Buying property in the périgord

Reports of a mass British exodus from the Dordogne-or Périgord, as this ancient region of south-west France is otherwise known-have been greatly exaggerated, say leading international estate agents. Following a brief hiatus at the start of the recession in 2009, when the number of Britons buying homes in the area slowed dramatically, discerning UK buyers are rekindling their passion for Périgord, which still has the highest concentration of long-term British residents of anywhere in France, outside Paris.

The appeal of this voluptuous region-with its rolling hills and wooded slopes, rich architectural heritage and endless gastronomic delights-lies in its unchanging quality of life and landscape that, for many, recalls ‘Britain as it used to be'. Once home to warlike Gaulish tribes who resisted the Roman occupation, Périgord is divided into four sectors within the Dordogne, one of the 83 original départements created during the French Revolution.

To the north lies Périgord Vert, an area of green valleys, rivers and streams centred on the town of Nontron; Périgord Blanc is a region of limestone plateaux, wide valleys and meadows surrounding the département capital of Périgueux; Périgord Pourpre, with its capital Bergerac, is one of the world's great wine-growing areas on the banks of the Dordogne; and, further east, Périgord Noir is a lush, heavily wooded area of oaks and pines overlooking the Vézère and the Eastern Dordogne, with the administrative Centre of Sarlat at its heart.

Source: CountryLife.co.uk