Eymet, a beautiful bastide town in the Dordogne

With so many more people now choosing to buy homes in France, prices are rising and it is becoming more difficult to find locations in truly rural parts of the country. Eymet in the Dordogne is a beautiful, traditional town and is an ideal spot to look if you’re thinking of buying property in France. A Dordogne holiday home is a great investment as this is such a sought after region for people wanting to experience the slower pace of French life. However, the area is one of the most popular, and Dordogne property for sale at the moment is more expensive than five years ago.

Eymet was founded in 1270 as a bastide town, but its origins go back much further in time: the hilltop site on which Eymet is built has had people living on it since prehistory. Objects uncovered in the ground in and around Eymet include jewellery that was made in the Bronze Age; and the layout of the local roads and bridges is courtesy of the Romans who occupied this part of France over two thousand years ago.

Today, Eymet is a warm, friendly place, with the central square a busy meeting place for people who live here and those just visiting. Eymet welcomes about 10,000 tourists from all over the world each year. When buying property in France it’s wise to choose somewhere popular like Eymet that can provide all the comforts you or your visitors will need. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, cafés and bars, and the square hosts a fabulous market every week on a Thursday. This sells traditional goods, fresh bread, meat delicacies, and wonderfully fresh fruit and vegetables.

There is also plenty to do in the surrounding area and Dordogne property is always much in demand. The other bastide towns and traditional villages in the Dordogne, and in nearby Lot-et-Garonne, are full of history, with winding medieval streets and wonderfully preserved buildings that date back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Within a thirty minute drive you will find a lovely small town or village to spend a leisurely few hours, sampling the food, taking in the sights and, if you like, visiting a different market every day.

The internet can be a great tool to use to find Dordogne property for sale, but you cannot beat visiting the region to get a true feel for its atmosphere and appeal. It can also be a good opportunity to meet local people and other ex-pats, who’ve already invested in the area, to ask them about property buying procedures in France and the benefits and attractions of Eymet.