Activity Holidays for Kids and Adults in Limousin, S W France

The key to a happy family holiday is happy kids and, in my opinion, one of the best ways to achieve this is to tire them out. Why not take them on a mix-and-match activity holiday that will occupy both body and mind. Let their imagination run wild, let them play hard all day.

Give them plenty of fresh air, sunshine, good food and exercise and they'll have a wonderful time - and so will you. We live in one of the most beautiful, the cleanest, the most wildlife-rich and the least populated regions of France just on the borders of the Limousin, the Charente and the Dordogne, and yet it's one of the least well-know and least visited by tourists.

We run a guest house, Les Trois Chenes, that can sleep up to eleven adults and a gite (or holiday cottage, vacation rental, or even holiday villa), that can sleep up to seven adults. We run painting and drawing holidays, but we can also offer to help you plan your holiday of a life-time.

Contact us for more information on +33 (0)5 55 489 29 84, info@lestroischenes.com or take a look at our web site www.lestroischenes.com

We are nestled in the heart of hidden France in the nature reserve of the meteorite of Rochechouart-Chasenon, itself within the natural park Perigord-Limousin created to preserve the natural beauty and rich wildlife of this special region of France.

Our bed and breakfast is just ten minutes away from the quaint medieval town of Rochechouart with its magnificent chateau, and half an hour from Saint Junien and La Rochefoucauld with its fairy tale castle. We are conveniently situated almost exactly halfway between Limoges and Angouleme.

Hidden? Why hidden? Because Limousin is relatively undiscovered. We have little traffic, no noise, clean air, space and plenty of time for our visitors, perfect for children and for their parents.

We can welcome you to our guest house and provide you with self-catering accommodation in the form of our gite, and we can help you to achieve your creative potential with our painting and drawing holidays, but we can offer so much more.

When you visit a new place for holidays or when you don’t speak the language organising activities can be a bit daunting and is certainly time consuming. At Les Trois Chenes we aim to please and to that end we offer to arrange activities for our Bed and Breakfast and gite guests free of charge. You can pick activities from our list or make your own suggestions and we’ll make the bookings for you.

Alternatively you can choose a pre-selected activity holiday week, or a part of it and then decide to go it alone or take advantage of my guidance and transport. We’ll tailor our activities according to your needs and time of visit so if any of the following takes your fancy, let me know and I’ll come up with an itinerary.

Learn to speak French

Wouldn’t it be lovely to speak the lingo when you come to France? We can organise sessions with professional and experienced French teachers. You can then go out and practice what you’ve learn with the locals.

Are you French and want to learn English?

Learn English in France

No need to go to England! Join our family for a week or more and immerse yourself in the English Language. Stay with us! Contact me on info@lestroischenes.com

Painting holiday

Learn to paint and draw while you relax in France with tutor Barbara (MA in Fine Art University of Edinburgh, Post Graduate Diploma Edinburgh College of Art). The groups are very small so that the teaching is flexible and you'll benefit from individual attention whether you're a complete beginner or a more experienced artist. The days are organised to allow you to get out and about to see a little of the local attractions, countryside, villages and towns. Get the best of all worlds.

Discover Limousin Arts and Crafts holiday

Learn about local crafts and trades. Visit the Museum of Metiers, paper making museum Gott, jewellery making, visit a blacksmith, enamel-making, pottery painting and production.

Limousin porcelain holiday

You can visit the factory outlets at La Vie en Rose at Saint Junien and St Yrieix-la-Perche, see the ancient kilns of Casseaux at the Royal Porcelain factory outlet or bargain-hunt in the pretty porcelain boutiques at Limoges. We can arrange a visit to see the porcelain being made at Aixe-sur-Vienne.

Limousin is famous for its Limousin cattle but you'll find a variety of cattle breeds, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry in this region. Many farms have open days or visits to give you insight into how they run.

Cheese makers produce goat and cow milk cheese, there are apple and pear producers and even two young women who make soap from donkey milk.

What would a visit to France be without tasting the best Limouin food and wine that this luscious region of France has to offer? With a fabulous food heritage and a world famous cuising, wining and dining in France has to be right there at the top of the list.

Limousin is known as the bread basket of France has it’s very own fantastic cuisine. Eat, drink and be merry. Visit local food and wine producers, restaurants and spend a day learning how to cook a local dish or two with our expert chefs. If your dates coincide with local food events, the wonderful communal meals where you’ll eat shoulder to shoulder with the local folk and food fairs, then we'll make sure that we reserve a place for you.

Walking holidays in Limousin

There’s a network of lovely walks of varying lengths, mostly easy or moderate – no mountain climbing or fording through rivers here! We’ll arrange a different walk for you every day and we’ll set you up with a picnic or organise a walk with a restaurant stop. If the timing is right you can join the local French ramblers for a taste of local life.

Cycling holidays in Limousin

We can arrange for you to hire bikes which will be delivered to Les Trois Chenes and we can plan a series of cycle rides that will take you to all the sites of the area.

Water sports holidays (July and August only) in Limousin and the Charente

The lakes of the Haute-Charente are only minutes away and during the summer months you can use our nautical centre to enjoy kayaking, canöing, wind surfing, swimming and a number of other water sports. For small children there are pedalos. All this at a very reasonable price which includes life jackets.

Fishing Holiday in Limousin

Limousin has been called 'The Lake District of France', and for good reason. We have fabulous, clean and healthy lakes, streams and rivers. Fishing permits are cheap, about 10 euros, and I can purchase them in advance for you to enjoy the abundance lakes and rivers just teeming with fish.

Golf Holiday in Limousin

There are at least three golf courses within easy reach of Les Trois Chenes: Golf de Mortemart, Golf Municipal de Saint Lazare/Limoges, Golf de Saint-Junien, Angoulême Golf l'Hirondelle, Golf du Cognac and the Golf International de La Prèze, Ecuras.

Limousin Outdoor adventure parks

There are two outdoor adventure parks within easy reach of Videix. The adventure park at Massignac is only 15 minutes away and Espace Hermeline is about 40 minutes away, but is very much cheaper. Great ways to keep the teenages busy and tire them out. No time to get bored in Limousin!

Put these all together in a Sporting Holiday

Pick and mix from all the above activities and choose a different sport every day. Why not spend a day at Massagnac Adventure Park, only fifteen minutes from Les Trois Chenes, and take advantage of their fabulous facilities which include bunjee jumping and skimming over lakes on a wire.

Take a trip through history

Start at the morning of time when a giant meteorite struck the area around Rochechouart and visit the meteorite museum. Move onto the neolithic standing stones and burial sites. At the Village at Esse you can see how the ancient Gauls lived. Cassinomagus is an important European Roman site and Rochechouart castle is a splendid reminder of medieval times. Follow in the footsteps of the pilgrims when you see the church at Les Salles, a stop-over point on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela. Once seen you will never forget Oradour-sur-Glane, that powerful Second World War monument, and you can see contemporary art in Rochechouart Chateau – the list goes on. Limoges Museum will tell the story again under one roof. For groups we can tailor historical trips to your needs.

Castles and Chateaux – Follow the Route of Richard the Lion Heart

Richard the Lion Heart was fatally wounded by an arrow at Chalus where parts of his remains are buried. Why not follow the route that takes you past castle and historic buildings and villages, most of which are well within reach of Videix? You can see the Chateaux of Rochebrune, Rochechouart, Chalus and Les Cars, Brie, Montbrun, Jumillhac and many others.

With us of course! We have four bed and breakfast rooms and a three star gite (or holiday cottage) that sleeps seven adults in three en-suite bedrooms; ideal for several couples and extended family groups. We have a trampoline and swings in a play area, large, safe, enclosed gardens and lawns perfect for picnics and games. Take the kids to the lake for an evening dip while you have a relaxing aperitif in one of the lakeside cafés. for more information see our web site Les Trois Chenes or e-mail me for reservations at info@lestroischenes.com

What could be better than that for the kids? And if they're happy, you're happy too so you can all have a perfect family holiday.

And so much more ...

Oops - I realise I've missed off all the cultural stuff, all the cinemas, theatres, concert halls. All the childrens' play parks and outings, all the zoos and aquariums, all the swimming pools .... I'll just have to create a long list of More Things To Do!