FAQs
This is a list of how everything at the property works, when the markets are on.
We hope you have a wonderful time here.
If you need to contact us: bonjour@chateau-du-rayet.com or +44 (0) 7958233827
Aga
The gas hob has four burners.
To light a hob burner, push in and turn the control knobs anti-clockwise to the large flame symbol, and hold in for 3 seconds until the burner lights.
Then turn the knob to the required setting.
If the burner flame should accidentally go out, turn off the burner control and do not attempt to re-light the burner for at least one minute.
The boiling plate provides intense heat for quick boiling, stir-frying and cooking at a higher heat.
The simmering plate ensures a gentler heat perfect for simmering stews or sauces.
To turn either of these plates on:
Open the control door (middle top door)
press the on/off button (button top right, under the Aga logo)
Press the Hob Power button (top right button, looks like the lid of the boiling plate from above)
Press either the boiling plate button (top left button) or the simmering plate button (top middle button)
The roasting oven is for high-temperature cooking like roasting.
Open the control door (middle top door)
press the on/off button (button top right, under the Aga logo)
Press the Roasting Oven on/off button (button which looks like a joint of meat roasting)
Press the Up and Down buttons to get the desired temperature setting (see table below)
The simmering oven for slow cooking over 6-8 hours, keeping food warm and warming plates for short periods. Please do not place dishes directly onto the oven base, but always onto the shelf.
Open the control door (middle top door)
press the on/off button (button top right, under the Aga logo)
Press the Simmering Oven on/off button (button towards the middle bottom, which looks like a simmering saucepan)
Wait for it to heat up and stop flashing
The baking oven is for baking!
Open the control door (middle top door)
press the on/off button (button top right, under the Aga logo)
Press the Baking Oven on/off button (button bottom left of a piece of toast)
Press the Up and Down buttons to get the desired temperature setting (see table below)
The grill, please keep the door of the grill open when in use.
Fanned oven here are the cooking times:
Aeroccino
Insert the correct whisk into the bottom (with the spring for froth; without the spring for hot milk)
Fill the Aeroccino with how much milk you desire, up to the max marking for your chosen whisk
Push the button on the outside and your milk will be whisked
Air-conditioning
There is air-conditioning on the first floor of the château, in the bedrooms and the study. To operate, press the ON/OFF button and choose either Confort or Eco, and use the up and down buttons to regulate the temperature (which you’ll see on the screen, top right).
There is also air-conditioning in the atelier, which is worked by remote control. Turn it ON, and then use the up and down buttons in order to regulate the temperature.
Airports
Château du Rayet is a 30 minute drive from Bergerac airport and a 2 hour drive to Bordeaux and Toulouse airports.
ATM
Villeréal: Crédit Agricole on the main square
Beaumont: Crédit Agricole on the main square
Monpazier: Crédit Agricole, on the opposite side of the road to Bistro Deux as you drive into Monpazier
Bakeries in Villéreal:
Patiboul and co, 12 Rue Roger Bissière. Closed on Mondays.
Negro Laurent/ Boulangerie Au Four à Pain, 19 rue St Michel. Closed on Wednesdays.
Patisserie Rodot, 1 rue St Michel. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
The Intermarché and Carrefour supermarkets also sell bakery goods.
Barbecue
There is a Weber charcoal barbecue available.
Baths
Bedrooms 1 and 2 have beautiful roll-top baths for your enjoyment.
Bed linen
The gorgeous bed linen is provided, and there are 2 pillows on each bed.
Beds and bedrooms
5 of the bedrooms (4 in the château and 1 in the atelier) are double bedrooms. Another 2 are twin bedrooms.
Bikes
We recommend Aquitaine Bike, who will deliver the bikes here and then pick them up.
E-bikes can be rented from Bees in Monpazier, here are their prices in English.
Bins, compost and recycling
Compost: you can throw your left-over vegetables and fruit in the compost near the Fatboy hammocks.
The kitchen bins are divided between recycling and general rubbish. Please deposit your rubbish in the bins on our road in the direction of Villeréal. There are 4 bins there:
Glass bin for all glass bottles
Cardboard bin for cardboard boxes
Recycling for paper, packaging (cardboard, metal & plastic) & plastic bottles. Empty the contents of the yellow bin bag into the recycling bin
Other rubbish: You will need the card to open the rubbish bin – we get charged every time the fob is used, so please only use it when the bag is full.
Bonfires and outdoor fires
Please do not light any outdoor fires because of the risk of wild fires. We must apply to the Mairie 3 days in advance to have a bonfire outside between October and February. In other months outdoor fires are strictly forbidden in the Dordogne. If caught in these months or without permission results in a €1,500 fine from the gendarmerie.
Breakages
On checking out, please let us know if there are any breakages so that we can replace them. If you need something replaced during your holiday, please ask!
Canoeing
Canoeing down a river is an amazing way to explore an area, for anyone 5 years or older. We recommend organising a canoe ride in which you’re first driven upstream to your starting point, and then you canoe back down to your car in your own time. Otherwise you start by caneoing and then have to wait for a minibus to take you back to your car, which can take much more time. Here’s information about the canoeing possibilities.
Cars in France
If you are driving with your own car to Rayet, be aware that you’ll need a Crit’air sticker to drive in low-emission zones. You’ll find all the information on this government website.
Check-in
Check-in is from 4pm, please don’t arrive even a minute before as we want everything to be at its best for you and it takes us until 4pm to clean and arrange everything.
If you are delayed on the day itself, please do let me know via email or what’s app.
Check-out
Please check out by 10 a.m. on the day of your departure, when our cleaning team will need to access the property. Before you check-out, please:
put everything back where you found it (adapters, outdoor & games, books etc.)
take your rubbish and empty bottles to the public bins
run the dishwasher on quick cycle with any last items
return the keys and bin card
Chef
We are delighted to collaborate with Ruth, a fantastic private chef who is available for you to hire to cook for you at the château — see Guest Area for details.
Children
We provide two travel cots with mattresses, two high chairs in both the kitchen and summer kitchen, children’s cutlery, plates and bowls, anti-slip mats for the baths, and some books, indoor and outdoor games.
Cleaning
If you want to hire one of our cleaners to clean here during your stay, please let us know.
If you stay two weeks or longer, we will offer you a choice of:
Fresh bed linen and towels; if you would like, our cleaners will change the beds
A 4-hour clean in which our cleaning team will change the beds and towels, wipe down the bathrooms and kitchen, hoover, and do some gardening. This will take place from 10am to 2pm.
Cleaning products
Dishwasher tablets, cleaning products, bin bags, toilet paper will be provided for your use.
Coffee
There is a Nespresso coffee machine and a filter coffee machine.
Compost
Please put any veg or fruit waste in the compost bin near the Fatboy hammocks.
Dishwashers
There are two dishwashers, a full-sized one to the right of the kitchen sink, and a smaller one on the left of the kitchen sink. To use the dishwasher:
Once the dishwasher is loaded, put a dishwasher tablet in
Press the On button
Choose the function you’d like – we recommend the Auto function
Press OK
Close the door
Doctors
If you need a doctor’s appointment, try phoning the surgery in Lalinde: 0553 611038 or 0553 610310. Address: 12 AVENUE JEAN MOULIN, 24150 LALINDE
There is a lack of doctors at the moment and not all of them have the time to see non-residents.
If there is a medical emergency then call 15 and ask for either an ambulance or which A&E you can got to. Usually it’s Bergerac hospital.
Dryer and washing line
There is a dryer in the utility area, in the cupboard under the stairs on the left of the washing machine. There is a washing-line outside the side door.
To use the dryer:
Load your wet clothes into the dryer and shut the door
Turn the knob from the Off position (top middle) to your desired programme (here are the English translations)
Press the up and down keys to choose the programme settings you would like
When you have finished choosing the programmes, press the green ‘Départ – Ajouter du linge’ button and the cycle will start.
Electricity
In France the power plug sockets are of type E. The standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. This means, if you’re coming from North America, check whether your chargers and appliances are 110 V, as they’ll fry in a 230 V system!
There are UK adapters available in the houses.
Emergency numbers:
Mobile: GENERAL EMERGENCY NUMBER 112
FIRE BRIGADE 18
AMBULANCE 15
POLICE 17
Fireplaces
The snug fireplaces can be used from October to April. Help yourself to firewood in the wood store.
First Aid Kit
There is a basic First Aid Pack on the shelf by the sink in the kitchen.
Games
There are a selection of games, inflatables for the pool, a football goal, table tennis, darts, etc. for you to enjoy.
In the château there are toys and board games in the cupboard in the family room.
Golf
Chateau des Vigiers – 1 hour drive from Le Mas. Golf des Vigiers offers a 27-hole course made up of 3 combinations of 9 holes offering a variety of 18 holes for exciting rounds of golf amid plum trees, oak woods, lake and vineyards.
Golf de Lolivarie – 25 minutes from Le Mas. An exceptional setting between castles and picturesque sites, an 18-hole, 6,000-metre course with a highly varied layout and facilities for players of all levels.
Chateau les Merles – 30 minutes from Le Mas. On the edge of the beautiful Liorac forest and the Bergerac vineyards, you find Hotel Chateau les Merles Bergerac’s 2550 metres, nine hole golf course par 35.
Hairdryers
There are hairdryers in each bathroom.
Heating – the château
The château has underfloor heating on the ground floor and radiators and towel radiators on the first floor. The heating is programmed to come on automatically.
Heating – the atelier
There are radiators in the atelier and you can also use the air conditioning units to heat the space, by using the remote control (turn ON and then use the up and down button to choose the temperature).
Ice-cubes
We will ensure that the ice-cube trays in the freezers are filled with fresh water before There is an ice-cube maker in the freezer drawer in the kitchen.
If you are posting about Rayet, we’d love it if you tag us @chateaudurayet and use the location ‘Château du Rayet’
Iron and ironing board
These are in the utility area by the side door.
Markets
Sunday morning – very popular and good food markets in Issigeac and another in Saint Cyprien
Tuesday mornings – small food market in Beaumont
Wednesday mornings – a brocante in Beaumont (all day in July and August) & Bergerac and Sarlat food markets in Bergerac and Sarlat;
Thursday morning – food market in Monpazier
Saturday morning – food markets in Villeréal, Bergerac and Sarlat and a small one in Beaumont
2nd Sunday of the month – morning antiques market in Villeréal
Massages
Mariëlle is a fantastic masseuse - see Guest Area for details.
Microwave (combination oven)
To use the combi microwave/oven opposite the Aga:
Press the On button (far left)
On the screen you can choose Types of Heating (all the different oven functions) or Microwave
Nespresso
Fill the reservoir with water
Place a cup or mug under the coffee outlet
Push the slider (where the capsule goes) on the top to turn the machine on. It will start heating up
Check that the machine has lit up the correct setting, otherwise press the correct one: large circle for Lungo (110 ml); medium circle for Espresso (40 ml); or small circle for Ristretto (25 ml)
Open the slider, insert the capsule and then close it
If you would prefer a cafétiere, then please ask us for one. It is important that the coffee grains are not put down the sink, as the septic tank can’t biodegrade them.
Oven – see Aga
Parasols
Please lower and close the parasols when you’re not in the swimming pool area and at night.
Passports
To enter France from outside the EU, you must have a valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date.
We have had a guest turned back at a UK airport for having a passport older than 10 years – UK passports are valid for 10 years 6 months; EU passport for 10 years.
Petrol station
The closest is the Intermarché supermarket in Villeréal.
Pets
We do accept pets at Rayet by prior arrangement. We hope they enjoy their holiday here as much as their owners!
Pizza oven
There is an Ooni pizza oven which is great fun to use.
Turn the temperature dial to 850°F/450°C to begin pre-heating. When you hear the tone sound, the oven is ready to use
Use the dials on the oven
Slide your pizza into the oven
For best results, use your peel to take the pizza out and turn it every 20-30 seconds
Your Neapolitan-Style pizza will be ready in under 2 minutes. If you want to cook a second pizza, make sure the stone gets back up to 715°F-850°F (380°C-450°C) before launching
Pharmacy
There is a pharmacy in the centre of Villeréal, 2 Rue Saint-Michel +33553360008. Closed on Sundays and over lunchtime.
After-hours pharmacies are at Villefranche du Perigord +33553294818 or at Saint Cyprien +33553292028.
Quooker
The sink tap in the kitchen also has a Quooker which gives you instant boiling water for tea, coffee or cooking with. There is a ring above the handle – PUSH – PUSH – TURN to get boiling water. So just push it, push it and then turn it.
Security
Please ensure all windows are closed and all doors locked when you go out.
Septic tank & loo
Please only put loo paper and natural waste down the loo. The plumbing and the septic tank cannot deal with tampons, wet wipes, condoms or any other products. Sanitary products should NOT be flushed down the lavatory – a sanitary bag dispenser can be found next to the toilet, please put them in the bins provided.
If there is a blocked loo, please let us know and we will deal with it.
Shopping
Supermarkets
Villeréal has a butcher, bakery and other food shops, as well as 2 supermarkets:
Intermarché Super on the Route de Castillonnès. On Sundays they’re open from 9am to 12.30pm and on every other day from 9am to 7.30pm (except bank holidays). They also have a petrol station.
Carrefour Express on the market square (open every day from 8am to 8pm except on Sundays from 8am to 1pm).
Bergerac has 3 supermarkets, all on the Route de Bordeaux.
Leclerc is a big supermarket where you can buy everything.
Grand Frais has amazing fresh fruit and vegetables
Lidl is further down the road from Grand Frais, towards Bergerac centre, on your left.
Le Bugue has 2 good supermarkets:
Intermarché, Avenue de la Libération
Lidl is on the same road south direction Limeuil, on your right-hand side as you leave town
Beaumont has 1 supermarket and petrol station:
Intermarché, Avenue de Monpazier (on the road to Monpazier, just on the outskirts of town).
Monpazier has 2 small supermarkets in the village:
Petit Casino
Spar
Smoke alarms
If a smoke alarm goes off, please exit the building and ensure that everyone is out. Call 15 for the fire brigrade.
Smoking
Please refrain from smoking indoors.
Snakes
There are snakes in the Dordogne, the majority of which are not venomous. It is unlikely you will see a snake, even less that you will be bitten by one. If this does happen, get medical attention immediately.
Speaker – Megaboom 3
To activate the speaker, press the | button the top of the speaker; to activate the bluetooth, press the dot button on the opposite side of the top of the speaker. You can now pair your phone or laptop to the speaker by going to Bluetooth and connecting to Megaboom 3 in the list of available devices.
Swimming pool
The cover helps greatly to keep the water warm, so please cover the pool when it’s not in use, and especially at night. The pool is heated from April to October, with the preferred temperature at 28 degrees although this is dependent at the start and end of the season on the outdoor temperature.
The pool is enclosed as a security measure, please keep the door closed.
Taxi
Taxi Lassaigne is based in Villeréal, less than 5 minutes from the château. Please contact them for a quote or to reserve them.
Email: taxi.lassaigne@hotmail.fr
Telephone: +33608716218
Tennis
The tennis club in Villeréal has 2 outside courts/ 1 inside court - book at the Tourism Office.
Ticks
There are ticks here in the countryside, so if you’ve walked through long grass or through the woods, do check yourself for ticks. There is a tick-pen in the first aid kit to the left of the oven in Le Mas. Gently slide the prongs of the pen under the tick’s body and turn the pen until it is removed. If the head of the tick is still in the skin, contact the doctor.
Toiletries
You’ll find luxuriant toiletries in all the bathrooms. Compliments of the house!
Tourist tax
The Ministry of Tourism requires that we collect Tourist Tax on their behalf for all direct bookings.
Towels
There are cotton bath and hand towels provided. In the summer there are also swimming pool towels.
TV in the atelier
Use the Samsung remote control to press ON and then choose what streaming channels etc. you would like to log into.
TV in the family room
Information to follow.
TV in the snug
Use the remote control to turn the TV on, by pressing the red button top left. You can then navigate the choices to log into your streaming services.
Washing machine
The washing machine is in the cupboard under the back stairs in the utility area, on the right of the dryer. To use the washing machine:
Load your clothes into the washing machine and shut the door
Turn the knob from the Off position (top middle) to your desired programme (here are the English translations)
It is preloaded with detergent and fabric softener - no need to add!
Using the up and down arrows, choose your selection from the options in the screen:
on the left is the selected wash temperature
in the middle is the spin speed
on the right is the programme duration
When you have chosen your programme, press the green ‘Départ – Ajouter du linge’ button and the programme will start
6. Delay End button
Press this button repeatedly to cycle through the available Delay End options (from 3 hours to 19 hours in one hour increments).
The hour displayed indicates the time when the wash will finish.
7. Start/Pause button. Press this button to pause and restart a cycle.
8. Power button
Press this button once to turn the washing machine on. Then press this button again to turn it on.
If the washing machine is left on for more than 10 minutes without any buttons being operated, the power automatically turns off.
Water
The tap water is drinkable and delicious!
Wi-Fi – high-speed internet
Château du Rayet
Password: rayet47210