Le Manoir St Sulpice
The Area
The village of St Sulpice d'Excideuil offers a taste of genuine France. With a population of just 335, the village offers a timeless quality with the majority of the villagers' families going back generations. It benefits from its rural location but is not isolated with city access just a short drive away.
St Sulpice d'Excideuil
The fortified 12th century church is at the heart of the village, with a small bar and bustling village shop opposite, stocking local produce, fresh bread and food essentials. You can be sure of a warm welcome from Florence and have the opportunity to test out your very best French!
Visitors to the village are welcomed to numerous events throughout the year, including concerts, the annual Randonee Gourmande ( a 10km evening walk with food and wine stops) in July and a night market in August, where alfresco dining is enjoyed under the stars, seated at long trestle tables.
There are numerous marked walks eminating from St Sulpice d'Excideuil and the other surrounding villages. We have maps you can borrow to help you explore this beautiful corner of France.
Eating Out
There are so many options for eating out here from 1*Michelin fine dining establishments to truckers cafés where a 4 course lunch with wine costs as little as €14. Previous guests recommend the following in particular:
Thiviers
Excellent and enterprising young chef producing top quality local food. As a child, he used to play in Le Manoir gardens!
5 Miles
Markets
This area is renowned for its passion for food and top-quality produce. The local town, Thiviers, is self-proclaimed as the 'Capital of foie gras' whilst the nearby village of Sorges claims to produce the best truffles in the world.
Within a short distance are also an abundance of thriving market towns, a sample list is below those highlighted are the most vibrant and interesting.
During the summer months there are also numerous Night Markets where visitors may enjoy sociable alfresco dining on long trestle tables alongside local residents.
Perigueux
24 Miles
Wednesday, Saturday
Recommended
Sarlat
45 Miles
Wednesday, Saturday
Recommended
Excideuil
5 Miles
Thursday
Recommended
Brive
45 Miles
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Thiviers
5 Miles
Saturday
Recommended
Brantôme
20 Miles
Friday
Sorges
15 Miles
Sunday
Caves
The World famous caves of Lascaux are within an hour’s drive of Le Manoir. A UNESCO world heritage site, the caves were discovered in 1940 and renowned for their Paleolithic paintings; the new interactive museum LASCAUX IV provides a good representation of the original . Closer to home, the caves at Villars (11 miles) and Tourtoirac (11 miles) are also spectacular and the former is highly recommended.
Top 10 Recommendations
Other Attractions
Limoges is synonymous with fine china and guided tours of the factories are possible. Arnac-Pompadour has a vast castle overlooking a spectacular racecourse, with horse racing on most Sundays in the summer. The Parc zoo at Reynou caters well for families as do the various farm visits available in the area.
Chateaux & Gardens
The Dordogne region is reputed to have 1001 chateaux and castles, many of which are open to the public and can be visited during the summer months. Hautefort, Jumilhac-la-Grand and Losse are all fine examples and are within easy reach.
There are also a number of impressive gardens that can be visited, among them the magnificent Jardin de Marqueyssac with its 150,000 topiary boxwoods and les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac, with its seven gardens, ranging from the white-themed garden to topiary sculptures.
Historic Towns
Brantôme, ‘The Venice of Perigord’, is an idyllic town with a Benedictine abbey founded in the 8th Century, which along with Perigueux and Sarlat-la-Caneda, offers visitors ancient beautiful buildings and vibrant streets. While St Jean de Côle is nearest of the five acclaimed ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de France’ in the area and makes an ideal stopping off place for a leisurely coffee or beer.
Activities
The Perigord Vert is the ideal region to explore, be it on foot, bicycle, canoe, horse or even velo-rail. Local tennis courts at Excideuil and Thiviers can be booked and there is a 9 hole scenic golf course nearby. The lake near St Yrieix not only has a beach and extensive children's play area, it also hosts an impressive water-skiing site. Elsewhere for those with a head for heights rock climbing or ballooning are also available.