about a kilometre from the top of the road through the village.
Saint-Avit-Sénieur
Saint-Avit-Sénieur is a quiet little village that's home to a mostly ruined abbey, a large 11th century church containing a number of medieval frescos, and an excellent restaurant:
La Table de Léo
05 64 28 58 99
This little restaurant gets rave reviews from everyone who eats there. Well worth a visit, but you must book as it is very popular and does not have many tables. Closed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sunday evenings.
Sainte-Sabine-Born
La Gentilhommière Etincelles
05 53 74 08 79
This Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms is in a tiny hamlet between Issigeac and Beaumont. The chef Vincent Lucas has gained a great reputation for season-fresh single menu dining. Fabulous.
Siorac-en-Perigord
There is a good supermarket in Siorac and a useful hardware store. There is also a nine-hole golf course nearby.
Villereal
Villereal is, along with Monpazier, one of the best preserved bastide towns in the region. It is an attractive town and worth a stop for coffee if you are traveling south. Le Moderne on the square is good spot for a coffee or a light lunch. There is an excellent cheese and wine shop next door and a small Carrefour nearby. The largest supermarket in the whole area, an Intermarché, is just out of town on the Castillones Road. And there’s a very handy DIY store just next door to the Intermarché.