80 hectares of grounds with meadows and forests stretch out all around you. Off in the distance, animals graze peacefully in the fields. Hosts Arnaud and Fabienne took over Domaine de la Valette in 2014 and offer charming gîtes in the most idyllic of settings.

A haven of peace at the heart of Périgord

Sheltered from the world, the property is a fantastic destination for anyone wanting a restful break in the countryside. Between sunning in a deckchair by the pool, picnics on the grass or visits to the Domain’s farm, every effort is made to ensure that peace and quiet reign supreme and to keep this a unique hideaway. This is the perfect spot to recharge your batteries and is ideal for nature-lovers.

 

It is hard to believe that you are close to the Dordogne’s main tourist sites: Bergerac, Sarlat, Lascaux, Saint Emilion nearby, and just 90 minutes from Bordeaux city centre, yet you are surrounded and enveloped in calm and countryside.

“When peace becomes luxury”

An authentic setting

Imagine a little hamlet of Périgord farms (some a century old) at the heart of an 80-hectare estate – and you have Domaine de la Valette. In the midst of the Domain, the six charming gîtes look out over a countryside landscape as far as the eye can see, reinforcing the feeling of timelessness.

“An authentic, welcoming place”

Your Hosts

Arnaud is a vet by training, holding a degree from ESSEC Business School in Paris. He always wanted to be a farmer and live in the countryside. The chances and opportunities thrown up by life led to him being involved in developing a veterinary products company which became number one in France and a global leader. After 25 years in the same company with responsibilities that had taken him to the position of CEO, he decided to return to his first loves: the countryside, animals and animal rearing. He is passionate about traditions and local produce.

After training at the hotel school in Thonon-les-Bains, Fabienne completed her academic career with a Master’s degree in hospitality and tourism. Although she had no particular interest in living abroad, she moved to the University of Toulouse to develop its hospitality training programme in Malaysia, one that is now famous throughout Asia. She then followed Arnaud to Budapest (Hungary) and the USA, continuing in her role as consultant and trainer (with clients including Club Med) but also working as a French teacher.

  • ferme gite charme bergerac dordogne sarlat
  • fabienn domaine de la valette perigord

A philosophy

For 25 years, Arnaud and Fabienne lived and worked all over the world including in Asia, central Europe, Latin America and the USA. They are familiar with the hectic lifestyle of stress and airports. Arnaud has fairly rural genes, but Fabienne is definitively urban – her world is the city centre. However, the two chose to settle in the Dordogne, far from the stresses of the world and closer to real values. They fell under the charm of Domaine de la Valette and decided to live their dream here, in an exceptional place to bring up their family, welcome guests from all over the world and show them the French way of life, and raise livestock in the traditional way.

“An unrivalled opportunity to get away from it all”

Life at the Domaine de la Valette in Périgord

Early birds can enjoy the numerous hiking routes around the Domain for a jog or a cycle (four bicycles are available for use) to work up an appetite.
Next, enjoy the sunny terrace of your charming gîte for a generous breakfast that you have lovingly prepared. Fabienne will already have delivered pastries and baguettes to your door.
Now it’s time to head to the market and admire the wonderfully colourful stalls offering Périgord’s gastronomic delights: preserves, foie gras, duck breast, strawberries, walnut cake, truffles, a variety of vegetables and more. If you head out along the wine route or to visit one of the many tourist destinations near the Domain, stop off for lunch in one of the delicious little restaurants which Arnaud and Fabienne can recommend.
But now it’s time for an aperitif, when you can head back and enjoy the Domain’s heated pool before a game of boules. Little ones can visit the farm to pick up the day’s fresh eggs with Arnaud.
And finally it’s dinner time! Use your house’s fully-fitted kitchen or terrace barbecue to enhance the farm’s organic meat, served with a little glass of Bergerac. What a delight!
Take a last look at the surrounding landscape as the sun sets and the horses head in, and it’s time to grab a good book and head for a deep sleep.

“The important thing in life here is just to do as you please“

The heritage farm

A very special feature of Domaine de la Valette

Domaine de la Valette in Périgord reconciles two passions: hospitality for Fabienne and livestock rearing for Arnaud, a vet by training. By developing a traditional farm on the estate, Arnaud and Fabienne are highlighting Périgord’s built and living heritage. They have chosen to rear ancient local breeds, regional breeds that need protecting and offer absolutely fantastic produce. An environmentally-friendly approach guides all that they do, and the farm holds organic farming certification.