Ref FOL/HOL/131

If the fancy takes you, you can also take art lessons with David, a professional artist.  www.paintfrance.com is the website to visit.

For further information and reservations please e mail [email protected] or telephone (from UK) 00 33 4 67 44 41 70 (in France) 04 67 44 41 70

FOL/ACT/257

Wood Turning – Tuition and Courses

Beginners courses and Intermediate and beyond………

We live and work in the Dordogne, South West France. Set midway between Angoulême, capital of the Charente and Périgueux the capital of the Dordogne, and, in our humble opinion, one of the most beautiful parts of France.

The setting of my atelier “l’ame du bois” is spectacular with uninterrupted panoramic views and an abundance of wild life. We are in the flight path of the Grue(cranes) and, you can see these massive flocks of migrating birds in early Spring going North to the Baltic and late autumn going South to Spain for the Winter. We are also with buzzards, kites and other birds of prey. Red squirrels, deer and sanglier (wild boar) occasionally make their presence known.

All courses are informal, hands on, one-to-one and aimed at your particular interests for you, the student. The pace of the course is to suit you, nobody else.

Testing the water- Come and make a bowl

“Testing the water” is designed for those who want to satisfy their curiosity and take their first step into wood turning with creating a bowl on the lathe to take away at the end of the session. Just fun !

Beginners Course for face plate turning - at a pace to suit you

On this course attention will be paid to correct tool for the job,  tool sharpening,  different turning techniques , choosing woods, finishes etc after which  you will go away with a sound understanding of wood turning and you can expect to make items such as a bowl, platter or a hollow form or all if time permits.

Intermediate and Beyond

As with all other courses, this course is structured to individual needs and aimed at those that have a sound understanding of basic practices and principles but wish to aspire to projects that require a greater level of skill. Natural edge bowls, green/wet turning, hollow forms, bowls, platters, natural edge vases are some of the things that can be built into the course.

Specialist - Large Diameter and wall sculptures

This course is for the experienced turner wanting to make a large turning and most probably has not got the facilities in their own atelier.

All courses are non-residential, but accommodation can be found near by, B&B, Chamber d’hote, hotel or campsite. A detailed list can of accommodation can be emailed to you or why not look at the Holiday Section on this web site.

If you are interested in more information on our courses or if you would like to discuss your requirements or a particular turning interest we will see if we can customise a course to suit you please use the email box on our web site (link here http://www.le-artisan.com)

See our web site www.le-artisan.com Telephone: 05 53 60 74 38 and email: [email protected]

North Dordogne

Ref DOL/HOL/18

Built around 17th century mill house in North Dordogne.

The site is situated just 4km from the RN21, halfway between Limoges and Perigueux in Northern Dordogne, an area of outstanding beauty, also known as the Perigord-Limousin Natural Park.

Nearest towns are La Coquille and Thiviers, both with shops, supermarkets, bars/restaurants and train station.

8 level pitches, grass or hard-standing with 6amp electricity and views of the lake.   

There is a modern shower block providing modern facilities and British WCs. Push button hot showers, shaving points in the male section and hairdryer points in the female section. A washing machine is situated at the rear and dishwashing and laundry sinks at the front.

The grounds afford plenty of space for playing outdoor games.

There is an outdoor table tennis table and a small above ground swimming pool, also an indoors games room with basket ball hoop and darts board for rainy days. We do not have games machines.

We organise competitions in the summer as well as run our famous barbecues, joined by locals and where we welcome people to bring their guitars and other musical instruments to join our evening soirees

The mill itself is over 2 hundred years old and houses it’s own bar and restaurant, popular with locals as well as campers, providing both English & French cuisine or even Chinese or Indian food.

 There are tables on the patio where you can eat your meals on a summer evening or sit inside and enjoy the ambience of the oak beamed interior

Telephone (from uk) 00 33 553 55 23 59 (from France) 05 53 55 23 59 or Email: [email protected]

Click HERE to see the various events held here throughout the year!

Ref FOL/ACT/229

Find a campsite/caravan site or rent a mobile home via this new holiday accommodation site.

Perhaps you fancy a small family run camp site on the edge of a village with accommodation in your own mobile home?

Or why not rent a motor home and tour France?

Whatever you choose you will benefit from the best prices, often with discounts available, booked direct with owners and benefit from an English speaking helpline.

See web site www.france-vacances.co.uk for more information.

Ref FOL/ACT/231

Lot Cycling Holidays

Enjoy a leisure cycling holiday in the beautiful and unspoilt Lot region of sunny southwest France.

Lot Cycling Holidays is a small, friendly holiday company based in the lovely area of Quercy in southwest France.

We offer active holidays for people wishing to explore this delightful part of the country - with the emphasis very much on relaxation.

There is easy-paced cycling along quiet country lanes, exploring the pretty villages, mediaeval bastide towns and dramatic vistas of this delightful and varied region.
 

We believe a cycling holiday in France should fully embrace the French way of life and so our holidays feature excellent food, plentiful wine and convivial company, all to be enjoyed in the extremely comfortable and relaxing surroundings of our lovely house in the country.

Stay at our lovely old, stone Mas (farmhouse) nestled in the tranquil, wooded countryside of the Bouriane, between the Lot and Dordogne rivers.

We supply you with a high quality touring bike with suspension seat post - for an extra comfortable ride - and 27 gears to make things as easy as possible.

It’s fitted with a clip-on front handlebar bag for you to store what you want to take with you for the day – sun cream, camera, drink - and has a map pocket on top. 
 

We’ll also give you a water bottle, pump and lock. A spare inner tube and basic tools are also provided – although we will always be nearby in the backup bus to do repairs if required.

We have mapped a series of tours designed to let you get close to the real France by exploring lovely local countryside, pretty, sleepy villages and the breathtaking, winding Lot river valley.

For more information see our web site www.lotcyclingholidays.com

Ref DOL/HOL/191

The why not try NearlyHeaven for your next holiday - see stunning scenery and the ancient cities of Limoges, Perigueux, Angouleme and La Rochelle by light aircraft!

Or end your house-hunting trip by flying over all the properties you have viewed and see them from a totally different perspective.

On offer is a great deal more than traditional self catering French farmhouse accommodation so why not join us for some flying, cycling, walking, swimming and horse riding.

We have over 5 Hectares of private land which is available to anyone staying at the farmhouse or the gîte. Additional on-site facilities include table tennis, badminton, bicycles and a 10m x 4m swimming pool.
 

Fishing permits are available for local lakes and rivers. There is a model aircraft club just up the road and a Go-carting track within 10 minutes drive. Other local attractions include porcelain factories and museums in the surrounding villages.

La Chataigneraie  This is a Traditional French farmhouse in the heart of the French countryside.

4 double bedrooms,
4 bathrooms
30ft long lounge
Kitchen with all the essential appliances
Private Swimming pool

Ideal for families, corporate holidays, training sessions or large groups

Cot and high chair available, if required.

La Porcherie The gîte is a cosy self contained property which used to be the old piggery and the bacon/ham smoking room.

Gas central heating and wood burning stove

Cot and high chair available, if required

NB Property rentals are made on a self-catering basis only

Both properties have secure broadband internet access (included in price) 

Typical spring/summer lets are for 1 or 2 weeks but we are happy to negotiate favourable rates for long-term occupation during the winter season

Ref FOL/ACT/97/DEUX SEVRES

Flash Tours

We're located 60 kms south-west of Poitiers, or 22 kms due east of Niort, in the Deux-Sevres département of France. The town is Melle, and it's great!

If you're fed up with the congestion on Britain's roads, fed up with the weather and fed up with the sheer impossibility of having any FUN anymore, then come down and see us. We'll take you out over three full days of riding to cover a total of 1,000 kms of some of the best roads you will ever ride down. In the evenings you'll be treated to a gastronomic feast while listening to your new friends bang on about their suspension settings.

The house is a three storey early 19thC town house located in the medieval town of Melle in Les Deux Sèvres. It stands in a two acre walled park with a tennis court and a swimming pool. 

There are 7 bedrooms available for visitors, most of which have both a double and a single bed, allowing for either couples or singles sharing.

We cook for and eat with our guests and the food is French and very good. The weekend is on a half-board basis and so you will get breakfast and dinner. Food and wine are locally produced and are excellent. The wine and beer that you drink with your meal is included in the overall cost for the weekend.

North Dordogne

Ref DOL/HOL/18

Built around 17th century mill house in North Dordogne.

The site is situated just 4km from the RN21, halfway between Limoges and Perigueux in Northern Dordogne, an area of outstanding beauty, also known as the Perigord-Limousin Natural Park.

Nearest towns are La Coquille and Thiviers, both with shops, supermarkets, bars/restaurants and train station.

8 level pitches, grass or hard-standing with 6amp electricity and views of the lake.   

There is a modern shower block providing modern facilities and British WCs. Push button hot showers, shaving points in the male section and hairdryer points in the female section. A washing machine is situated at the rear and dishwashing and laundry sinks at the front.

The grounds afford plenty of space for playing outdoor games.

There is an outdoor table tennis table and a small above ground swimming pool, also an indoors games room with basket ball hoop and darts board for rainy days. We do not have games machines.

We organise competitions in the summer as well as run our famous barbecues, joined by locals and where we welcome people to bring their guitars and other musical instruments to join our evening soirees

The mill itself is over 2 hundred years old and houses it’s own bar and restaurant, popular with locals as well as campers, providing both English & French cuisine or even Chinese or Indian food.

 There are tables on the patio where you can eat your meals on a summer evening or sit inside and enjoy the ambience of the oak beamed interior

Telephone (from uk) 00 33 553 55 23 59 (from France) 05 53 55 23 59 or Email: [email protected]

Click HERE to see the various events held here throughout the year!

Ref FOL/HOL/10/DORDOGNE

Situated on a small country road in the village of St Priest Les Fougères (some 300 meters up the road from our cottage) we have a lovely old Périgourdin farmhouse where we offer bed and breakfast and the option of an evening meal.

The farmhouse, some two hundred year's old, has been lovingly restored over a period of some 18 years and this is our home.

We offer 3 tastefully furnished and decorated double bedrooms (two with double beds and one with two single beds). Each room has its own private bathroom.

On warm days and hot summer evenings enjoy relaxing and dining on our lovely outside terrace.
 

Please let us know your requirements; time of year, number of people, length of stay and we 'll be happy to come back to you with a price.
 

A quiet, relaxing environment, an ideal location in which to rest and unwind.
 

An ideal base for sight-seeing, house hunting and wine tasting.
 

• Nearest Airport is at Limoges, 45 kms away serviced daily by Ryanair from London Stansted, Liverpool, the East Midlands, and by Flybe from Southampton.
• La Coquille has main line SNCF rail connections services.
• Our village of St Priest Les Fougeres (on the D79) is the highest village in the Dordogne and is located just 2.5kms from the main RN21 at La Coquille between Limoges and Perigueux.
• Within the immediate vicinity of St Priest Les Fougeres are the towns of Thiviers, Chalus, St Jean de Cole, Brantome and Jumilhac Le Grand.
• The towns of Perigueux, Limoges, Sarlat, Bergerac, Bordeaux, and the Lascaux caves at Montignac are all within a comfortable driving distance.

Email: [email protected]. 

Tel/Fax:  From the UK (00 33) 5 53 62 37 52

Tel/Fax:  In France 05 53 62 37 52 

Tel/Fax:  From USA/Canada (011 33) 5 53 62 37 52

On offer is a great deal more than traditional self catering French farmhouse accommodation so why not join us for some flying, cycling, walking, swimming and horse riding.

The horses have directly descended from "Lady Sunshine" who originated in England in the early 1970's. She was a tremendous performer over jumps and won numerous competitions in very many different equestrian disciplines.

We have over 5 Hectares of private land which is available to anyone staying at the farmhouse or the gîte. Additional on-site facilities include table tennis, badminton, bicycles and a 10m x 4m swimming pool.
 

Fishing permits are available for local lakes and rivers. There is a model aircraft club just up the road and a Go-carting track within 10 minutes drive. Other local attractions include porcelain factories and museums in the surrounding villages.
 

La Chataigneraie  This is a Traditional French farmhouse in the heart of the French countryside.

4 double bedrooms,
4 bathrooms
30ft long lounge
Kitchen with all the essential appliances
Private Swimming pool

Ideal for families, corporate holidays, training sessions or large groups

Cot and high chair available, if required.

La Porcherie The gîte is a cosy self contained property which used to be the old piggery and the bacon/ham smoking room.

Gas central heating and wood burning stove

Cot and high chair available, if required

NB Property rentals are made on a self-catering basis only

Both properties have secure broadband internet access (included in price) 

Typical spring/summer lets are for 1 or 2 weeks but we are happy to negotiate favourable rates for long-term occupation during the winter season

FOL/ACT/257

Wood Turning – Tuition and Courses

Beginners courses and Intermediate and beyond………

We live and work in the Dordogne, South West France. Set midway between Angoulême, capital of the Charente and Périgueux the capital of the Dordogne, and, in our humble opinion, one of the most beautiful parts of France.

The setting of my atelier “l’ame du bois” is spectacular with uninterrupted panoramic views and an abundance of wild life. We are in the flight path of the Grue(cranes) and, you can see these massive flocks of migrating birds in early Spring going North to the Baltic and late autumn going South to Spain for the Winter. We are also with buzzards, kites and other birds of prey. Red squirrels, deer and sanglier (wild boar) occasionally make their presence known.

All courses are informal, hands on, one-to-one and aimed at your particular interests for you, the student. The pace of the course is to suit you, nobody else.

Testing the water- Come and make a bowl

“Testing the water” is designed for those who want to satisfy their curiosity and take their first step into wood turning with creating a bowl on the lathe to take away at the end of the session. Just fun !

Beginners Course for face plate turning - at a pace to suit you

On this course attention will be paid to correct tool for the job,  tool sharpening,  different turning techniques , choosing woods, finishes etc after which  you will go away with a sound understanding of wood turning and you can expect to make items such as a bowl, platter or a hollow form or all if time permits.

Intermediate and Beyond

As with all other courses, this course is structured to individual needs and aimed at those that have a sound understanding of basic practices and principles but wish to aspire to projects that require a greater level of skill. Natural edge bowls, green/wet turning, hollow forms, bowls, platters, natural edge vases are some of the things that can be built into the course.

Specialist - Large Diameter and wall sculptures

This course is for the experienced turner wanting to make a large turning and most probably has not got the facilities in their own atelier.

All courses are non-residential, but accommodation can be found near by, B&B, Chamber d’hote, hotel or campsite. A detailed list can of accommodation can be emailed to you or why not look at the Holiday Section on this web site.

If you are interested in more information on our courses or if you would like to discuss your requirements or a particular turning interest we will see if we can customise a course to suit you please use the email box on our web site (link here http://www.le-artisan.com)

See our web site www.le-artisan.com  Telephone: 05 53 60 74 38 and email: [email protected]

Ref FOL/ACT/231

Enjoy a walking holidays in the Lot and Dordogne region of France, during the spring and early autumn. The walks are designed around the most spectacular and interesting sites of the area including Rocamadour, Sarlat, Domme, Beynac, St Cirque Lapopie; plus you will visit a selection of vineyards on the Cahors wine trail where you can partake of a little of the fantastic 'black wine'!
 

Lot Walking Holidays is a small, friendly holiday company based in the lovely area of Quercy in southwest France.

We offer active holidays for people wishing to explore this delightful part of the country - with the emphasis very much on relaxation.

Our holidays are ideal for anyone who enjoys walking mostly in quiet but stunning countryside with plenty of time to explore and discover the beautiful landscapes, interesting historical sites and fantastic gastronomy of this varied and unspoilt region.
 

Come and enjoy a 7 day/6 night walking holiday with us. We'll plan and take care of everything for you. You just get to relax and enjoy a varied and interesting holiday with fabulous food and wine in a wonderful setting.

All walks are graded easy to moderate and are between 10 and 16 kms long.
 

Stay at our lovely old, stone Mas (farmhouse) nestled in the tranquil, wooded countryside of the Bouriane, between the Lot and Dordogne rivers.

For more information see our web site www.lotcyclingholidays.com