Vacation Rentals by Owner

Unique Dordogne cottage

Guest: Scout (Bellingham, WA USA)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/26/11

A perfect place to relax and enjoy the peacefulness of a tiny village, yet be within easy driving distance of cave paintings, village markets, castles and canoe trips on the Dordogne. Very nicely furnished, well-equipped and managed. We highly recommend it!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing.

Fairy Tale Setting

Guest: DC Metro (Alexandria VA)
Date of Stay: 09/12/10 Review Submitted: 11/11/10

My husband and I stayed here in September with a friend and it was a great vacation. The cottage was comfortable and cozy and ideal for us. Here is what was important to us: We slept great - the beds were firm, the village was quiet; The shower was hot and water pressure was good (three people taking showers daily); Appliances were up to date, easy to use, plenty of cooking tools; Furnishings were comfortable and practical - nothing fancy - exactly what we wanted; Even though the cottage is very old, there were no mildewy smells and the temperature remained comfortable (Floors are cold, though! Wear socks!); The location of the village was ideal for exploring the area and the area is GORGEOUS. You could just head off in any random direction and find something interesting and beautiful in short order! Lastly, the owner was very helpful and cooperative when we had a last minute change of plans, and she was very prompt in refunding our deposit. We should have been so prompt in giving our rave review, since this place deserves it! We were so happy, and our (French) friend was enchanted and impressed with our choice. We would love to go back!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Charming and Real

Guest: Very happy visitor (Boston, MA )
Date of Stay: 08/27/10 Review Submitted: 02/22/11

We very much enjoyed spending our week at the cottage - it was wonderful. We loved the village and access to all the area activities. So peaceful. Canoeing down the Dordogne, visiting the caves, dinners at the night markets, reading in the garden, watching the hummingbirds, visting with Innes, wandering the charming towns, will be fond memories for us always. Visting Lascaux II and making arrangements to visit one of the caves still open for tours is a must - totally fasinating - we had arranged to visit Grotte de Font-de-Gaume in advance of our trip (just google the name) and it was a highlight of our visit. As others have noted - living in the cottage - having a home base to cook meals, sitting out on the terrace, visiting with Innes and her animals connected us to the area in a very special way. Thanks much.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Rare find in the heart of the Dordogne

Guest: Keli (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 10/12/10

My husband, our toddler son and I stayed in this charming cottage and really still can't get over what a rare find it was. Berbiguieres is such a beautiful and unique village and while there are no stores or food in the village itself, it's very convenient to everything you need. We were so close to the main points of interest along the Dordogne and filled our days with village markets, eating on the courtyard and sampling plenty of wine. Our son loved wandering through the little pathways of the village and visiting Nanu (the property manager's donkey). The cuckoo birds, hedgehogs and all the other elements of rural life were just perfect. We also made a trip to Arcachon and the Bordeaux wine country one day, which was just the right distance. Katherine was wonderful to work with in coordinating our trip and we hope to return in the future! If you haven't been to the Dordogne, you definitely need to rent a car as most things are spread out. Bike rentals are a great option too!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: barb (Phoenix Arizona)
Date of Stay: 05/25/10 Review Submitted: 06/18/10

What an experience living in a 400 year old cottage with the modern conveniences of a washing machine and microwave. We thoroughly enjoyed our week in this tiny village, yet just a 5 minute drive to St. Cyprien with all the needed services of weekly market, bakery, great tourist office and more. The cottage is exactly as advertised and very well equipped for anyone wanting to cook or eat at home. The only issue might be the steep stairs to the lower floor for anyone with problems with stairs. We easily visited many of the numerous attractions of the area and there are still more we didn't have time to get to. Maybe another visit!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful spot in the Dordogne

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

We took the TGV from Paris to Angouleme and rented a car for the aprox 2 hour dirve to Berbiguieres. Beautiful countryside most of the way. The house is well appointed and very comfortable. The little hamlet is quiet and relaxing, but 10 minutes from a decent sized town with a farmers market, 2 good bakeries, small shops, a super market and everything you could want. We were close to all the places to see, castles, canoing, biking and hiking. We recommend Frederique at CycleO in Sarlat for biking and canoing with Copeyre Canoe with a pick up in Benyac and mention Rick Steve's you get 10% off. All in all a great time, we only wish we had stayed longer!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A cozy cottage in Dordogne

Guest: JimElaine (Leawood, KS USA)
Date of Stay: 05/08/10 Review Submitted: 06/01/10

My wife and I spent a week in this cottage. We found it to be precisely as advertised. Any attempt to describe the property would be repetitious as, if you will review the descriptions and pictures that are provided, your expectations will be met. This is not a luxury property but neither does it carry a luxury price tag. We found it comfortable and a very fair value. The village is very quaint and quite. We did not discover a single commercial enterprise so you do have to travel a few miles for supplies or activities. Beyond what is apparent in the property's advertising, we further recommend this cottage for the following 2 reasons: 1. The owner is very prompt and forthcoming with the details of the rental. For instance, our deposit was refunded so promptly that it was in our mail when we returned home. 2. As with all real estate, it is location, location and location. We found this property to be centrally located to everything we wanted to tour (castles, chateaux, caves, markets, etc). So, "two thumbs up" from us on this cozy cottage!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Rodney Rich (Tubac, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 07/07/09 Review Submitted: 07/07/09

My wife and I spent a week in this lovely cottage in the Dordogne. We had a terrific time visiting the valley, the chateau's, and the Cro-magnon trail. We visited a cave with paintings that were 14,000 years old and we also enjoyed the the food and wine. This is a great place to visit.

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Guest: Jeremy D
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/31/09

The following is copied from an entry by the rentor at TripAdvisor."Please note that I'm not advertising anything, just making a suggestion for an awesome place to stay in the Dordogne. We rented a cottage in a VERY small town called Berbiguières which is very close to all the great spots along the Dordogne. The cost was very reasonable considering there was 4 of us and was the best place we stayed during our 2 weeks in France. It's a 3-5 minute drive to Saint Cyprien which has a large grocery store and an amazing Market on Sunday mornings."

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/07/08

My familiy and I stayed one week in this cottage in August 2008. The cottage is a lovely renovation in a charming little village. Staying in this little village was like steping back in time. The village is off the beaten path but well located for exploring the Dordogne. We would definitely return to this cottage. Many thanks to Katherine and David for making their cottage available. Bill, Lill, & Jennifer Aurora, Canada

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/01/08

We can only endorse many of the other positive remarks about this charming and most comfortable cottage in the Dordogne. This is not just a vacation cottage, the owners use it themselves and it has a lot of personal touches that one does not usually find in a rental. We would have liked to have had more time to just enjoy the cottage, but there are so many interesting places to visit...all easily reachable within a few hours drive at most. We have travelled in Europe quite extensively and this area of France is very special and amazingly unspoilt. Thank you Katherine and David for sharing your home with us.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Peggy & Martin (Seattle, Washington)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 07/08/07

I have lived and traveled in France many times over the last 20+ years but I've never been as relaxed and content as the last week in June at this cottage in Berbiguieres. I wish we had been there longer than a week because the charm of the village and the riches of the region continued to unfold (castles, wild mushrooms, kayaking...). I loved being in the kitchen cutting up fresh local produce while looking over other rooftops and up the meadow. There was a daily surprise, lightning over the castle, hummingbirds on the patio, glow worms on the walkways visible after midnight and one special grave in the cemetery. The cottage was charming and very well-equipped. The absence of phone, television, outside world other than radio is priceless. I still feel a bit heartsick not being there and we are thinking about when we can go to the cottage again, perhaps to see it in another season. Make sure to read the whole guestbook when you arrive; it has great information. My only real comment, the photos on this site do not do the cottage or village justice. Feel free to contact me so I can overwhelm you with more highlights.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/07 Review Submitted: 05/22/07

This cottage in Berbiguieres was wonderful. It was like being in a fairytale with its rustic wood and thick stone walls, yet had all the mnodern conveniences. The location could not have been better with nearby 16th century castles, pre-history caves with their paintings, and the beauty of the Dordogne. We look forward to going back.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/06 Review Submitted: 10/31/06

This is an ideal cottage in a perfect Dordogne village. The owners have taken pains to ensure a comfortable stay with lots of home-like extras such as a small library, good pillows, and a Weber grill on the wonderful terrace--amenities that bely the sense that you are living in the midst of long ago. V.G. Boston, MA

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Guest: C. S.
Date of Stay: 05/24/06 Review Submitted: 05/23/06

After four hectic days in Paris it was such a treat to retreat to your cottage. We absolutely love this beautiful area of France. Each morning we would find a market and buy some bread, cheese, wine and salad fixings then return "home" in the early evenings to sit on the patio and enjoy the long, lovely sunsets and Cuckoo birds. We enjoyed meeting some of you neighbors, taking long walks around the village, and your little cottage had everything we needed to be comfortable. What a fine time we had, and I certainly hope we will go back for more visits...you do have a little piece of paradise.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Terri Whitelaw (St. John's, Newfoundland)
Date of Stay: 08/01/05 Review Submitted: 08/22/05

We truly loved our time in Berbiguieres and could have spent much longer. The cottage met all of our hopes, let alone expectations, and when the personal touches extended to music, books and even cookbooks, we were enchanted. Mornings with a cup of tea, windows open, listening to the country overlaid by occasional bells will be long savoured. Evenings spent with a glass of wine, sitting on the terrace watching the glorious stone walls come alive with colour will help sustain us through dreary winter nights. The best recommendation I can give is that we have all agreed that we want return for a much longer time.

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Guest: D. R.
Date of Stay: 04/13/05 Review Submitted: 04/12/05

It's a lovely area - the village itself so peaceful and handy to everything - and we have some very good photos. D. R. 2004

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Guest: Joseph V.
Date of Stay: 04/13/05 Review Submitted: 04/12/05

As we have just returned to the states I looked with envy on the stamped envelope knowing just where you posted it from. Joseph and I very much loved the cottage. He was so very happy with the kitchen. It's not often at all that a kitchen is so complete. J. V.

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Guest: Cathy N.
Date of Stay: 04/13/05 Review Submitted: 04/12/05

Katherine -- (or Kathy as you are known in the village) Thank you so much for sharing your lovely little cottage with us. We so enjoyed our stay in Berbiguieres. And of course, all of the kindness of Ines. Our initial plan was to relax and catch our breaths from the 5 weeks of travel. But with so much to see and do in the Dordogne we joyfully changed our plans. We really feel as if we got a bit of the flavor of the area. As we arrived in Provence we both looked at each other and said that we preferred the Dordogne in many ways. C. N. 2004

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Guest: B. E.
Date of Stay: 04/13/05 Review Submitted: 04/12/05

YES -- we had an amazing time at your cottage ... in fact, it was wonderful!! The cottage was perfect -- we spent many hours relaxing at the outdoor table on the terrace, reading, drinking red wine, listening to the breeze softly rustle the grape vines. What a delightful place!! Thank you again for sharing your special place -- we loved the Dordogne and would definitely recommend your cottage in particular to anyone that we know who may travel there. B. E.

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Guest: Tom W.
Date of Stay: 04/13/05 Review Submitted: 04/12/05

… and the cottage and Berbigueres are delightful. You were right; that is an area of France that is largely unspoiled and is delightful to visit. We'd love to go back. The weather, by the way, was excellent. We several days of no clouds. Thanks for letting us rent the cottage. We loved it!! had a day of rain, and some clouds, but by and large it was sunny, not unlike today. T. W.

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