There are houses that look wonderful in photographs, and houses that simply work when a family arrives.
Le Petit Capelier manages both.
Our three-bedroom country house near Issigeac in the Dordogne sleeps up to six, but it is the space around the house that often makes the difference: mature gardens, countryside, shady trees and a private 12m × 5m swimming pool.
A family who stayed recently described it as the “perfect rural getaway” — and their children appear to have made very good use of it.
The pool test
Every family has its own measure of a successful holiday.
At Le Petit Capelier, it may be this:
“Kid friendly pool with a shallow end for less confident swimmers and a deep end for dives, running bombs, and pushing your parents in.”
We particularly enjoyed the final qualification.
The pool has a proper shallow end and plenty of room at the deeper end, while the mature trees around the property mean there is nearly always somewhere to escape the Dordogne sun.
That combination — water, space and shade — can make the difference between constantly organising children and simply letting a holiday happen.
You don’t have to go anywhere
This may be one of Le Petit Capelier’s greatest luxuries.
There are no shared facilities, no timetable and no need to manufacture an excursion every morning.
Breakfast can become a swim. Lunch can stretch into an afternoon under the trees. Something bought at Issigeac market can go onto the plancha or barbecue that evening.
Children have space to roam and adults have space to stop.
And when everyone does want to go somewhere, the location makes life remarkably easy.
Issigeac and Castillonnès are less than ten minutes away. Eymet and Villeréal are within twenty minutes, putting four lovely market towns, cafés, restaurants and shops within easy reach.
The details that matter
What particularly pleased us about this family’s review wasn’t only what they wrote.
They gave Le Petit Capelier five stars for check-in, cleanliness, accuracy, communication, location and value.
The detailed feedback described the furniture and linen as spotless, the kitchen as pristine and the house as matching both its photographs and description.
The location was marked out as peaceful, private and surrounded by beautiful countryside, with good restaurants nearby.
And their verdict on the hosts?
“On the ball and very welcoming in everything they do.”
We’ll happily take that.
A house for being together — and apart
Perhaps that’s why Le Petit Capelier works particularly well for families.
Six people can be together without having to do the same thing.
Someone can be swimming. Someone else can be reading under a tree. Lunch can be happening outside while somebody is still wandering around the garden.
And occasionally, somebody’s parent gets pushed into the pool.
That’s a family holiday.