Public and school holidays in France, 2026

Public holidays in France 2026

Public and school holidays in France, 2026

I’d like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year from France and share my annual guide to help you make the most of the French holidays. Here you will find the dates of the public holidays, other notable dates and how they are celebrated, plus the school holiday dates, so you can avoid the busiest times on the roads or in the resorts.

 

Don’t forget, you can save the image and keep it to hand for reference during the year.

 

Public Holidays in France 2026

1^st January, New Year’s Day, jour de l’an 

5^th April, Easter Sunday, Pâques 

6^th April, Easter Monday, lundi de Pâques (note there is no Good Friday holiday in France unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

1^st May, Fête du Travail (celebrated by giving a sprig of lily of the valley)

8^th May, Victory in Europe Day, Victoire des Alliés 1945 

14^th May, Ascension Day, jeudi de l’Ascension (note schools will have an extra day off on Friday 15^thMay for the bridge (pont)) 

25^th May, Pentecost Monday, lundi de Pentecôte

14^th July, Fête Nationale 

15^th August, Assumption Day, Assomption 

1^st November, All Saint's Day, la Toussaint

11^th November, Armistice Day, Armistice 1918 

25^th December, Christmas Day, Noël (note there is no holiday in France on 26^th unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

 

Faire le pont

Except for the holidays linked to Easter: Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Pentecost Monday, the above dates are the same every year and the holiday is always observed on the actual date rather than being moved to the nearest Monday (as the UK would do). 

 

Public holidays can therefore fall on weekends (Sunday 15^th August); to make up for this it is not uncommon for people to faire le pont (make a bridge) if a holiday falls on a Thursday (Ascension Day) or a Tuesday (14^th July), by taking off the Friday or Monday to give themselves a four-day weekend. This leave will be part of their annual holiday entitlement, or the hours will need to be made up, so while most businesses will be open on bridge days, some staff shortages can be expected. 

 

No work May!

With Easter falling in early April this year, May will be hosting four public holidays and with two falling on Fridays (1^st and 8^th), plus Ascension Thursday (14^th) and Pentecost Monday (25^th), that means only one full working week in May and four weeks that will give us three-day weekends. For those of us working in the tourism sector this should get the 2026 summer season off to a good start.

 

https://www.vacances-scolaires-gouv.com

School Holidays

The school holiday dates in France are split into three zones and most of the holidays are staggered so not everyone is trying to hit the ski slopes or beaches at the same time, although be prepared for extra traffic on the roads on all Saturdays during the school holidays, or better still avoid driving on these days.

 

Here are the dates for 2026:

The winter holiday will be from 7^th February to 8^th March. 

Zone A gets the first two weeks, Zone B the middle two and Zone C the last two.

 

The spring holiday will be from 4^th April to 3^rd May. 

Zone A gets the first two weeks, Zone B the middle two and Zone C the last two weeks.

 

Thanks to Ascension Day falling on 14^th May, everyone will be off for a four-day long weekend from Thursday 14^th May to Sunday 17^th May, with Friday being a bridge day.

 

The summer holiday for all zones will be from 4^th July until 1^st September.

 

The October holiday for all zones will be from 17^th October to 1^st November.

 

The Christmas holiday for all zones will be from 19^th December to 3^rd January 2027.

Fête de la musique, 21st June

 

Other dates to note and celebrate in France

6^th January, Epiphany, celebrated in France with a Galette des Rois (see here).

7^th January, winter sales begin, soldes d’hiver. Sales are regulated in France and the winter sales will run from 7^th January to 3^rd February. 

21^st to 25^th January, Nuits de la lecture, national reading nights celebrated in libraries across the country.

 

2^nd February Candlemas day, Chandeleur, celebrated in France with pancakes (see here).

17^th February, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras when carnival time begins in France and pancakes, or beignets (similar to doughnuts) are eaten.

 

29^th March, Palm Sunday, Rameaux a day where our local boulangeries bake something different (see here).

29^th March, clocks spring forward an hour to Central European Summer Time.

 

1^st April, Poisson d’avril celebrated in France with sticky fish (see here).

 

23^rd May, European museum night, Nuits des musées, where many museums open late or run special events. 

27^th May, National Resistance Day, journée nationale de la Résistance.

29^th May, Neighbours’ Day, fêtes des voisins often celebrated in France with shared meals.

31^st May, Mother’s Day, fêtes des mères.

 

21^st June, world music day, fête de la musique, celebrated with free concerts in towns and villages all over France.

21^st June, Father’s Day, fêtes des pères.

24^th June, summer sales begin, soldes d’été, and will run until 21^st July.

 

4^th July to 26^th July, Le Tour de France, with a planned depart in Barcelona, and with a finish on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. 

 

1^st August to 9^th August, Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, begins in Switzerland and finishes nine days later in Nice. 

 

19^th and 20^th September, European Heritage weekend, Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, many museums and other cultural sites will be open to the public, often organising special events, and with free or reduced-price entry. 

 

25^th October, clocks go back an hour to Central European Time. 

 

Free museum entry on the First Sundays of the month 

Did you know many national museums in France open for free on the first Sunday of the month? Whilst not exclusive, as there are often restrictions in July and August, and some museums will close for some of the winter months, this is certainly a secret worth knowing and we’ve had some interesting visits over the years, all for free. 

 

Note: not all museums are national and without the financial support from the government, locally or independently run places will not have the ability to offer free entries. If you fancy a cultural city break, it would be worthwhile checking the museum websites to see if they are taking part and plan your visit accordingly.

 

I hope you’ve found this useful and that wherever in France 2026 takes you, you have a wonderful time. I’d love to hear about your adventures and new discoveries.

Poitou-Charentes myths, legends and history - les dragons, Niort

Poitou-Charentes myths, legends and history

Les dragons, Niort, summer 2024

 

Les Dragons, Niort

 

Keeping on the theme of dragons, in a similar legend to La Grand’Goule in Poitiers, our local town of Niort also has dragon tale to tell, although the slaying of this beast was rather more gruesome than the crucifix waving of Saint Radegonde in Poitiers. 

 

Once upon a time, roughly at the end of the 17^th century, the marshlands of the Marais Poitevin and the Sèvres Niortais river were home to a gigantic, winged amphibious serpent who terrorised and carried off the Niortais people. Along came a young soldier, who had been condemned to death for desertion, but promised to kill the monster in return for a pardon. Safely protected by his suit of armour, that included a glass visor, and armed with a long spear and dagger, with a quick and agile movement, he fatally stabbed the beast in the throat. The soldier removed his visor in triumph, when the dragon, in its dying breath, spat venom and mortally poisoned him.

A smaller dragon, Niort

 

Since 1992, four bronze dragon sculptures by Jacques Hondelatte have marked the gateway to the town centre, reminding everyone who visits Niort of the beast that once lived here. They are iconic and we have countless photos of us taken over the last twenty years, posed alongside their fanged heads that rise magnificently from the pavement. 

Same cyclist, same Brompton, same dragon, different year (2019)

Public and school holidays in France, 2025

Public holidays in France, 2025

Public and school holidays in France, 2025

Happy New Year to you all, it was a hectic end to 2024 for us, so I hope 2025 is a healthy and less challenging one for everyone.

 

Having only had the opportunities for day trips last year, we are busy browsing the internet and guidebooks for ideas and itineraries for our cycling escapades this year. January is the perfect time to start planning your French travel adventures and to make the most of them, it’s always useful to know when the public and school holidays fall. Things have changed a lot in the twenty years since we’ve been living here, but in many areas of rural France, shops are still likely to be either closed or only open in the mornings on public holidays and school holiday traffic can be a nightmare.

 

Here is my guide to all the French public holidays, school holidays and other notable dates, plus how they are celebrated here in France, for 2025. This year, you can save the above image and keep it to hand for reference during the year.

 

Public Holidays in France 2025

1^st January, New Year’s Day, jour de l’an 

20^th April, Easter Sunday, Pâques 

21^st April, Easter Monday, lundi de Pâques (note there is no Good Friday holiday in France unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

1^st May, Fête du Travail (celebrated with lily of the valley)

8^th May, Victory in Europe Day, Victoire 1945 

29^th May, Ascension Day, Ascension (note schools will have an extra day off on Friday 30^th May for the bridge (pont)) 

9^th June, Pentecost Monday, lundi de Pentecôte

14^th July, Fête Nationale 

15^th August, Assumption Day, Assomption 

1^st November, All Saint's Day, Toussaint

11^th November, Armistice Day, Armistice 1918 

25^th December, Christmas Day, Jour de Noël (note there is no Boxing Day holiday in France on 26^th unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

 

Faire le pont

Except for the holidays linked to Easter: Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Pentecost Monday, the above dates are the same every year and the holiday is always observed on the actual date rather than being moved to the nearest Monday (as the UK would do). 

 

Public holidays can therefore fall on weekends; to make up for this it is not uncommon for people to faire le pont (make a bridge) if a holiday falls on a Thursday (Ascension Day) or a Tuesday, by taking off the Friday or Monday to give themselves a four-day weekend. This leave will be part of their annual holiday entitlement, or the hours will need to be made up, so while most businesses will be open on bridge days, some staff shortages can be expected. 

 

School Holidays 

The school holiday dates in France are split into three zones and most of the holidays are staggered so not everyone is trying to hit the ski slopes or beaches at the same time, although be prepared for extra traffic on the roads on all Saturdays during the school holidays, or better still avoid driving on these days.

 

https://www.vacances-scolaires-gouv.com

Here are the dates for 2025:

The winter holiday will be from 8^th February to 9^th March. 

Zone B gets the first two weeks, Zone C the middle two and Zone A the last two.

 

The spring holiday will be from 5^th April to 4^th May. 

Zone B gets the first two weeks, Zone C the middle two and Zone A the last two weeks.

 

Thanks to Ascension Day falling on 29^th May, everyone will be off for a four-day long weekend from Thursday 29^th May to Sunday 1^st June, with Friday being a bridge day.

 

The summer holiday for all zones will be from 5^th July until 1^st September.

 

The October holiday for all zones will be from 18^th October to 2^nd November.

 

The Christmas holiday for all zones will be from 20^th December to 4^th January 2026.

 

Other dates to note and celebrate in France

6^th January, Epiphany, celebrated in France with a Galette des Rois (see here).

8^th January, winter sales begin, soldes d’hiver. Sales are regulated in France and the winter sales will run from 8^th January to 4^th February. 

 

2^nd February Candlemas day, Chandeleur, celebrated in France with pancakes (see here).

 

4^th March, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras when carnival time begins in France and pancakes, or beignets (similar to doughnuts) are eaten.

30^th March, clocks spring forward an hour to Central European Summer Time.

 

1^st April, Poisson d’avril celebrated in France with sticky fish (see here).

13^th April, Palm Sunday, Rameaux a day where our local boulangeries bake something different (see here).

 

25^th May, Mother’s Day, fêtes des mères.

27^th May, National Resistance Day, journée nationale de la Résistance.

30^th May, Neighbours’ Day, fêtes des voisins often celebrated in France with shared meals.

 

15^th June, Father’s Day, fêtes des pères.

21^st June, world music day, fête de la musique, celebrated with free concerts in towns and villages all over France.

25^th June, summer sales begin, soldes d’été, and will run until 22^nd July.

 

5^th July to 27^th July, Le Tour de France, with a planned depart in Lille, and with a finish back on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. This year, unusually, there will be no overseas stages.

 

26^th July to 3^rd August, Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, begins in Brittany and finishes a whopping nine days later in Châtel, in the Alps. This is its longest duration yet since its inauguration in 2022. We are looking forward to watching it when it comes through Poitiers on 29^th and 30^th July.

 

20^th and 21^st September, European Heritage weekend, Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, many museums and other cultural sites will be open to the public, often organising special events, and with free or reduced-price entry. 

 

26^th October, clocks go back an hour to Central European Time. 

 

Free museum Sundays

Free museum entry on the First Sundays of the month 

Did you know many national museums in France open for free on the first Sunday of the month? Whilst not exclusive, as there are often restrictions in July and August, and some museums will close for some of the winter months, this is certainly a secret worth knowing and we’ve had some interesting visits over the years, all for free. 

 

Note: not all museums are national and without the financial support from the government, locally or independently run places will not have the ability to offer free entries. If you fancy a cultural city break, it would be worthwhile checking the museum websites to see if they are taking part and plan your visit accordingly.

 

I hope you’ve found this useful and that wherever in France 2025 takes you, you have a wonderful time. I’d love to hear about your adventures and new discoveries.

 

Photoshoot, take one, take two

Enjoying the Marais Poitevin photo credit ©S.Bonnet

As I hinted in my last post, the week of our twentieth anniversary of arriving in France, was a busy week, even by our standards, but one full of fun and laughter too.

 

When I think ‘model’, images of long-legged beauties, immaculately made up, not a hair out of place and coordinated couture, come to mind. I certainly don’t think model when I catch a glimpse of myself in my sweaty cycling gear and helmet hair. It’s as much as surprise to me as anyone, that not once, but twice this summer I have been filmed and photographed cycling on the local bike routes.

 

Take one

My first experience of pretend modelling was back in June. This mission was to produce promotional material for the Vélidéale, the new cycle route that starts on the Atlantic coast in Saint-Nazaire, before crossing the departments of the Vendée, the Deux-Sèvres, the Charente, the Haute-Vienne and finishing up in the Creuse, at Lac Vassivière in central France. 

La Vélidéale

This journey also takes it through five regional parks, as well as passing right outside the Château de Javarzay. When the Deux-Sèvres department put out a call on social media looking for volunteers to be photographed along the section that passes from Niort to the Château de Javarzay, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I might not be that comfortable being photographed but will do all I can to help promote this area, and especially to fellow cyclo-tourists. One of the most important things I’ve learned in the last twenty years is that saying yes to things that initially seem outside of my comfort zone, often leads to fabulous experiences.

Photoshoot, take one, Niort

 

At half past eight one June morning, in the carpark of the Château, our long day of filming began with introductions, instructions on how to ride the e-bikes we had been provided with for the day, and a bag of pastries from the local boulangerie to tuck into. The Vélidéale had employed a photographer to visit all the departments and take a mix of stills, video and drone footage to highlight the sights the cycle tourists will see over the six hundred and sixty-five kilometres. Our day consisted of lots of short rides up to or past châteaux, churches, an abbey and a silver mine, where we’d stop, look up or around us, laugh, smile, and then repeat, until the photographer was happy. This was interspersed with driving between locations and lots of waiting around for the clouds to clear and the sun to shine (June wasn’t the best month for good weather this year). I probably pedalled less than two kilometres over the eleven hours we were out, but it was still as exhausting as it was fun, as well as being a fascinating behind the scenes glimpse into how tourist brochures are put together.

 

 

Take two

At the beginning of August, I received a phone call from the lady who works for the promotion of tourist sites in the Deux-Sèvres department, and who had accompanied us on our June day out. They were looking for a couple to cycle the twenty kilometres between Niort and Coulon on the Vélo Francette, for a social media campaign, and would we be interested. This well-established long-distance route from the ferry point in Ouistreham in Normandy to La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast, just happens to be one of our favourites, especially this section that passes through the Marais Poitevin, so how could I refuse. 

 

The bronze dragons of Niort

It was a totally different day out to the first one, but even more fun. We met up in the centre of Niort and our first task was to cycle through Place de la Brèche, somewhere that has changed dramatically in the last twenty years, before passing the famous bronze dragons and taking a pause at the market halles. Recently voted the best market in France, I am ashamed to admit that this was our first visit, my lame excuse being it is only open in the mornings and is over an hour from home. While our bikes were guarded, we were filmed wandering from stall to stall, admiring the fresh produce before stopping underneath the nine-hundred-year-old Donjon, once home to Alienor of Aquitaine, Queen of France and then of England in the 1100’s.

 

The real cycling began as we left Niort and followed the meandering Sèvre Niortais river towards the Atlantic. This is where things got a bit tricky. We are both in our fifties and were on our Bromptons (small wheeled, folding bikes, powered by legs). Our ‘film crew’ were on e-bikes and the girl whose project it was, was younger than Ed, but as we set off with her filming from behind, it soon became apparent, she couldn’t keep up with us. I am taking this as a middle-aged win!

 

Once we’d got into a comfortable rhythm for everyone, we made good progress, stopping at various points for extra shots/close ups and action clips. One of these was on the chain ferry that is a self-operated, floating bridge to get up to five people (or two and two bikes) from one bank to the other and was yet another first for us and great fun. 

Getting the best shot

 

As we relaxed into having the cameras follow us, we laughed, pulled silly faces when asked to hold hands for a touch of romance, and enjoyed the looks we got from passers-by no doubt wondering who this odd couple were being filmed crossing the pretty bridge in Magné, dangling their feet over the jetty in Coulon and sitting at the terrace of the Hôtel au Marais. 

 

To give the impression of it being a mini-break to Coulon by bike, we also enjoyed a delicious two-course meal at L’Atelier Gourmand and a special visit to the Maison du Marais Poitevin museum in Coulon, another first for us and somewhere that has been on my wish list for a while. What a treat it was learning all about the history of the marshland that goes back hundreds of years, and the people who lived and worked here. I certainly recommend a visit, especially as there is an English headset available to accompany the film that explains the various projects that have reclaimed the land from the sea.

 

Before we returned to Niort, there was just enough time for a few photos back at the Hotel au Marais, including a sneaky kiss on the balcony of the best room. We have promised ourselves that we will return for a real night away, and hopefully we can book ‘our’ room with the balcony.

 

Hotel au Marais, Coulon photo credit ©S.Bonnet

As if this wasn’t enough, we were not only welcomed by Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin (who kept our bikes safe as we wandered) but they also gave us a book of watercolour images from the Baie de l’Aiguillon, the muddy estuary where the Sèvre Niortais joins the Atlantic. We might not have gone that far today, but in 2022 when we followed the river from its source in Sepvret, near Melle, to Niort and through the Marais Poitevin, we dipped our wheels in the shallows of the bay as we neared the end of the second day of our cycle tour. Luckily for me, Adrian was happy to squeeze a large hardback book into the bike bag on the front of his Brompton for the final twenty kilometres, isn’t he a star. 

 

At the end of the day, Niort photo credit ©S.Bonnet

I can’t think of a better way to have spent the eve of our anniversary of moving into our house in France. We were treated like celebrities, the sun shone, and memories were made with smiles on our faces. It turned out to be a win-win situation for everyone as alongside a fabulous day out on the bikes, our participation helped their work placement student with her final project - putting together a promotional film of a couple on a cycling holiday in the Marais Poitevin. 

The Sèvre Niortais photo credit ©S.Bonnet

The finished film won’t be available for a while, but I have been given permission to use some of the photos that were taken, and I love them. Merci mille fois S et J. 

Advent day twenty-four, Happy Christmas to you all

Happy Christmas

Advent day twenty-four

Happy Christmas Eve and thank you for being a part of our French village life for another year. 

 

I just love this silly selfie we took on yesterday’s bike ride. It just about sums up our cycling year, smiles, blue skies, sunshine and rain. All being well, tomorrow will see me going over the 6000km mark on my Brompton (since 1^st January 2023) and it's been a blast.

 

Our Christmas Eve began with a bike ride – how I wish I could say that about every day of the year. It was just a short 16km round trip into Chef-Boutonne to ensure we had a lovely, seeded baguette for our picnic lunch tomorrow, and wouldn’t run out of dog food. For a Sunday morning, the small town of Chef-Boutonne was buzzing! There were queues at the butchers, the oyster stall was busy and by the time I came out of the boulangerie, the queue had spread across the pavement. I’d got chatting to a British couple in the queue, his opening comment being “you look so happy and excited”. Now, I’m not the most Christmassy of people, our decorations and celebrations are rather low key when compared to many households, and I had no idea how much happiness was radiating from me, but I’m glad it was. I think the lesson here is to never underestimate the power of a bike ride, however short or routine, to put you in a good mood. 

 

I hope you have enjoyed my Advent postcards, highlighting some of the interesting, remarkable, arty, or historical loveliness we’ve discovered in 2023 on our cycling adventures. I’ve certainly loved revisiting them when writing the posts. Some of these places are local to the Deux-Sèvres, some a long way from home. Some are places we’ve stumbled on as part of day trips, others on our cycle touring adventures to celebrate our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary year. Despite staying away in twelve different towns or cities (ten of which were in France), I purposely only included the villages or small towns we’ve visited in my postcards. It seemed more fitting for a blog called French Village Diaries. I think they have proven that slow travel on the lesser pedalled roads is incredibly rewarding. I do hope some of them have sparked an interest and inspire you to stop and explore next time you are on the road in France.

 

Happy Christmas to you all. 

Advent Postcards, Tusson Charente

 

Advent postcards, Tusson, Charente

Advent day twenty-three

Today’s cycling advent-ures postcard is from Tusson in the Charente, an easy twenty-kilometre bike ride from home. This means it’s not only a popular cycling destination for us, but also our morning coffee stop if we are cycling the sixty kilometres to Angoulême. It is also somewhere that holds some significant memories.

 

Way back in 2019, when Covid-19 was just a whisper in the newspapers, we created our Christmas Day bike ride and picnic tradition, and Tusson was the location we picked to pop open the Champagne and tuck into our feast. It was also Tusson that was the destination for our first post lockdown adventure in May 2020. Safely spaced, but cycling together with Ed, Pearl and our friends, we took it in turns to choose our takeaway cakes from Gâteaux, a popular tea shop in Tusson, before heading back to our Christmas Day picnic tables to enjoy an outdoor freedom treat.

 

The delights of Gateaux salon de thé

There is a lot more to Tusson than just our memories though as it is also a significant stage on the Chemins de Saint-Jacques pilgrimage route. The 15^th century church is dedicated to Saint-Jacques, so it’s not surprising that the entrance is home to a carved statue of him as well as a contemporary sculpture of a pilgrim, and the inside also has some striking wall paintings. As you take your time to explore the narrow lanes of Tusson, many with stunning flower borders, you will also find statutes, stained-glass and pottery workshops, and many noble medieval buildings.

 

The other side of the main road there is a 19^th century lavoir (wash house) that hides an unusual secret, something we only discovered this summer. To the left of the lavoir, and up some stone steps, it is possible to see part of an ancient underground aqueduct that used to bring water to the old priory. Running behind (and completely hidden from) the main road are the remains of two priories (a men’s and a women’s), a medieval monastic garden and the biggest surprise for us, an adapted sensory garden for people with autism. It is definitely a village that deserves the time to explore its many treasures and if this isn’t enough, just outside of the village there are megaliths and tumuli dating back to the 5^th millennium BC.

Advent postcards, Matha, Charente-Maritime

 

Advent postcard, Matha, Charente-Maritime

Advent day twenty-one

Today’s cycling advent-ures postcard is from Matha in the Charente-Maritime, where we spent an interesting few hours on the return from our cycle tour to Saintes in July.

 

Matha isn’t too far from home, so is somewhere we have driven through many times over the years, and also passed through with the bikes but had never had the opportunity to discover it properly.  Thanks must again go to the Terra Aventura treasure hunt that had us exploring all manner of hidden gems. Our first discovery was the artworks and sculptures in the international peace garden. Enclosed within a walled park, the Peace Garden is home to works of art donated to Matha from all over the world, on a theme of peace and human rights. It was thought provoking, calming and inspiring, and somewhere I will return to.

 

We then discovered the church of St Barthelemy de St Herie with its mismatch of architectural styles. Having just been on an historical architecture training day for work, it was so cool (for me at least) to see both the Romanesque and Gothic styles living side by side in harmony for centuries, and now with the addition of contemporary stained-glass windows dating from 2002.

 

The icing on the cake for me however was stumbling upon the park with the Renaissance towers, that are the only remains of the Château de Matha. Much like at Javarzay, only a small part of the original château remains, but what a Renaissance beauty it is. Imagine my delight when I discovered it is linked to the fabulous Jacquette de Montbron, heroine from yesterday’s postcard from Bourdeilles. She was heir to the château, but history is unclear as to whether she also had a hand in the design as she had at Bourdeilles. She is definitely a woman whose story I want to learn more about.

 

 

Advent postcards, Bourdeilles, Dordogne

Advent postcard, Bourdeilles, Dordogne

Advent day twenty

Today’s cycling advent-ures postcard is from Bourdeilles in the Dordogne, an afternoon stopover on our October cycling tour to Perigueux.

 

Situated on the Dronne River, a short cycle ride from Brântome, we were there to tackle a Terra Aventura challenge that took us to all the best viewpoints of the magnificent château. The medieval fortified château dates from the 13^th and 14^th centuries, but neatly tucked away inside the courtyard is an equally impressive Renaissance château dating from the 16^th century. Whether we were looking towards it from the gardens behind the church, marvelling at the fortified château entrance or looking down from the narrow lanes of the village, the views were stunning. However, the most impressive view had to be from river level, craning our necks and looking up at the Renaissance walls towering above the rocks and caves they were built on. That was some engineering feat. My Michelin Green Guide tells me that the planning for the Renaissance château was the work of Jacquette de Montbrun, wife of André de Bourdeilles, who had an “active and informed interest in geometry and architecture” – I do love the tale of a remarkable women from the past who left her mark on the world.

 

Bourdeilles is a real gem of a village that I would happily detour to again, especially as we didn’t have time to visit the château on this trip.