Guest information
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. Ruth is always in great demand, so we do recommend you contact her as early as you can to avoid disappointment.
Ruth offers a range of possibilities to cook for you at the château, including spectacular dinners served in the courtyard, buffet lunches or even breakfast. Ruth is also available to do a pre-arrival shop for you if you fill in her shopping list, and she can leave a self-serve cold buffet dinner for you on your arrival day.
Ruth will go through the varied options with you to ensure that you have the best food experience during your time at the château.
Contact Ruth by email create@ruthieprivatechef.com and check out her Instagram to see her mouthwatering dishes!
Wine tasting at Rayet, and vineyard tours of Bergerac
Please contact Vince and Sue at Dordogne Valley Tours to discuss a wine tasting or vineyard tour.
Email: sip@dordognevineyardtours.com
Telephone: +33615443072
Private Vineyard Tour of Bergerac
pick up & drop off from Château du Rayet
a visit to 3 different vineyards across 3 different appellations of Bergerac
time spent with the winemakers to learn more about wine making techniques or what is happening in the vines
tastings of approx. 15-18 wines that will showcase a whole range of colours, styles and winemaking techniques
our local produce picnic lunch in a secluded spot overlooking the vines
a qualified, local host to accompany you throughout the day
All our tours are private – i.e. guests from the same group - we don’t pick up from different places to fill our van. Tours are tailored to client wishes and therefore prices can vary, however they generally stay between €135 - €170 per person depending on group numbers.
Wine Tastings at Château du Rayet
Vince can give you a 2-hour wine tasting at the château of a selection of 8 wines from across the different appellations of Bergerac that represent the many styles of the area.
You’ll start with a welcome glass of fizz during which Vince will give you an overview of Bergerac wine country including its rich history and its appellations. During the tasting itself, you’ll receive a basic introduction to tasting wine before going into more detail about each wine as the tasting progresses, like wine aging, organic & natural wines, grape-growing and climate change. The tasting is informative, relaxed and pitched at a level that ensures everyone learns something new. Questions, input and interaction are encouraged!
There will also be provided platters of local cheeses and charcuterie, water, tasting notes and a whole host of knowledge. The tasting lasts approx. 2 hours and can start any time from 12pm to 6pm.
For groups of 8 people or less there is a set price of €400.
For groups of 9+, it is €50 per person.
Restaurant recommendations
Restaurants in Villeréal, less than 5 minutes away:
Restaurants serving pizza, pasta and 1-course meals (burgers, salads etc.):
Zio Enzo serves delicious pizzas and pastas on the market square. Highly recommended. Call to reserve a table on +33553721963
La Table de l’Europe is the restaurant of the Hotel de l’Europe. It has a very reasonably priced menu du jour menu for lunch, except Sundays. Reserve via their website.
La Moderne see Google photos for menu of burgers, salads, steaks, menu du jour. Covered terrace on the square and wrapping around into a side street. Call to book a table +33553407839.
NordSud is a family-friendly restaurant serving a varied menu including poke, meat, fish and pizza, so there’s something for everyone. You can book by sending a message via their website.
L’hippocampe is a fish restaurant with both saltwater and freshwater produce. They also always have a meat dish on the menu. They have a terrace for up to 12 people outside. To book, either email [link hippocampe.villereal47@orange.fr] or call +33547990536.
Cabane d’Audrey is another fish restaurant, just opposite the pharmacy in the centre. They have a small terrace on the road. To book, either email [ link lacabanedaudrey@gmail.com] or call +33646184017.
Wine bars and cocktails in Villéreal
Fromage et Plus is a cheese and wine shop on the main square, where you can sit on their terrace and have a lovely glass of wine and a planches of cheese and charcuterie. The Hotel de l’Europe has a lovely bar, they also have live music regularly.
Restaurants with 3-course set menus and/or menu du jours (lunch set menu at a low price)
La Table de l’Europe is the restaurant of the Hotel de l’Europe. It has a very reasonably priced menu du jour menu for lunch, except Sundays, and then more expensive menus. Delicious. Reserve via their website.
L'Alvéole just off the market square, with a small terrace on the road. Set menus or à la carte. Email alveole.rst@gmail.com or call +33553716402 to book.
Lovely restaurants within 25 minutes
La Table de Léo, St Avit Senieur, 20 minutes away. Amazing French food in a very beautiful village with a UNESCO Abbey. Sitting outside is delightful, the interior is fine but doesn’t match the quality of the food. There is a booking form on their website.
L’Atelier, Issigeac, 18 minutes away. Stunning food in a lovely setting. If you go to the Sunday morning market, perhaps go to L’Atelier for lunch? There’s a contact form to book on their website.
Privilège de Périgord, Monpazier, 13 minutes away. Great food, with some seating on the street or in their delightful courtyard. Call +33553224398 to book.
Croquant, Monpazier 13 minutes away. A great lunch place with an inexpensive set menu. Some tables outside, more inside. Simple, good food. Call to book +33553226263.
Eléonore, Monpazier, 13 minutes away. The restaurant of the Hotel Edward 1er, which serves chic French food including dishes with truffle. They don’t serve lunch. Email info@hoteledward1er.com to book
Michelin-starred restaurants a little further away
Le Vieux Logis, Trémolat, 40 minutes away. Worth of its Michelin-star, this is the place to go for a special occasion. The tasting menu lunch during the week is more affordable than à la carte or their menus. You’ll either sit outside in the gorgeous garden, or inside in the beautifully designed restaurant. Call them to book.
Le Petit Léon, Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, 1 hour 10 minutes away. Another Michelin-starred restaurant which is just incredible, run by New Zealander Nick Honeyman. Well worth the long drive.
Le Gindreau, Saint Médard, 55 minutes. Run by Pascal Bardet, who worked for Alain Ducasse for 18 years. The restaurant is in an old school, both the terrace and the inside are beautiful.
Food shopping
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 – food markets in Bergerac and Sarlat; a brocante in Beaumont (all day in July and August)
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
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.
Supermarkets
Villeréal has a butcher, bakery and other food shops like Rodot, the patisserie, and the butcher, Boucherie des Gafets, 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 is on the market square and is open on Sundays from 8am to 1pm and every other day from 8am to 8pm.
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
Petrol stations in Villeréal
Intermarché Super on the Route de Castillonnès
Aire C on the outskirts of Villeréal, on the road from Villeréal to Monflanquin
Wellbeing
Massages
Mariëlle is a fantastic masseuse who can massage you in the garden under the trees, by the pool or in the château. She speaks English, French and Dutch. A 90-minute personalised holistic massage is €110. Photo available
Please contact Mariëlle directly to check her availability, please say that you are staying at Château du Rayet.
Email: mariellespee@gmail.com
Telephone and Whatsapp: +33674034031
Yoga
Katy is our yoga instructor, who draws on the traditions of Hatha, Vinyasa Flow & Iyengar yoga to create accessible yoga for all. She been practicing yoga for over two decades, and teaching since early 2017. I have experienced first hand the transformative powers of the practice, and my main motivation for teaching is to share with others the potential to experience this transformation; to help people become the best versions of themselves.
To find out more or to book Katy to give you a lesson at the Château du Rayet, please visit her website or email her on katychargeyoga@gmail.com.
Additional information
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
Extra cleaning
If you would like extra cleaning during your stay, please let us know which days and for how many hours, and we will forward your request to our cleaning team.
The surrounding area: the Dordogne and the Lot & Garonne
Château du Rayet is on the border of two Departements, the Dordogne and the Lot & Garonne, giving you a wealth of places to explore and experience.
Towns and villages
Villeréal
Our local town, less than 5 minutes away, was founded in 1269 by Alphonse de Poitiers. It was occupied by the English from 1279 to 1453. King Edward I of England signed the “Charte des Coutumes de la Cité” on 20 April 1288, which set the rules of life in the village community and fixed Saturday as the market day. The market day is still every Saturday, as it has been for nearly 750 years, around the amazing 14th century market hall.
The Tourism Office has a guided walk through the village so that you don’t miss the Leper House with its elaborate sculpted door. Recently Villeréal has been awarded the status of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, one of the prettiest villages in France.
Market: Saturday morning
Antiques market: every 2nd Sunday of the month
There are often other events going on in Villeréal, check out the events calendar of the Tourism Office.
Monflanquin
Another bastide town that is only 15 minutes away, perched on top of a hill with fantastic views over the Lède valley and to Château de Biron. It’s the original bastide, of which the other 300 in the southwest of France are based around, with two cart roads connected at regular intervals on a grid pattern with pedestrian alleys. Apparently, Chicago’s town planning was based on it! It’s worth walking around the village, which is another of the Plus Beaux Villages de France.
Monpazier
Monpazier is well worth a visit, perhaps during their weekly market on Thursday mornings. It’s a beautiful medieval bastide village founded by Edward I of England with restaurants and cafés. 12 minutes from Rayet.
Sarlat
The medieval crown jewel in the crown of the Dordogne, but packed full of tourists. Parking can be a difficult, especially on market days (Wednesday and Saturday mornings) and in the height of the summer. 1 hour’s drive from Rayet.
Historical attractions
Lascaux IV is the world-renowned cave with drawings made by prehistoric man. The real caves have had to be closed to the public for decades, so that they don’t get damaged. We advise booking tickets in advance. It’s a 1 hour 15 minute drive from Rayet.
Château de Biron is on the other side of Monpazier. Amazing views and nearly 1,000 years of history have sculpted this stone giant, offering a unique blend of medieval, Renaissance and classical architecture.
Cadouin – UNESCO Abbey and the Gothic ‘Flamboyant’ cloisters are well worth a visit.
Domme – a stunning hilltop village, well worth visiting for it’s views over the Dordogne valley. It’s also one of the plus beaux villages de France.
Château de Castelnaud, a mediaeval castle towering over the Dordogne with amazing displays of weaponry.
Château de Milandes, the home of the incredible Josephine Baker, well worth a visit. Amazing gardens, flying displays of birds of prey, and of course the story of the remarkable Josephine.
Château de Beynac is a mediaeval castle and seat of one of the four ancient baronies of the Périgord.
Château de Bonaguil - Lord Bérenger de Roquefeuil (1448-1530) devoted more than 30 years of his life to building this exemplary castle, which was inhabited until the French Revolution. It’s open every day of the year.
Gardens
Latour Marliac A water garden with waterlilies and lotuses founded in 1875 by the intrepid M. Latour Marliac. His hybrid coloured waterlilies were so modern that he exhibited them at the Paris Exhibition in 1889 at the foot of the new Eiffel Tower. Monet was so blown away by them that he ordered all his waterlilies from Latour Marliac, which he then went on to paint.
Jardins de Marqueyssac, gardens overlooking the valley of the Dordogne with beautifully clipped box hedging.
Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac are a group of 7 different gardens with the most amazing topiary.
Activities
Children’s adventure activities
Parc-en-Ciel (20 minutes) has adventure courses in the trees and a mini-golf course.
Activifun (30 minutes away) has paintballing, archery wars, target archery, bubble ball (when you wear an inflatable bubble suit and crash into each other), football darts.
Château de Bridoire (35 minutes away) is filled with different games for children of all ages.
Univerland (50 minutes) is a collection of different attractions, including an aquarium where you can feed the animals and fish, and a climbing attraction.
Aqualand (1 hour away) in Agen is a big aqua theme park.
Walygator Sud Ouest (1 hour 5 minutes away) is a theme park for all the family.
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.
Cycling and bike rental
You can rent bikes from Aquitaine Bikes who will deliver your bikes to Rayet, adjust them for you and give you a crash course on cycling around here. He’ll then pick them up at the end of your stay.
You can also hire e-bikes from Bees in Monpazier, who will also deliver to Rayet. With the amount of hills around us, you might prefer this option!
There are great cycling routes in both the Lot & Garonne and in the Dordogne
Golf
Golf de Lolivarie – 35 mins away, an exceptional setting between castles and picturesque sites, an 18-hole, 6,000-metre course.
Château les Merles – 35 mins away, on the edge of the beautiful Liorac forest and the Bergerac vineyards, 2550 metres, 9 hole golf course par 35.
Château des Vigiers – 1 hour away, offers a 27-hole course made up of 3 combinations of 9 holes offering a variety of 18 holes.
Hiking
There are other walks nearby, this website has a good selection, you can zoom out on the map to find ones further away.
Tennis
There is a tennis club in Villeréal with 2 outside courts and 1 inside court, which you can book at the Tourism Office.