St Mathieu is home to a picturesque leisure lake, which provides a sandy beach with supervised swimming, fishing, sailing and pedalo hire in peak summer with plenty of opportunity and space to enjoy a picnic in the shade of the trees. There is also a snack bar at the lake for drinks, snacks and meals plus a crazy golf course.
The
village plays host to lively evening markets throughout the summer
where you can purchase local produce and have it cooked for you on
a communal barbecue. With a wine and beer stall and live
entertainment it's a fantastic al-fresco
experience.
There
are several other amenity lakes within a half-hour drive of
L'Hirondelle each offering their own ambience and opportunities for
great family days out.
Two favourites are: St. Estephe to the south and Les Lacs de Charente to the north, both of which have excellent beaches and supervised swimming areas. One of the Charente lakes also has a sailing school and equestrian centre.
Chateau de Montbron
Access:
-
Limoges airport - 40 minutes
-
Bergerac airport - under 2 hours
-
Bordeaux airport - 2 hours
-
Angouleme station (TGV) - 1 hour
-
Limoges station - 1 hour
Lac de St. Mathieu
St. Mathieu has most amenities including a well-stocked supermarket with fresh meat and fish counters, a delicatessen and a good selection of wine for all budgets. There is also a bank, post office, cash machines, 2 bakers, a newsagent and tobacconist, 2 hairdressers and a petrol station.
Unlock
the sights, sounds and tastes of the local markets, the largest
being the market at Piégut held every Wednesday morning and only 15
minutes away by car.
Discover the magnificent Châteaux on the Richard the Lionheart
route. There are 16 in total from the magical castle at Montbron,
to the majestic hilltop chateau at Rochechouart.
Limoges, the porcelain capital of France, is only 45 minutes away
and the beautiful medieval cities of Périgueux and Angoulême are
less than an hour's drive.
For the
more energetic we can guide you to the many activities available in
the area such as horse riding, fishing, cycling, kart racing,
swimming, golf and sailing. For walkers there are a great many
'Randonnées' (marked walks) two of which pass within 400 metres of
L'Hirondelle.
Buzzards
and kites are often seen circling overhead, whilst blue tits,
wrens, black redstarts, great tits, goldfinches, robins,
blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks and of course swallows are regular
visitors.
You may also catch a glimpse of less common birds, for example hoopoes and hen harriers. Deer can occasionally be spotted at the margin of the woods and visitors have also spotted foxes and wild boar!
Piégut market
Brantôme, 40 minutes south, is known as the Venice of the Périgord being surrounded on all sides by water and with a magnificent centrepiece abbey overlooking the weir on the river Dronne.
You can hire canoes in which to paddle around the canals of the town or, if you're feeling more active, to voyage downstream to neighbouring Bourdeilles, for a day out on the water.