This area includes Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Sainte Germain du Puch
5 rue Saint Pierre.
Tel: 05.53.22.44.00.
Web Site: www.hoteledward1er.com/
Arjan and Marije Capelle run a top notch hotel in the very scenic town. You will feel like you are the personal guests in their home yet provided the privacy you expect from a hotel. There is great attention to detail and comfort. For example, our room was on the top floor, we don't expect old chateau buildings to be air conditioned. They they were thinking of their client's comfort and placed a small table fan in the room. That made all the difference and cooled down the room before the cooler evening air took over. We had some of our best sleeps here.
The pool is great and big rich pool towels are provided. Nice touch! Petite dejuner is sometimes served outside by the pool. Arjan has computers available if you just have to connect to the Internet.
Make sure you make a reservation for dinner. The meals are excellent. The menu differs each day and is made with fresh ingredients. Wines and food, of the region, are reasonably priced, well presented and delicious.
By car Monpazier is easy to find, if arriving by train, the Bergerac station is 40 minutes away and there is also a rail station at Belvès or Villefranche-du-Périgord station.
pl 11-novembre-1918
Tel: 05.57.24.72.39
Web Site: www.palais-cardinal.com
It can be difficult to get a good hotel in Saint-Emillion. Even through the town has become somewhat of a "day-trip" destination, there is a good amount of activity from Bordeaux and folks do camp out in this town for a few days at a time to tour the wine area.
This is one of the better choices you can make in terms of a hotel.
There are 27 rooms in this great hotel. The prices vary from reasonable to somewhat expensive so don't mind asking "do you have anything cheaper?" We did and they found us a very nice room overlooking the garden and pool area.
We ate twice at the hotel and was very satisfied with meal and the wine selection. In this area, all the wines are great. You just don't want to go broke in the process.
As a final much appreciated note, the hotel as a private garage across the street for guest parking.
September 2011 - We received a warm welcome from the owners, Jean-pierre and Danielle Caron-lys when we arrived at their quaint cottage in the Dordogne.
We were happy to see that the pictures on the web site accurately depict what you can expect. The ground level consists of a fully equipped kitchen, an antique filled dining room with a fireplace, a toilet and a bathroom with a second toilet. The living room is on the second floor with two bedrooms. The creaky floors remind you that you are staying in an ancient home typical of the area.
It was chilly in the evenings while we were there but we enjoyed having our aperitifs under the covered terrace. The Caron-lys were so nice to drop off some highly recommended wine. During dinner we enjoyed the fire that Jean-pierre had already for us.
While you are there you must feed the sheep some bread. It is hilarious to watch them all come galloping down the field when you call them. A sight not to be missed!!
Jean-pierre went out of his way before we arrived in France and helped us get a France SIM card and telephone number. We had trouble activating additional time on the phone and he took the time to investigate it and help us get this done. Don't know what we would have done without him!! He was also very helpful in giving us advice on things to see in the area and before we arrived had a list of places for the best food and wine shopping. We thoroughly enjoyed going to the Sunday morning market in St. Cyprien.
While in the area we recommend that you rent a canoe near St Cyprien. It was one of the highlights of our trip.
We look forward to returning to this lovely area and the Beauvert. FYI Enter Falcou into your GPS and it will bring you right there.
On Route D20
Sauint Germain du Puch
Tel: 05.57.24.52.35
We were driving from Saint Emilion to la Sauve to see the ruins of the great monastry, when on our return we stopped at l"Atmosphere - what a good decision that turned out to be.
This was one of the best lunches we had on the trip. We said outside in the patio. We sat at the wood tables with white table runners, surrounded with the yellow walls and blue window shutters of the main building, with the buzz of a packed restaurant and the sound of upbeat jazz from the stereo. The staff were friendly, the wine was great and the food incredible.
L'Atmosphere is on Route D20 just between the D936 and N89. Bordeaux can't be more than 30 minutes away. You have to see the ruins of the Abbaye de la Sauvre Majeare so you are going to be in this area... treat yourself. The meal and wine are very reasonably priced
Aquitaine is now part of the new region of: Nouvelle Aquitaine