Our property is early 17th century, however the origins are much earlier. The house is believed to have been a priory and shows clear signs of renaissance architecture, harping back to the time of the Templars with symbols dates carved into the stone lintels and strong evidence of fortifications taking us back to the 100 years war. In 1608, the main house was renovated and became the court house for the Château de Losse (which is one of three privately owned châteaux in the village) and the holiday rental was built as gatekeepers cottage. The two buildings are built of mellow, golden limestone, topped with "Lauze" stone-tiled roofs in a steep, curved construction achieved by stacking the tiles horizontally onto the lathes - a form of roofing entirely unique to our region. A sense of history and antiquity envelops the property, which belies its considerable modern comforts!
The village of Thonac is in the Périgord Noir, so named for its dense woodlands and its cèpe mushrooms. It is situated on the banks of the Vezère, a charming river whose valleys are now famous prehistoric sites, and which was described by the famous travel writer Johnson, as "The Dreaming Vézère" because of the way it winds its way slowly through ancient settlements. The house is uniquely situated at the edge of the village, in a quiet, verdant spot with lovely views but within walking distance of the village centre which although very small, offers interesting amenities such as two very good bar/restaurants, a well stocked grocery shop with bread depot and a boutique selling specialities which are all made from locally farmed or reared produce.