Lovely place to stay and enjoy visiting the area. Clean, comfortable and well equipped. The terrace is a plus to relax and enjoy. Despite the heat wave, we had a great time there!
We were very pleased with our choice of Villefranche-du-Perigord, as an attractive and unspoilt French town, small but with all the amenities we wanted, in preference to one of the more well-known Dordogne places which attract more tourists. We took advantage, though, of the main Dordogne attractions, which were within easy reach. We were equally pleased with Coustalou, which was very clean and well-equipped. We especially enjoyed the spacious terrace with its views over wooded hills, where we had our breakfasts and (except when we went to a local restaurant) all of our evening meals.
Magnifique Endroit beautiful house in a quiet and relaxing village. Close to shops and enjoying absolute calm, this house has all the qualities. Furnished with great taste, it has everything you expect from a rental: comfort and amenities. In short we will come back!
The property is lovely. It had everything you could possibly want including games , books, bbq along with, every conceivable kitchen utensil. The owners provided very detailed instructions as to how to get there, how to get in, how to operate the appliances. It was brilliant. The property is in a gorgeous little village just a few metres along the road. We were also able to use the local campsite facilities too which was lovely.
This must be our/ my fifth stay at Coustalou and on each occasion there is no disappointment – even when the weather is a little cool – the peace of the home is wonderful. Let me encourage anyone looking at this site to book and come to stay at Coustalou – Villefranche du Perigord – a wonderful village with a typical Dordogne charm – the local people are most friendly and the food and wine of the area is of course excellent. I have been to stay is May this year and the weather was perfect – in 2014 we chose to stay last week May / first week in June and sometimes it falls at the end of the Spring weather – so for those who don’t like the heat this may be a good time to stay – but for myself if you like 30 degrees C and above go there in July onward s – and try the local swimming pool and sit back with some chilled white wine. Brilliant- I would live there – without doubt!!!!
A family of four, we spent two relaxing August weeks in the pretty and quiet ‘bastide’ village of Villefranche-du-Perigord located in the south-eastern corner of the Dordogne. Our holiday accommodation was le Coustalou, a cosy, traditional cottage with a small terrace at the back which overlooks the rolling wooded countryside. How lovely to hear the birds singing in the morning! The cottage has a homely feel and is very comfortable. We spent most evenings eating and playing cards outside on the terrace. The facilities worked well and there always seemed to be plenty of hot water for showering. The owners were very helpful in providing information and guidance about the area, and all the arrangements worked like clockwork. The village centre is a gentle stroll, barely five minutes away. There are two boulangeries, so no problem with fresh bread in the mornings! Two small convenience stores provide the essentials and more. Apart from the tourist office, there is also an ice cream parlour/café along the main street. The local people are friendly and we felt very welcome. One of the most charming local customs is the outdoor, communal dinner on Thursday evenings under the covered market in the village centre. A number of vendors have stalls with freshly prepared hot food and local dishes, and having made your choice, there are long tables where everyone sits to eat their food. There is the buzz of activity and conversation above the sounds and smells of cooking ‘al fresco’. A really good atmosphere! The proprietor of the nearby camp site offers access to the lovely outdoor swimming pool for the price of buying drinks on each visit and we enjoyed simple, but tasty fare, at the camp site cafe, especially welcome after a late arrival on our first day. We also enjoyed meals at two local restaurants – La Petite Auberge, on a hill up a quiet country lane, and le Café du Commerce in the market square. We had some great days out in the Dordogne and the Lot-et-Garonne départements including visits to Cahors, Villeneuve-sur-Lot, the spectacular cliff setting of Rocamadour, the cliff-top gardens of Marqueyssac, canoeing on the Dordogne, the château at Biron and the wonderfully preserved medieval town of Sarlat. This was a memorable family holiday and a taste of the real France – thank you!
I was slightly anxious on arriving in Villefranche after a long car journey across France from Caen but I need not have worried – everything was exactly as we’d been promised in the brochure. Trouble-free access to the key soon gave us entry to the property that was absolutely spotless and clearly well-maintained. We soon discovered that Le Coustalou was indeed a ‘home from home’. The next morning on our initial sortie into the village for fresh-baked bread, it became clear that Villefranche was simply perfect for our needs : an ideal retreat from the hustle and bustle of working life and offering a splendid centre from which to discover some of the hidden corners of the Dordogne. Shopping was no problem, though it must be acknowledged that large supermarkets were at a fair distance – but the journey was a small price to pay for the benefits of being in such a charming village – besides, the local shops offered most of what we wanted. For one of our party, the highlight was the relative proximity to Perigueux and the closing stage of the Tour de France but for most of us, the best times came from the chance to explore the wonderful hill-top castles and ‘bastides’ and enjoy the excellent local food and wine. There are superb opportunities for walking and exploring the local area, and for those wanting more energetic activity, much is available within a short radius of the village. A word must be given to the local restaurants which were so welcoming and thoroughly merit the stars they have earned! In fact the warmth of the locals is something that will stay in our memories – the friendly toleration of neighbours and shopkeepers who struggled to understand the manic efforts of our Australian brother-in-law as he manfully tried to resurrect his schoolboy French of 50 years ago was a sheer delight to behold! That warmth and friendliness was felt from the very outset with our contact with owners: their service was simply the best – prompt accurate information came our way and the financial arrangements were just as well organised (including the meticulous deposit refund). I could not fault it in any way. I sit now on a damp grey October evening thinking back over a wonderfully relaxing holiday, and in my imagination can still feel the warmth of the evening sun as I sit on the terrace of le Coustalou nursing a chilled glass of rose – Villefranche has worked its charm on me and I shall look back to returning at some point in the future.
This was the perfect location for a relaxing holiday in rural France. The village is well placed for lots of sightseeing in the Dordogne area. The terrace is excellent for wining and dining and the views are superb. The village is exceptionally quiet and traditional, as is the property. An excellent and relaxing stay. Many Thanks.
Everything was “just right” about this old-style house on the edge of the village. We could sit on our balcony and stare out over the hills in the twilight pretending we were alone or in minutes walk to the center of a thriving small town. Our young teenagers loved the proximity of the campground, where we were able to arrange use of the pool in exchange for buying a few drinks. The auberge at the top of the hill affords a delicious meal – though you should get there by 8:30 if you don’t want to incur a grump from Madame. All the beauties of the region are within an easy drive.
We have had a fantastic holiday at this lovely gite. We loved being so close to the village with all the amenities on our doorstep and took full advantage of all the community activities that were taking place during our stay in the market place. We enjoyed using the local campsite pool which was very good value for the price of an ice-cream or 2. The owners of the campsite were very friendly and welcoming. There were so many lovely places to visit and we enjoyed doing some of the local circular walks. We also enjoyed meals and sitting reading on the sunny terrace, with beautiful views over the countryside and even watching shooting stars late at night. Having been to many gites in France, this was by far the best- clean, well equipped and ideally located. Although there was no dishwasher, we did not find this a problem and even found we enjoyed sharing the washing up! The owners have been very helpful at every stage in the process of booking, providing detailed information and prompt responses to queries. We would definitely recommend this gite and hope to return again soon.
Many thanks for a wonderful week in Villefranche. We found the house extremely well equipped and nicely decorated throughout. The rear bedroom was a true delight, with clear views across the pastoral landscape. The jewel in the crown was the superb terrace, where we dined every breakfast and evening soaking up the ambience of the French countryside. Villefranche is a quiet town, but is just the place for getting away from it all, and is well placed for sightseeing to both the Dordogne and Lot valleys.
This rates as one of the best holidays ever! such variety in the area and we have loved being carless, taking the taxi with Monsieur Alain and the local train to various places. Perigueux market on wednesday was such a treat, Monsepron-Libos, Belves and Les Eyzies all so pretty, the Roses! everywhere they amazed us.The locals as everyone says are so friendly and helpful, weather went from 7-32, generally around 25, perfect, 3 words, tranquille, calme et belle.