Camping Domaine des Mathévies

The medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda is a maze of cobbled squares and imposing turreted buildings – in no time you’ll be lost like Theseus in a benign labyrinth. Follow the nostalgic music of the accordion... didn’t you pass that chap in the beret just a moment ago?
 
Losing your bearings is half the fun. The alleyways bulge at the seams with foie gras shops, for this is the wellspring of the hallowed pâté and renditions of geese abound at every turn in sculptures and posters. Take in the 12th-century cathedral over a cool pression at one of many alfresco bars before weaving your way through rolling countryside to Domaine des Mathévies.
 
Nathalie and Patrick McAlpine, the campsite’s owners, first met in India. Their subsequent travels brought them to this neglected campsite and they set about tastefully transforming it into the eco-minded sanctuary it is today. Imagine a place where adults are as well catered for and contented as their kids and where you can sit back with a frothy latté, play pétanque over a leisurely glass of St-Émilion as a paraglider is swallowed up by the salmon-pink sunset below.
 
Set on a gentle incline with masterful views over the wooded valley, there are 27 pitches to choose from, many of which enjoy shade from walnut, cherry, fig, apple, and plum trees, and all of which have electricity hook-ups. If you’re arriving late and don’t fancy pitching up for the night there are also some cosy Davy Crockett-style cabins dotted subtly around the site (we like the deep-brown ones for absolute escape). They can house you and your brood and sleep up to six.
 
Beside the Cosy Nook Café there’s also a self- contained traditional gîte with all the mod cons (like Sky TV and a CD player), while still retaining exposed stone walls and beamed ceilings. Perfectly sized for a family, with two double bedrooms, it’s recently been refurbished. The real ace, though, is the spectacular sunset view you enjoy from the back and the privacy the place affords; giving you all the amenities plus the chance to retire to your own little palace.
 
The site itself is a real playground for kids, with a toddlers’ play area near the Cosy Nook Café (so you get to relax with them in plain view). Nathalie and Patrick have two kids and it’s this empathy for the little ones that seems to have led to so many thoughtful details to keep them happy; a particular fave is campfire night every week, where they can toast marshmallows (accompanied by an adult) and swap stories over the flames.
 
There’s also a tree house for older kids and a terrific climbing area. If that’s not enough to keep them occupied there’s a children’s pool as well as a larger swimming pool for adults beside the tennis courts and table-tennis table.
 
The Cosy Nook Café lives up to its moniker with swallow-you-up couches and delicious bar snacks and, with its exposed honey stone walls, it has to be one of the most inviting campsite cafés in France. Fresh bread and croissants are delivered every morning; the best spot to take breakfast is under the shade of the linden trees. And just in case you sneaked your computer in with you to do a little work, the Nook has wi-fi as well as satellite TV for movies or sport in the evening.
 
You may well find yourself staying much longer than planned with the gastronomical Mecca of Sarlat so close, coupled with perhaps the most charming, friendly site in the Dordogne.