Top 20 Country Villas
by Sean Newsom
January 2007
How much character can one house have? The Mas du Cayrou is extraordinary - an 18th-century stone manor topped with a vast dovecoat. Were doves bigger back then, or did they keep pterodactyls? Some people might find it too idiosyncratic, were it not for the painstaking makeover the property has been given - from the stone pool house in the garden to the stripped floors and pale walls within. In a word: gorgeous. If you fly, the nearest airport is Rodez, 48 miles away. With whom? Dominique's Villas who specialise in France and seems to have more than its fair share of honey-coloured stone properties in the southwest.
View villa ref DL60 >>
House Party
by Sean Newsom
January 2006
Sainte-Hélène, Périgueux, Dordogne. Sleeps 14. Francophile fantasies are made of places such as Sainte-Hélène - a classic Pégordine confection of honey-coloured walls, a steep, red-tiled roof and cool, airy interiors, You'll want for nothing here - the garden is large and shady, the pool big enough for a modest gala and there is even a games room for the odd rainy afternoon. The regional capital, Périgueux, is only a mile away, but well hidden from view.
View villa ref DL139 >>
Dominique's Villas specialises in larger, quintessentially French properties, ranging from stout medieval châteaux to gracious country villas.
The Best Family Breaks – Family Villas
by Rob Ryan and David Wickers
February 2005
A villa gives you freedom from hotel schedules and worries about the kids behaving badly. Go independent with Dominique's Villas who offers Favereau, a lovely restored farmhouse set in beautiful hills on the fringes of the Dordogne, about 90 minutes by car from Bordeaux. The leisure lake of Castelgaillard is 14km away, with swimming, kayaking, fishing, pedalos, water slides, archery, horse-riding and crazy golf. And back at base, there's that heated pool (£70 a week extra, and worth every penny). The villa has five bedrooms, 25 acres of grounds and a games barn.
View villa ref DL16 >>
The Golden Globe: our 101 best holidays
January 2004
Even in the Dordogne in summer you can find a corner of remote beauty for yourself. La Jembertie, set in more than 40 acres of grounds, is one of 120 rural properties in the Dominique's Villas portfolio. It's a handsome house, furnished with antiques and modern art, and has room for 19.
View villa ref DL122 >>
There's still Time
by Sean Newsom
June 2004
Bellecombe, Moncaut, Aquitaine, the perfect setting for one of those thoughtful French movies of the 1970s - a handsome, vine-coated country house with big, shuttered windows and masses of room to spread out: shaded terrace, six acres of private grounds, sweeping vineyards and walks through to the village of Moncaut. The location: The town of Nérac is just seven miles away and boasts the region's best local market. Toulouse and the bastides of the Lot Valley are within easy day-trip distance. Dominique's Villas has one of the most interesting holiday portfolios in France, including several châteaux. Potential art-movie moments abound at Bellecombe, France.
View villa ref DL22 >>
Great Villas
February 2003
Want a place that's safe and fun for the kids but stress-free for the grown-ups? Choose Dominique's Villas.
Maison d'être: the best Rentals Homes in France
by Sean Newsom
April 2003
La Fontaine, Vergt, a Perigordian stunner - a 17th-century farmhouse with pool, set in six acres of grounds and surrounded by a host of intriguing outbuildings, including a dovecote converted into an open-sided barbecue. Well furnished in a traditional style, it's a place in which a family could really spread out. The location: does it really matter? If you get bored, you could always jump in the car and set off into the Dordogne countryside in search of the perfect Pécharmant, the best of the red wines produced in the area. The company: Dominique's Villas has one of the best collections of grand châteaux and country houses.
View villa ref DL28 (sleeps 12) >>
View villa ref DL28a (sleeps 8) >>
Neat retreats: how to find the perfect villa
by David Wickers
April 2001
A Dominique's Villas has a number of large, stunning houses in France, including châteaux. La Garnache, a restored 18th century manor house south of Nantes, sleeps up to 22.
View villa ref AC26 >>
Villas in France from Rustic-Simple to Millionaire-Grand
June 1987
Never before such a choice, so carefully chosen. Dominique's Villas are far more than just villas. They've been sought out in France's favourite places: Atlantic Coast, Brittany, Loire, Dordogne, Provence and Côte d'Azur. At last, you're about to find the villa that makes you say "That's it".