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Activities

There are many other activities to keep you occupied in and around the area, but if you want to stay at La Ferme du Lac and enjoy the wonderful surroundings, there's also plenty to do. Why not swim in our pool, play boules or badminton, or one of the other outdoor games on offer. We also have a children's play area and can arrange bike hire.

30 miles of well-marked footpaths and mountain bike trails surround La Ferme du Lac. You will be enchanted as you pass through a landscape of forests, lakes, hills and wildlife. You are unlikely to see other people but, if you are quiet, you may well spot deer, red squirrel, otter, civet cat or any one of a number of other wild animals common to our area. Since we arrived we have also spotted about 120 species of birds.

If you would like a dog to keep you company on your walk, then Wolfie will almost certainly go.

Tourist information is kept on site and we can also offer Internet access via a shared computer or WIFI access.

For when you're hungry or thirsty our Bar/Restaurant/Pizzeria, with outdoor terrace, is open for meals, snacks and drinks. Please see our Bar/Restaurant page for more information and sample menus.

During peak season we often have a welcome BBQ on Saturday nights, followed by a sing song around the camp fire. Our large communal BBQ is also available.

Wednesday night we usually fire up the pizza oven - when time allows we invite youngsters to make their own.

We also arrange karaoke, quiz nights and, occasionally, live music.

 Local activities

For the more adventurous visitor there are many activities within easy reach:-

Mountain biking, Adventure parks, Archery, Badminton, Ballooning, Bird Watching, Boating, Boules, Canoeing, Cycling, Drawing and painting, Fishing, French tuition, Go Karting, Golf, Gourmet Dining, Gym, Horse Riding, Ice Skating, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Parachuting, Rambling, Riverside Activities, Sailing, Shopping, Sightseeing, Spa, Lake Swimming, Tennis, Theme Parks, Aquariums, Tree adventure parks, Walking, Water Sports, Wind Surfing, Wine Tasting, Yoga, Grotte (caves) and other tourist attractions.

Please find below details of some of these local activities.

Fishing

We re-stocked the lake three years ago with a huge number of never before caught carp to mid-40’s. These were added to the existing stock of incredibly hard fighting French wildies which go up to about 20lb

For further details of the fishing, the prices and all other relevant information please have a look at our fishing web site at www.carpfishing-marval.com

Advice can also be given about the various coarse and game rivers and lakes in the area, including the river Bandiat (Category A - Trout), which flows through our land.

Walking and Cycling

It is difficult to describe just how fantastic this area is for those who love walking and cycling. Although, it's also pretty good for those who are content to just sit and let the world pass them by.

Bicycles can be hired from Dupuy Cycles in nearby St Mathieu. For the more experienced cyclist we have a contact who can provide very good quality racing and touring bikes.

Go-Karting and Horseriding

There are two places in the area where go-karting circuits can be found. One is in nearby Chalus and the other is in Javerlhac - both places are about a 20 minutes drive away. Our nearest Horse-riding stables’ is at St Estephe, a 15 minute drive away. There are also stables in Cussac, a 20-minute drive away.

Lake Swimming and Canoeing

There are a number of lakes close by where you can swim, canoe, walk, play or just generally laze around.

The closest one is St Estephe (15 minutes drive), which has recently been improved to a very high standard. The extensive facilities are well maintained and there are a couple of well priced snack bars. They even provide kayaks for free. Canoeing is also available on the River Drone in Brantome. For the more adventurous, this is an excellent day out.

Chateaux and Caves

Chateaux are numerous in this area. Our favourites are Chateau Montbron, where Richard the Lion Heart is said to have died, Chateau Bordeilles on the Drone river, which is just outside Brantome and is situated in the very picturesque village of Bordeilles, and Chateau Puyguillem, which is close to Grotte de Villars - a superb set of caves discovered in the 1950's. The very famous caves of Lascaux are a 2 hour drive south.

Golf

There are five golf courses in the area. Prices are somewhat cheaper and teeing off times can be arranged to suit you, as courses are far quieter than in the UK. 

 

Yet more activities..

Other activities include the World War II, Martyr village at Oradour-sur-Glane.

 
Oradour-sur-Glane - a permanent reminder of nazi war crimes.

If you have an interest in horse racing, Pompadour is the place to go, approximately 1 hours drive away. The village at Pompadour is also worth a look.

Local villages

Our nearest village is Marval, which has basic amenities and also boasts a 13th Century Chateau (tours can be arranged). There are a number of other interesting Dordogne and Haute-Vienne villages and towns in the area, many of which have lively weekly markets. One of these, the so-called ‘Venice’ of the Dordogne, Brantome, is situated just south of us.

   
Brantome market a very popular place for visitors

There is also an interesting triangle of larger towns, all about 40 miles away. Limoges, famous for its porcelain, lies to the North East, the cliff-top town of Angoulême lies to the west, whilst below us is the old Roman capital of Périgueux.

Châlus, site of the siege where Richard the Lion heart was fatally injured, is just up the road less, than 10 Km away.