Le Baradis is situated in the hamlet of St Pardoux d'Ans which is part of the commune of St Pantaly d'Ans on the D5 between Hautefort and Périgueux. St Pardoux d'Ans is a small cluster of traditional stone houses around an old church on the Auvézère river. St Pantaly d'Ans is a pretty village on the opposite side of the river, approached via an old stone bridge and an avenue lined with pleached trees. The village has a ruined 12th century chateau and a good bar / restaurant, L'Evid d'Ans. (Lunch menu of 4 courses, wine and coffee for €11.50). The 'Ans' area is rich agricultural land with rolling landscapes of fields and woodlands.
Nearby
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The nearest villages to St Pantaly d'Ans are Cubjac, 10 minutes to the west, and Tourtoirac, approximately 7 minutes to the east. Both are very picturesque and part of the local 'scenic drive' that is way marked. Cubjac has a beautiful multi-arched medieval stone bridge over the river whilst Tourtoirac has a beautiful old medieval Abbey with gardens that run down to the river. The campsite at Les Tourterelles, just outside Tourtoirac has a swimming pool which is free to use so long as you buy a drink / icecream from the adjacent bar / restaurant. Les Tourterelles also offer horse riding. Five minutes further to the east, is the beautiful town of Hautefort, with its prestigious chateau, pretty winding streets and squares - it is also the location of the nearest supermarket and 24/7 cash point. A little further along the road from Hautefort is Saint-Robert, one of the 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'.
Excidueil is about 15 minutes from Le Baradis in the Périgord Vert and is, again, a lovely fortified town with a regular market and supermarket. Excideuil also has a public, outdoor swimming pool with a small charge to use. Sorges is the truffle capital of the Dordogne - even having a museum devoted to 'le truffe'. It also has a wonderful restaurant - 'The Auberge de la Truffe' where the signature truffle menu is available at a mere €100 per person! (More reasonable priced choices are also available.)Périgord Blanc
Heading north east from Le Baradis are Brântome and Bourdeilles. Brântome is a pretty town on an island in the middle of the river Dronne about 23 miles from Le Baradis. The abbey at Brântome is simply beautiful. The five mile drive between Brântome and Bourdeilles is very picturesque and rewards you with a pretty village with streets that wind around it's medieval chateau.
Périgueux, the capital of the Dordogne, is about 20 minutes from the house. Périgueux is an old and very beautiful town with it's origins in the Roman period. It's cathedral and surrounding winding streets and squares are now a UNESCO world heritage site. Périgueux has a daily market with the main markets being on Wednesday and Saturday. En route to Perigueux, and about 5 miles from Le Baradis is the pretty village of Le Change.
Périgord Noir
Heading south, Montignac is about 15 miles from us and is another picturesque medieval riverside town, this time situated on the Vézère river. Again it has a regular market. In the vicinity of Montignac are the pretty villages of Saint Léon-sur-Vézère and Saint Amand de Coly - both listed as amongst the 'Plus Beaux Villages de France'. Driving a further 15 miles through the stunning Vézère valley will take you to the stunning medieval town of Sarlat-le-Canéda which has more listed buildings per square kilometre than any other town in Europe. Near to Sarlat are Domme, Bèlves and La Roque-Gageac - all listed amongst France's most beautiful villages.