Tag Archives: holidayhome

Barn and Recreation, The Reveal is Finally Here!

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Mind and Body workouts in the Barn

The wait is over. The story we’ve been talking about for a while now — the one you’ve been curious about — is finally ready to share.


Welcome to Barn and Recreation, the brand-new heart of fun, fitness, and creativity at La Maison Louverie.


We’ve turned the old tobacco barn into a sporty, creative studio where you can be artsy, get your creativity flowing, and let off some steam.
If you’re competitive, this space is right up your alley. We’ve got a sporty corner with a home trainer, rowing machine, weights, yoga mats, and an exercise ball. So if you need a warm-up — or a cool-down — after your run, forest hike, or trail running, this is your spot.


Want to be creative? Maybe you’re finally finding the time on your holiday? Then you’ll love the large table waiting for you, equipped with tools to help you accomplish that masterpiece. It’s also great for a game of chess (very strategic, very quiet… until someone starts gloating).


With the barn doors open to the west, you get a fresh breeze and a beautiful view. Yes, we’re biased. But you’re welcome to judge for yourself.
Family and friends fun starts with a competitive game of ping-pong, rain or shine. We’ve also got a small Foosball table that doubles as a pool table or ice hockey table (sorry, no cold air included in this model). And for fans of darts — yes, we’ve got that too.


Don’t Panic: The Barn’s Supposed to Look Like This


Don’t be spooked by the state the barn is in. These barns, very well known in the area, are meant to breathe.
Until the European Union stopped subsidies for the tobacco industry about 16 years ago (between 2006 and 2010), farming tobacco was one of the major trades in the southwest of France. The big, beautiful plants had massive leaves that had to dry in an area where the wind could rustle through them, so they didn’t get moist and mouldy.
That’s exactly why the wooden planks aren’t airtight — the barn was designed to let the air flow.


Bienvenue à la Nouvelle Grange!


We’ve brought back some lovely seats and benches in the garden and beyond, so there’s even more space to relax, create, and enjoy the outdoors.


If you’re one of our guests this year or in the future, we really hope you love this addition to La Maison Louverie. We think it’s a winner in making a family and friends holiday even more complete and fun.


Let us know what you think in the comments. More new additions for the property are coming up, so follow us and subscribe.


#MakeGuestsHappy. Bienvenue!

First Day of Spring at La Maison Louverie

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It is the 21st of March, the first day of spring, and everything around La Maison Louverie is waking up. The trees are budding, the birds are getting louder, and the Dordogne light is doing that lovely thing it does when it suddenly makes everything look more hopeful.

Last week, Pontours had a soft spring mix of days and nights: cool mornings, milder afternoons, and that in-between feeling that tells you winter is finally on its way out. It is exactly the kind of weather that makes you want to open the windows, step outside, and start planning where to put the next bench.

A few spring changes behind the scenes

We also had a delivery from Chausson: 7 bags in total, made up of 6 bags of gravel and 1 bag of sand. Three of those bags are already going to work on the driveway, helping to make it smoother and giving Louverie a little extra curb appeal.

And the other three bags? Well, that is part of our still-secret project. We are thinking, planning, adjusting, and prepping as we go, because sometimes good things need a little time before they are ready to be revealed.

New places to sit, pause, and enjoy

Spring also brought us some new additions outdoors:

  • A new bench for the front of the house, perfect for poets, thinkers, writers, and of course butterfly and bee enthusiasts.
  • A bench under the old oak tree in the field, reached by following the path from the end of the garden and walking over the broad mowed lane. It is the kind of place where you sit down, look out, and suddenly decide the sunset deserves your full attention.
  • Hammocks, new seats, chairs, and a table, all helping to create more idyllic corners around the property.

For the best version of that oak tree bench? Take a glass of local wine with you. Nature and a good Dordogne bottle tend to get along very well.

The pool area is having a makeover

We are also changing the pool area, although this one asks for a little patience. There is hacking away, fencing out, rearranging, and a little battle with the cement mixer going on behind the scenes. But slowly, this corner is becoming exactly what we want it to be: a small, beautiful space in the best sunlight.

Sometimes a project looks a bit messy while it is happening. That is normal. A little patience is a virtue — especially for us.

Dates still available

If you are thinking about a spring or autumn stay, here are the dates still open:

  • 18 to 27 April
  • 10 to 14 May
  • 17 to 24 May
  • 20 to 24 June
  • From 19 September onwards

The really lovely months for booking are September and October, and if you are coming with 2, 4, or 6 guests, just inquire for an adjusted price for the spring and autumn season. http://www.lamaisonlouverie.com/cal

Why we love this time of year

Spring at La Maison Louverie is not only about new flowers and longer days. It is also about making the place more welcoming, more comfortable, and more beautiful, one little project at a time. We may not reveal everything at once, but we do promise this: there is more coming next week, including a special reveal.

So stay tuned, follow the blog, and keep an eye on this little corner of the Dordogne.

From Sunshine to Hedgehog Havens: Behind the Scenes of a Greener La Maison Louverie

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While the Dordogne sun is finally warming the soil and our terrace is calling for apéros, we’re still very much in “behind the scenes” mode at La Maison Louverie. This year, that means taking real, practical steps to make your holiday home more comfortable and more sustainable for the long term.

Part 2: Super double glazed windows, Less Energy Waste

This week we completed part 2 of our “making Louverie more eco‑friendly” with installing five new windows certified NF–FCBA ACOTHERM n°87.1 A3 E7B VA2 Uw: 1.6 incl. Periglass 25 S2 CEKAl 627.

In normal-people terms, that means:

  • Periglass 25: Brand + thickness (25 mm total glass unit).
  • S2: Safety glass class 2 – tempered or laminated for impact resistance.
  • CEKAl: French CEKAL certification mark (since 1989) guaranteeing:
    • Thermal performance (low U-value, good insulation).
    • Air/water/wind tightness (matches your NF-FCBA A3 E7B VA2 ratings).
    • Durability + quality controls on manufacturing.​
  • The Uw 1.6 value describes the overall insulation of the window; the lower this number, the better it keeps heat in.
  • 627: Internal product/reference code (thickness combo or spec variant).

In layman terms: High-quality French-certified double/triple glazing – safe, insulated, storm-proof. -Energy sufficient-

Planting a Future Park: 28 New Trees

Just as the sun started warming the ground – and just before the rain returned – we went outside with spades and muddy boots and planted 28 new trees.

Among them:

  • 14 walnut trees
  • 1 fig tree
  • 1 small pine
  • And a mix of other young trees to add variety and shade

We planted them outside the main fenced garden, with the idea of slowly creating a park‑like environment around La Maison Louverie. This will take time, of course, but each sapling is a small promise for more shade, more birds, more colour, and more life in the years to come.

Why Our Field “Chaos” Is on Purpose

If you look closely, behind the fence and further away from the property, you’ll notice something we don’t do: we don’t burn our heaps of garden waste.

Instead of sending weeds, branches and cuttings up in smoke, we:

  • Create piles of branches and green waste in selected corners.
  • Let them slowly break down and create their own micro‑climate.
  • Allow moisture to stay in the ground longer, which is very welcome in dry periods.

These piles:

  • Become a beautiful feeding and shelter area for the new trees as the material decomposes.
  • Offer a safe haven for small wildlife: hedgehogs, rabbits, insects and many other small creatures that share the land with us.

It may look a little like chaos at first glance, but nature rarely grows in straight lines. Out of this “chaos” comes a quieter kind of order – and a healthier ecosystem around the house.

Sunshine on the Roof: Our Solar Panels in Numbers

On the roof, our 32 solar panels continue to work away quietly whenever the Dordogne sun shines.

So far, they have helped us save around 2243 kg of CO₂ emissions, which is roughly equal to 90,733 km driven in a small car – kilometres powered by sunshine instead of fossil fuels. (If you’re curious, we share more about this under the “Sustainability” menu on our website.) It’s not perfect, and we are still learning, but every kilowatt-hour of solar power is one more step in the right direction.

When You Can Experience It All: 2026 Dates

When you stay at La Maison Louverie, you don’t have to choose between comfort and caring for the planet. The better windows mean a cosier house, the solar panels quietly turn Dordogne sunshine into electricity, and the “wild” corners in our field give hedgehogs and other small animals a safe place to live. You can simply enjoy your holiday, knowing that your stay supports gentle choices for this little corner of France.

If you’d like to see all this for yourself – here are the weeks we still have available in April, May and June, plus the post‑19 September period and our favorite month, October:

  • April: From 17 till the 27th
  • May: From the 10th till the 14th – the 17th till the 24th
  • June: From the 20th till the 24th – and the 29th till the 4th of July
  • From 19 September onwards:
  • October Our most beautiful month: soft light, warm days, cool nights)

You can always find the most up‑to‑date availability on our website: www.lamaisonlouverie.com

The Legend of the Dordogne River Dragon, -Le Coulobre-

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A long time ago, a legend took root in the Dordogne, France. In times of need and desperation, people always sought to look up and maintain hope – hope for a better future and hope for safety. Allow me to share a story of that hope, which was held by the ancient inhabitants of our village, long before our time.

The village of Pontours, named after the tower bridge that once stood, was, for many decades, a dreaded obstacle for merchants and travelers alike. To venture south, one had to cross the formidable Dordogne River, with Pontours and Lalinde offering two of the few shallow crossings. Despite appearing deceptively safe with its clear bottom, many attempted to traverse it by foot or boat. However, the current, already strong, used to be even more relentless, claiming the lives of hundreds. Boats would capsize, taking their passengers with them, while others would succumb to the rushing waters, unable to fight against the force. But was it solely the swift river causing such tragedies, or were the haunting tales told to children at bedtime also to blame? Could there truly have been something or someone lurking in the shallow depths of the River Dordogne?

As the legend goes, there was a cave high above the cliffs of the river where a serpent, a water dragon, or an atrocity of an unearthly reptile was living. Some people described it with fangs, vicious reptilian eyes, a skin made of armored scales, and wings – it was the most frightening thing, the Coulobre, as they called it. It kidnapped people and drew animals into its lair to devour them, leaving nothing but bones behind. The villagers were desperate and didn’t know what to do; the future looked bleak. However, where there is hope, there is a way. One brave villager took it upon himself to journey to Perigeux, the capital of the Perigord, to seek the help of a bishop.

This bishop’s name was Sir Front and he chose according to one legend violence to defeat the water dragon. He lured him with great speech out of his lair and the Coulobre appeared in front of him. He shot him, fearlessly with a bow and an arrow with fire, till the excruciating pain caused the dragon to lose his balance and plunge into the river. Another legend is that with a special sword, he was killed and Sir Front blew the last thrust into the heart of the beast before his ending. (A few different stories are told about the ending but these are the most spectacular ones). The dragon, according to this lore fell back into the waters where he roamed and killed so many and it is said that in summer when the water in the Dordogne River is very low, you could see his fossilized vertebra on the bottom of the river. But some will only see boulders or big rocks…

To thank the great Sir Front for his effort and his bravery, the people built a chapel on the steep cliff that overlooks the Dordogne River and the village of Lalinde. Bishop Front was after this known as the Holy Front or Saint Front. The little chapel got his name, as well as the next village direction Bergerac, Couze et St. Front. The chapel can still be visited and stands tall with its intriguing history in a beautiful green mossed environment. In the summer there is a Coulobre festival and you will find from time to time artwork around Lalinde in the form of a dragon. Also on the market square in Lalinde is a bustling restaurant since 1970 named after this creature.

Some people believe that long ago, St. Front didn’t kill the Coulobre. Instead, it’s said that he used his willpower to make the Coulobre stay away from human lands. The Coulobre supposedly went west and was last spotted heading towards the ocean. Legends say that the creature is now waiting for a chance to seek revenge and emerge from the depths of the Dordogne River again.

Le Coulobre, Dordogne River

How to survive the winter in the Dordogne

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Sometimes we feel completely closed off from the world here in the southwestern part of France. January is the month of – 50 Shades of Grey -. Some complain about it, but I love it. I think there is a reason why nature takes a nap when it’s cold and boring outside. It needs rest after that really busy season of hot summer that rolls in the beautiful long season of autumn. There are no 3 months straight spring, summer, autumn, or winter. And here in the forgotten world of January and the Dordogne, there is just a small nook that is registered for winter. Yes, it snows. And yes, it’s definitely cold, especially at night. But no other homecoming to the Dordogne than sniffing those smells like a haunting dog on a Sunday; all those roaring wood stoves and fireplaces with burning French oak.

If you arrive in the dark, you feel like Elon Musk built a Starfleet to Mars and you missed that ship. There will be no life -other than crossing deer, badgers, and foxes, that also had no desire to leave planet Earth-, and there will be no light; all shutters, blinds, curtains, everything that can cover up the proof of life is hidden. No sound; French people tend to stay at home in the winter evenings, drinking their homemade red wines. No terrace is occupied, and most of the restaurants have also adjusted to the hibernation of men and closed for the season. The rolling fog, coming from the Dordogne River or the Vezere when the water is warmer than the outside temperature takes over the outer banks, the valleys, and will climb up onto the hills. Leaving every sound dampened. And the world is silent.

In the morning when the world decides it’s time for a beautiful day, the sun will come out late. And after a frosty night, it can only be described as magical. Driving down the hill, direction the artist of bread and croissants in the nearby village, the river is waking up. The fog will leave the trees covered in a white breakable coat against a blue sky. Stepping into the bakery I am first in line because there are no tourists and well, the rest of the inhabitants also crawled back under the rock where their ancestors the Cromagnon came from, ages ago. They also survived winter. In their caves. With a fire to keep them warm. Nothing has changed much. We still live in, under, and in between stone walls. We changed however the open fireplace into a more efficient wood burner. I still gather wood daily, also no change there.

So if you ever decide to come to this part of the world. This gentle side of life, in winter, in our 50 Shades of Grey. Be prepared for some true peace and quiet. Smell the Dordogne fog, enjoy those calm wind-free days and drink that red wine in front of that roaring, but contained fire. Have a walk in the mossy green forests and don’t forget to bring a camera. It’s easy to survive winter, just embrace the slow steps in this nook of the year. This is how you survive winter in the Dordogne