Argentat (30 minutes)
An elegant town on the banks of the Dordogne river with a picturesque quay where the houses are crowned with turrets, gables and pepper pot towers and the Dordogne gabares used to moor to unload their cargos.  There is a weekly market in the Summer on Thursdays – every second week out of season.

Cascades de Gimel (15 minutes)
Situated in a picturesque valley, the Montane river cascades down three stunning waterfalls dropping 143 metres
There is a lovely walk from the falls to the small town of Gimel, where there is a restaurant and bar.

Collonges la Rouge (40 minutes)
Built from the old red sandstone that narrowly crosses the area, Collonges the Red is a completely preserved historic town of stunning buildings and narrow streets.  Rated as one of the ‘Plus Belle Villages’ (most beautiful) of France, it is steeped with atmosphere.  A picturesque lunch spot.

Beaulieu Sur Dordogne (45 minutes)
Built on the bank of the Dordogne, Beaulieu is a picturesquely historic town, famous for its Romanesque church and the local industry of Strawberry growing.  At the annual strawberry festival in May you can see the worlds largest strawberry tart and eat (and drink) all good things made from Strawberries.

Tours de Merle (45 minutes)
The remains of the Merle fortress stand on a rocky spur surrounded by a meander of the River Maronne.  At the time of Henry II Plantagenet this was an important frontier post between the English Duchy of Aquitaine and the earldoms of Toulouse and Auvergne.  Now a picturesque ruin, it is a great visit for a spare afternoon.

Tulle (25 minutes)
The capital of Corrèze, famous for the production of lace, accordions and armaments, Tulle straddles the banks of the river Correze along a narrow valley.  The area around the Cathedral of Notre Dame has shops, cafes and patisseries and is the most historic and picturesque part of the town.  The cathedral cloisters and its adjoining museum are worth a visit.  The ‘Nuits de Nacre’ (nights of Mother of Pearl) accordion festival in September showcases the best of modern and traditional music fusion.  There is a large market every Wednesday and Saturday morning

Great Daytrips further afield:

Caves & Prehistoric Sites
Within an hour of Espagnac is the region of the Northern Lot.  The geology of the area has led to the formation of massive cave systems, most notably the Grottes de Presque, the Grottes de Lacave and the stunning Gouffre de Padirac (www.gouffre-de-padirac.com) which are approximately 90 minutes drive.
The celebrated Lascaux caves are also within easy reach and the Lascaux II display is well worth a visit.

Châteaux and Historic Towns
There are many impressive castles in the Corrèze and Northern Lot, including the Château de Castelnau at Bretenoux, the Château de Montal and Château de Hautefort.  We can also highly recommend the Château de Murol near Mont Dore, with its exhibitions of sword fighting and jousting.
The very famous (and busy) Rocamadour is within 90 minutes drive and is well worth a visit, particularly out of season.
www.monuments-nationaux.fr

Gardens
One of France’s most beautiful gardens the Jardins du Manoir D’Eyrignac is approximately one hour away.  Closer are Les Jardins de L’imaginaire at Terrason and Les Jardins de Lostanges near Beaulieu sur Dordogne.  If you want a whole day out the hanging gardens at Marqueyssac are truly special.
www.marqueyssac.com

The Auvergne

In just over an hours drive you can be in the Auvergne region with its stunning landscape formed from extinct volcanoes.  The spa town of La Bourboule and the ski resort town of Mont Dore are nice to browse and you can take a cable car to the top of the mountain for fabulous views of the region.  The theme park ‘Vulcania’ explores everything volcanic and is an entertaining day out.