It’s said that in former times, fruit was picked from Le Jardin Du Château and served to aristocracy in the imposing 13th-century château just opposite. Nowadays guests can enjoy breathtaking views of Château de Duras from the upper garden of their historic holiday home in this unique and spectacular setting in Dordogne-Lot et Garonne border.

Yet it’s not just the proximity to Château de Duras that makes this place so special. The owners have restored this listed ancient monument to a beautiful standard, creating a stylish and charming home with an eclectic feel yet still respecting its historic past. Downstairs there’s a vast living and dining space with an open-plan kitchen with high-end equipment, ideal whether you wish to create a feast or simply relax in the snug area with a glass of local wine and a great film. On the second floor there’s a second living-dining room and another superbly equipped kitchen and wine-fridge, allowing ample space whether you’re a large family or mixed group of friends.

Each of the six pretty en-suite bedrooms have been designed individually with some antique furnishings such as the Arts and Crafts bed in one of the rooms alongside simple yet smart style in others, all with linen from the White Company and Christy towels. At the top of the house enjoy the private double bedroom in the tower whilst families will appreciate the adjoining twin and double rooms on the first floor, each with their own bath or shower room.

Step outside from the lower living space into the south-facing garden and admire the wonderful views through the trees of the Dropt valley which has remained remarkably unspoilt over the years. A shady gazebo is a lovely place to lounge as kids splash around in the swimming pool and as evening approaches you can set up the al-fresco dining table by the Weber gas barbecue for a meal to remember by the beautifully lit pool.

From the second floor you can access the upper garden, a romantic spot with a lawn and sofas plus a second barbecue and table where you can sit and marvel at views of the Château de Duras so close. As evening falls, take your glass of Côtes de Duras wine, download a special app to your phone and you can control the coloured lighting of this 13th-century castle in a very 21st-century manner.

From the upper garden there’s a little path that leads straight to the village of Duras in minutes, where you can be exploring charming lanes, picking up breakfast in the boulangeries, buying fresh local produce at the twice weekly market or enjoying lunch in one of the restaurants. Indeed, this region is filled with many marvellous châteaux and pretty bastide villages, some in the neighbouring Dordogne region such as Eymet, Monpazier and Monflanquin.

Bergerac is also within easy reach with its medieval architecture, great restaurants and Maison des Vins. Wine-lovers should also try the sweet wine at the nearby Château de Monbazillac and spend the day in the idyllic town of Saint-Émilion. The city of Bordeaux with its surrounding vineyards and impressive La Cité du Vin museum is also a fantastic place to visit. 

With undulating countryside of rolling hills, summer sunflowers and fruit trees, this is a sublime setting whether you wish to stay close to home or explore further afield. Whatever you choose to do, there’s no doubt that Le Jardin Du Château will leave you with memories for a lifetime.

Le Jardin Du Château is in the charming and historic village of Duras in the Lot-et-Garonne department, close to the Dordogne and Gironde border. The house enjoys wonderful views of the Dropt valley from the lower garden, swimming pool and some of the bedrooms as well as Château de Duras from the upper garden.

There’s a little path that leads from the upper garden which takes you straight into the village in a few minutes. Here you will find some lovely cafes, four restaurants and a couple of bars as well as useful shops such as a bakery, butchers, and grocery store and an atmospheric Farmers market on a Monday and Wednesday morning. Look out for the guy who sells oysters from Arcachon on a Sunday morning!

There are events taking place throughout the year and from July to early September the village also hosts delightful weekly night markets where you can enjoy great local food and wine with live music. Wine-connoisseurs will also appreciate the impressive Maison des Vins just to the south of the village whilst history lovers can visit the Château de Duras with its fascinating history dating back to the 12th century.

This region is filled with undulating countryside with rolling hills, vineyards, summer sunflowers and fruit trees as well as historic châteaux and idyllic bastide villages, many with their own weekly markets. Highlights nearby include pretty Monségur (9km), 13th century Eymet (20km) with its beautiful main square, Sainte-Foy-la-Grande (22km) on the banks of the Dordogne with its river beach and Montcaret (26km) with its excavations of a Roman villa. A little further afield, Issigeac (43km) has a delightful Sunday morning market and both Monflanquin (57km) and Monpazier (66km) have been classified as one of France’s ‘Plus Beaux Villages’.

You are also within easy reach of beautiful Bergerac (40km) with its medieval architecture, narrow streets of boutiques, great restaurants and Maison des Vins. In the surrounding region there are also many wine châteaux and vineyards where you can sample the local wines of Duras (Côtes de Duras) and Bergerac as well as the sweet wine of nearby Château de Monbazillac (35km).

Wine-lovers should also head to the idyllic wine town of Saint-Émilion (44km) as well as the vineyards around Bordeaux (98km) including the impressive La Cité du Vin in the city centre.

For those seeking sporty activities, there is canoeing in the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, golf courses across the region as well as many beautiful hiking and cycling trails and horse-riding. Head to nearby Sainte-Colombe-de-Duras, only ten minutes away, for a tree-top activity centre or towards Bergerac for a waterpark, miniature boat rides and go-karting.

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