Dordogne, a jewel in the crown

The first time we saw Le Saint-Martin, it was from the air – courtesy of a pilot friend of ours. Our family had lived in Paris for many years, and it was our first trip to the Dordogne. We had already fallen in love with the sheer beauty of Southern Périgord – the gently rolling hills, the lush vineyards, the fairy-tale castles steeped in history and the unspoilt Bastide villages.

It was like a jewel in the crown...

But the sight of Le Saint-Martin took our breath away! We circled over it as it lay there sparkling in the sunshine, just as it had done for centuries. It was like a jewel in the crown... a sprawling property in blonde stone, surrounded by acres of sloping meadows and woodland. It dominated the surrounding countryside and faced the picturesque medieval village of Clermont-de-Beauregard. To our delight we discovered that the jewel was for sale! In a fit of what most people would call madness we bought it, making at the same time a momentous decision to start a new life in the Dordogne. It was a major change of lifestyle, but fifteen years later it's one we've never regretted.

One year of major renovation work was required to restore Le Saint-Martin to its former glory...

At close quarters our rural idyll turned out to be slightly less idyllic than seen from the air. One year of major renovation work was required to restore Le Saint-Martin to its former glory, although we were careful to preserve all the original features. We also added a large, South-facing infinity pool for a bit of well-deserved R & R during the hot sunny summers.

We give all our guests a warm welcome and do our utmost to ensure they enjoy a relaxing, stress-free holiday at Le Saint-Martin...

We're always happy to share our little 'jewel' with our summer guests – as owners we live separately on the property, although of course we're on hand to advise and assist. Some of our guests are looking for an action-packed holiday, and Le Saint-Martin (situated between the historic towns of Bergerac, Périgueux and Sarlat) is ideally located to do just that. Sightseeing, wine-tasting, canoeing, golf and riding are all on offer. Other guests just want to laze at the pool with a glass of wine, take leisurely walks in the three hectares of private grounds or sample the excellent local restaurants.

But whatever their tastes, we give all our guests a warm welcome and do our utmost to ensure they enjoy a relaxing, stress-free holiday at Le Saint-Martin.