You might come to La Maison Louverie, our country retreat in the Dordogne, for the peace, the green views and a well‑deserved holiday. But did you know that some of our nearby villages also exist… on Mars?
Yes, really. Brantôme, Ribérac, Sorges, Daglan – these familiar Périgord names also appear on official maps of the Red Planet, drawn up by NASA. Not as a joke, and not just because they sound pretty, but because of a very real link between our Dordogne soil and the rocks of Mars.
A little piece of Périgord on Mars
Back in the 19th century, a chemist called Pierre Berthier studied a particular olive‑green clay in our region. He named it nontronite, after the town of Nontron, north of us here at La Maison Louverie. Since then, this “Dordogne clay” has become a reference mineral for geologists around the world.
Fast‑forward to 2021. NASA’s Curiosity rover is exploring Gale Crater on Mars when scientists detect… nontronite. The very same type of clay we have here in Périgord. This clay only forms in the presence of water, which means our quiet French countryside is helping scientists prove that water once flowed on Mars.
Why Dordogne village names are on Martian maps
To map what Curiosity is seeing, NASA’s geologists cut the Martian surface into little squares and name them using places on Earth where similar rocks were first described. The area rich in nontronite is called the Nontron quadrant, and around it you’ll now find Martian zones named Brantôme, Ribérac, Sorges, Tourtoirac, Daglan and more.
One researcher from Brantôme joked online that his village is now “twinned with a rock formation on Mars”. We rather love that idea.
Visiting “our” Martian villages… right here
The good news is: you don’t need a rocket to visit these places. From La Maison Louverie, you can easily plan day trips to some of these “Martian” villages:
- Brantôme – often called the “Venice of Périgord”, with its abbey founded under Charlemagne and calm canals on the Dronne. A beautiful day out with cafés, views and gentle walks.
- Ribérac – known for its lively market and authentic Périgord atmosphere, perfect if you love local produce and people‑watching.
- Biron *chateau or Monbazillac – small, quiet and very Périgordin, ideal if you enjoy driving through the countryside and discovering places at your own pace.
You can start the day at the pool or with a coffee in the garden, then head off to explore villages that share their names with landscapes on Mars – and still be back in time to cook dinner or BBQ on the terrace or play some PingPong.
Dordogne: more than just pretty views
We already know Dordogne for its castles, caves, markets and beautiful river valleys. But under your feet, the ground here tells a much older story. The minerals and rocks studied in our region for nearly 200 years are now used by NASA to understand another planet.
We rather like the idea that while you’re reading a book in the garden at La Maison Louverie, or your dog is snoozing in the shade, somewhere far away on Mars there’s a place quietly carrying the name of a Dordogne village you might visit tomorrow.
If you’d like ideas for a “Dordogne to Mars” day out during your stay, just ask us – we’re always happy to help you plan a little adventure.
La Maison Louverie – your country retreat in the Dordogne, with a tiny link to the stars..
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