At the house

Honestly, most families barely leave. The pool is 11 m by 5 m with a shallow end and a sun deck, there is football and pétanque on the lawn, a table tennis table, a playroom with books, games and a TV, a pond with frogs to inspect, and 1.2 hectares of fenced garden to run around in. The summer kitchen means the grown-ups can cook while keeping an eye on everyone.

Water

The leisure lakes at Gurson (about 20 minutes) and Eymet have sandy beaches, supervised swimming in July and August, pedalos and snack bars. Canoeing on the Dordogne from Sainte-Foy-la-Grande is flat, safe and takes two hours with plenty of swim stops; details in the river guide. The gabare boats from Bergerac are a hit with younger children.

Castles and caves

Château de Bridoire (about 35 minutes, near Monbazillac) is the games castle: dozens of traditional wooden games in the rooms and courtyards, plus a labyrinth in the valley below. It is the best half-day out with children under 12 in the area. Château de Monbazillac has turrets to climb and a wine cellar for the adults. Further east, the Périgord Noir has the famous sights: the cliff village of La Roque-Gageac, the gardens of Marqueyssac with its viewpoint walkways, the castle of Castelnaud with its medieval war machines, and the cave paintings of Lascaux IV. Each is 1.5 to 2 hours away, so pick one for a long day out rather than trying to do them all.

Animals and nature

The Jardins de Sardy near Vélines (15 minutes) are a quiet, beautiful garden for a walk. Pony rides and riding lessons are available at stables around Sainte-Foy; ask us. The Bournat village at Le Bugue (about 1 hour 15 minutes) recreates a Périgord village of 1900 with craftsmen, animals and old-fashioned fairground rides.

Markets and ice cream

The Thursday market in Eymet and the Saturday market in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande are an outing in themselves: children choose the lunch, parents choose the wine, and everyone gets an ice cream by the river. The summer night markets are the best evening out with a group of mixed ages.

Rainy days

They are rare, but: the Aquarium du Périgord Noir at Le Bugue, the bowling and cinema in Bergerac, the indoor pool at Bergerac, and a drawer full of board games at the house.