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After many holidays exploring different parts of France, we discovered the Dordogne in 2007 and were completely charmed by it — the beautiful countryside, fascinating history, wonderful food and wine, and, above all, the relaxed pace of life.

We eventually decided we'd love to have a place of our own here and were lucky enough to find Coustalou. Over the years we've gradually made it our home from home, while keeping the character and charm that made us fall in love with it in the first place.

We still live and work in England, but spend our holidays here whenever we can. We love sharing Coustalou with guests and hope they enjoy not just the house, but the slower, more relaxed way of life that first drew us to this part of France.

We're also slowly improving our French — although our school French has required rather more rescuing than we'd care to admit!

Villefranche-du-Périgord sits at the southern tip of the Dordogne, close to the borders of both the Lot and Lot-et-Garonne, which makes it a wonderful base for exploring three beautiful and very different parts of southwest France.

We love being able to step outside the door and walk to the village shops, cafés, restaurants and Saturday market, while having beautiful countryside, rivers, walking trails and historic villages all around us.

There's an incredible amount to discover nearby — from castles, bastide towns and prehistoric sites to canoeing, swimming, markets and some fantastic places to eat. Sarlat, Domme, Monpazier and the impressive Château de Biron are all within easy reach, as are the beautiful Lot Valley, Puy-l'Évêque and Cahors. Head into Lot-et-Garonne and you'll find picturesque hilltop villages and bastide towns such as Monflanquin and Penne-d'Agenais. Whichever direction you choose, there are countless villages and places to discover along the way.

What really made Villefranche special for us, though, was its sense of community. It's a living, welcoming village rather than simply a holiday destination, and after all these years we still love coming back. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found Coustalou here.

What we love most about Coustalou is its location on the edge of Villefranche-du-Périgord — peaceful and private, with beautiful countryside views, yet only a few minutes' walk from the heart of the village.

The house has a secluded private terrace overlooking the valley and surrounding countryside, making it a wonderful place for breakfast, an evening meal or simply relaxing with a glass of wine and enjoying the view.

Coustalou is a characterful traditional stone house that we've gradually made into a comfortable home from home, with spacious bedrooms and king-size beds. The village shops, cafés, restaurants and Saturday market are all within easy walking distance, so it's perfectly possible to enjoy village life without having to use the car.

There's also a large outdoor swimming pool just a few minutes' walk away. Outside the summer months, the area has a completely different charm, with peaceful walks, cosy evenings around the log fire and seasonal events such as Villefranche's chestnut festival.

For us, what makes Coustalou special is that combination: peace, privacy and countryside views, with everything the village has to offer just a short walk away.