Camping Belle Vue

What at first might seem like a modest-sized campsite – a mere six pitches – soon wins you over with its intimate ambience and view over the fields to the chateau. Crowning the village of Hautefort, this grand old building was once lived in by a countess who survived a number of husbands. By night it lights up like a chandelier, and should you visit on a Wednesday evening you’ll find people in period dress strutting around its ornamental lawns to the accompaniment of classical music. Sitting in the northern tip of the Dordogne, just below Limousin, Hautefort is a charmingly low-key village, with a clutch of antique shops, galleries, and rustic bars.
 
The campsite is well catered for with its cosy Stable Restaurant, which is decked out in blue-checked tablecloths, exposed brick walls, and a selection of local vins rouges. There’s also a little shop selling basics, and in the evening you can place an order for mouth-watering fresh pastries and bread to be delivered piping hot next morning. Owners Cal and Simon, originally from the UK, wanted to escape the rat race and find a slower pace of life. As well as welcoming hosts they’re also great cooks and replicate local dishes accompanied by vegetables grown on site. While striving to maintain rusticity, they’ve created a comfortable, efficient oasis of calm. Admittedly there’s not much to do here, but the surrounding area is a literal smorgasbord of potential activities. Settle back and savour the honeysuckle perfume in the air and feel your pulse lowering by the minute.