Hello Hive!
Previously, I have shared three beautiful villages in Dordogne River Valley in France: Brantôme, Bourdeilles, and Périgueux. As the final part of this series, I will be sharing a lovely day out to remote and privately owned French Gîtes in the beautiful Dordogne region.
What is a Gîte?
A gîte is a rural accommodation better defined as a rustic cottage that serves as an inexpensive holiday home in the French countryside. The gîtes are composed of several restored or renovated old farm buildings that cater to tourists who'd like to experience authentic countryside living serenely lost in nature, in the company of animals that freely graze the valley.
In France, the most common inexpensive accommodation is a Chambre d'hote which means guest bedroom. Its international equivalent is that of a Bed and Breakfast. It's usually a fully furnished bedroom in someone's home with available linens and an ensuite bathroom inclusive of breakfast, that is charged per night stay.
A gîte on the other hand is a fully furnished self-catering cottage or house with multiple leisure activities. It could be set in a rural area like the one we visited or along the main highways or thoroughfare for short-stay travelers.
Before the pandemic, we were motivated to expand our then small business and one of the reasons we went to Europe apart from visiting family was to attend an aviation exhibition in Friedrichshafen in Germany. In this exhibition, we met several gyrocopter manufacturers and one of them invited us to attend a private fly-in event that will be held several weeks later in a French Gîte in Dordogne which was owned and organized by their french distributor in France.
The fly-in event was a gathering of recreational pilots staying overnight or for several days at the gîtes immersed in aerial activities while enjoying a holiday vibe in the company of fellow pilots. We booked to join them only for lunch since we were driving to Périgueux that same day.
Les Gîtes de Tartou
We arrived earlier than expected one cold mid-morning in the spring of 2019. The owners, Patrick and Annick who were perfect hosts greeted us as soon as we parked. I made the mistake of dressing lightly and Annick was kind enough to lend me a thick coat.
Les Gites de Tartou is located in Bussière-Badil close to Périgord Limousin Nature Park. The entire set of tiled roofs that looked like a full village is the property which they renovated in 2000, but constant improvements were being made to these traditional cottages.
One by one the guests arrived in their own vehicles while some landed with their own gyrocopters.
The first part of the morning was spent flying with the machines while those who decided to stay on the ground went around for a tour around the property.
The group gathered together afterward within this outdoor dining space shown in the above photo where aperitifs were served. Most of them were staying here for the night.
I kept myself towards the side next to my parents-in-law, listening mostly to french conversations. I replied to some questions directed at me by the friendly hosts.
I enjoyed watching this community of pilots that knew each other for a long time. There was this feeling of friendship and familial bond shared between each guest connected by their passion for flying. All I remember was feeling good around their company.
Later, we were guided towards a long hall with a long solid timber table for lunch. There were probably around twenty people.
Excellently cooked pasta was served along with salad and freshly baked baguettes. Bread baskets were passed around. There were wine glasses and conversations and laughter that filled the room.
Activities and Things to Do Here
- Hiking Trails
There are marked hiking trails from the hamlet of Tartou. Available for all levels, from 4 to 16 km in the hilly setting of the Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park. Les Gorges du Chambon is only 4 km from the hamlet of Tartou, with a hiking trail that runs under the shade along the river.
- Fishing
There's a pond nearby that's great for fishing trouts, carps, and tenches.
- Outdoor Pool and Other Activities
They have an outdoor swimming pool, a game room equipped with "baby-foot" or foosball table, a ping-pong table, and a pétanque court.
- Spend time with the Farm Animals
- Scenic Flights
They offer gyrocopter trial flights to admire the scenic bird's eye views of the beautiful landscape of Dordogne.
- Visit Castles
There are many castles to visit nearby such as La Rochefoucauld, Puycharnaud, Varaignes, Marthon, Bourdeilles, Puyguilhem, Mareuil, Jumilhac, Le Grand, Châlus, Montbrun, Massignac, Villebois Lavalette, Ballerand, and Château Rocher.
I remember being stuffed and grateful to have had the opportunity of experiencing this place and meeting these lovely people. I find this traditional cottage charming so I'm sharing it here before I end this post.
Have you stayed in a traditional gîte or a traditional cottage in France? How was it? Would you ever consider staying here or in a similar type of accommodation?
Thank you for reading and wishing you all a lovely weekend!
