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Jun 8th, 2018
Stay Souillac, Enjoy Dordogne
Words: GolfPunk
Souillac Golf & Country Club attracts golfers to the Dordogne Valley from across the globe - but it's not just first-class golf the region offers the visitor.
A UNESCO biosphere reserve, the Dordogne Valley is recognised for its natural beauty, its history and its unique culture and visitor attractions.
Indeed, in a country that is the most-visited in the world, the Dordogne boasts several of the nation's top tourist attractions, including the mediaeval towns of Sarlat-la-Canéda - with its remarkably well-preserved old quarter - and the stunning clifftop Rocamadour, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the prehistoric cave paintings in Lascaux - another UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the Dordogne river itself and its tributaries.
Sarlat, a ‘Town of Art and Beauty', was founded around the ninth century and retains many of its medieval and renaissance period honey-coloured stone buildings. The spectacular Rocamadour has been a site of pilgrimage for hundreds of years and gives the impression it is teetering on the edge of the cliff - a real ‘must see' of any Dordogne trip.
Discovered only in 1940 by four teenage friends, the Lascaux cave was found to contain prehistoric wall drawings of nearly 6,000 figures: animals, humans and abstract signs. Opened to the public in 1948, it is now subject to constant monitoring to prevent deterioration.
And, if a proverbial iceberg could survive in the region's average winter temperatures of around 9°c, these few destinations would be just the tip of it.
Several villages in the region belong to Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) - an organisation designed to preserve and enhance the heritage of its members - one of which is the renowned and picture-postcard perfect La Roque-Gageac, built into the ochre-coloured cliffs on the north bank of the Dordogne.
Gastronomy is, of course, high on the list of priorities in the Dordogne - as it is right across France. Here the cuisine is based around duck and goose: confit de canard and foie gras are particularly popular delicacies, the latter often topped with black Périgord - the Dordogne's ancient name - truffles.
Walnuts are abundant in the region and are a versatile ingredient of both savoury and sweet dishes.
As for wine, courtesy of the Dordogne, the area around Bergerac is ideal for growing grapes and excellent wines are produced from vineyards on both sides of the river - in red, white and rosé varieties - the best known of which is the red pécharmant.
The Dordogne offers some spectacular settings for walks, a boat trip in a replica of a traditional gabarre fishing vessel or simply just photography, while, if energy levels are higher, canoeing down the gently flowing river, or one of its tributaries, is a relaxing, slow-paced way of enjoying the region.
And, if your idea of fun is more land than water-based - at least in theory - staying and playing at Souillac Golf & Country Club offers the best of both worlds, as it is a perfect base from which to visit the region's delights.
Set in 60 hectares of breathtaking countryside in the heart of the region, Souillac offers the perfect base for couples, groups and families to combine a relaxing golf holiday with the chance to explore the beautiful south-west of France.
Guests can take advantage of a range of savings when booking a five or seven-night stay at the picturesque resort until the end of October, with five-night, five-round half-board packages - based on four people sharing - starting from only €519 per person.
Accommodation is provided in one of the resort's spacious and well-equipped two, three and four-bedroom lodges, located in nine hamlets with each benefitting from its own swimming pool, while daily lunch or dinner in the resort's bar and brasserie ‘Restaurant du Golf' is also included along with the option to check-in on any day of the week.
Away from the fairways, guests can enjoy complimentary access to Souillac's wide variety of other sports and leisure facilities including a driving range, nine swimming pools, tennis, table tennis, boules and a children's play area.
As well as golf, hiking, kayaking, climbing, mountain-biking and horse-riding are just some of the activities that can be enjoyed nearby, while Souillac provides the gateway for visitors to discover some of the Dordogne Valley's other delights.
And getting to Souillac couldn't be easier with the resort situated within close reach of five airports - including Brive, just a 15-minute drive away - as well as being easily accessed by the motorway straight from Calais.
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