School holidays. Time to keep busy and explore

Written byLauren

February 28, 2022

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Manoir Beaulieu is in a very beautiful part of South West France. We’re in the Charente region, and on the Dordogne border, giving us great access to all the beautiful nooks and crannies this part of France has to offer. During the school holidays we take time out to discover what’s nearby. Not only to keep us busy and to stop everyone going insane but so we have genuine recommendations for guests.

The weather can be a little unpredictable in February, we are usually met with a mix of sunny and rainy days so we try to find a good balance of indoor and fresh air activities. This February we’ve ventured to:

Chateau Bourdeilles – right in the heart of Bourdeilles, a quaint and beautiful French village. It’s sleepy in the winter but when summer arrives this village comes alive! With an abundance of restaurants and a pretty little river flowing through it’s certainly worth a visit and only 35 minutes from Manoir Beaulieu. The boys (Oscar 4, Eli 1) particularly love to explore the castle grounds – sword in hand of course.

Grand etang de La Jemaye – one of our favourite lakes. In the summer the burger bars and bustling lunch restaurants are flung open – along with an array of watersports and swimmers cooling off in the refreshing water. But in the winter it’s also just as beautiful. It can get very busy in the summer so actually it’s great to be able to explore it all to ourselves in the cooler climate of February.

La Vallee des singes – a little further away (1 hour 30 from Manoir Beaulieu) is this enchanting place. Wander through forests whilst over 400 species of monkey roam free above your heads. Some of them get very close and you’re advised to keep hats and sunglasses secure! There are two restaurants inside or you can take a picnic and eat alongside the primates.