La Min-sú de Terrasson

Things to do and see

Together, Limousin, the Dordogne and the Lot are the heart and soul of la belle France. Turreted châteaux and medieval villages line the riverbanks ... market stalls overflow with foie gras and fine wines... rich food, heady history*...
*) Lonely Planet

Terrasson is an ideal, off the tourist trail, base from which to explore the highlights of this beautiful area.

Terrasson.

Our Min-sú is located in Terrasson-Lavilledieu, a small town with an attractive old centre and all basic amenities. Though the local economy does not revolve around tourism, and a little 'off the tourist trail', Terrasson has a lot to offer to the traveller and you can easily spend a few days in and around town. Find out more about:

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• Sight seeing in Terrasson
  Terrasson is a small town, and its historic centre is easy to walk. Stroll through alleys, stairways paved with river bolders, squares, the church and interesting groups of buildings. Learn about the 'epis de faitages' at the partimonie house and spot them around town, the fountains, the sarcophagus, the 'cluzeaux', the octroi, and take in the scenery from the ramparts. For garden lovers a visit to the comtemporary 'Jardins de l'imaginaire will be a must! For the nature lovers there are a number of hikes to choose from
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• Artisans and local produce
  In and around Terrasson you will discover the excellent quality local agricultural produce, producers and artisans who open their doors to the public and often offer training and workshops for the public to share their knowledge and skills Experience first hand: Chocolate making, ceramics, glassblowing and wallnut oil production…etc. Hike through fruit and walnut orchards, collect wild berries and chestnuts, observe and be observed by the local cattle, have fun in fields of sunflowers… and pick mouth-watering cherries!
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• Amenities
  Terrasson-Lavilledieu is the 'chef lieu du canton', and as such provides services to the surrounding communities. For this reason the small town of Terrasson has a disproportionate number of banks, supermarkets, (general) medical practitioners, pharmacies, hairdressers, restaurants and government services in relation to its size.
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• What 'n when
  ‘When is the best time to visit?’, is a question we were being asked often. Sounds like a simple question, the answer isn’t that simple though. The best time to visit depends a lot on what you would like to do 'n see. Unlike cosmopolitan cities, life here is very much attached to the climate, natural resources and terroir. Every seasons offer different attractions and an experience on its own. On this page we bring together the information regarding the climate, tourist seasons (European school holidays), opening and closing of major attractions as well as seasonal products, activities and festivals.
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• Coly valley hikes
  ‘Just to the South of Terrasson, the Coly stream cuts through steep hills with a remarkable geology: Jurassic formations to the north and Cretaceous to the south. Small streams drain some 170 km2 of undulated forestland, scattered with rich agricultural valleys, grasslands, walnut groves, villages and small hamlets.'
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Assisted day trips

We offer to take you around twice a week to explore some of the attractions further afield, not serviced by public transportation. They are not 'group tours', but semi-independent travel experiences that enable you to explore some of the marvels this area has to offer.

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• Vézère valley:
  The Vézère valley starting at Terrasson is a recognised UNESCO world heritge site. The string of historical sites starts at Terrasson's "old" bridge, through Montignac with its fabled Lascaux caves, through Saint Leon sur Vézère (one of France 'most beautifull villages'), La Roque Saint-Christophe, and the ice age cave art surrounding Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil.
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• Périgord noir highlights:
  A number of picturesque villages are within a half-an-hour drive of Terrasson in the general direction of Sarlat; explore La Cassagne, Saint Amand de Coly or Saint Genies, pass a few hours in the gardens of the Manoir d'Eyrignac before spending the afternoon in the enchanting Sarlat.
  
  Driving from Sarlat to the Dordogne valley we pass some spectacular landscapes composed of the river, old towns and castles. Choose to explore Beynac, Castelnaud, La Roque Gageac or Domme. A river cruise on board one of the Gabarres is a must, visit the gardens of Marqueyssac and walk the 'Via Ferrate' during summer.
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• Vézère ardoise:
  Upstream from Terrasson the Vézère river erodes into the central plateau, revealing the underlying geology with layers of slate (ardoise). The ardoise of Travassac is particularly high prized for its quality for roof making. Whiles it elsewhere produces a 'terroir' (soil) for the minerally 'Coteaux de la Vézère' wines.
  
  Yet further the steepening incline of the river powered industries, and still provides hydroelectric power today. The landscape provides black angular stone that give a very different feel to the architecture, brown Limousine cows leisure in the grassland and apple orchards produce the AOP 'Pomme du Limousin'.
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• Vicomté de Turenne:
  Visit Rocamadour by driving through the Corrèze département of the Limosine; swim, hike or just hang around the Lac du Causse's beach or its surrounding villages, visit historic Turenne, the natural red stone village of Collonges-la-Rouge, picturesque Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne or the underground river at Padirac. Pick any three destinations for a fascinating day out.
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Hiking, kayaking and cycling

These are great ways to explore the surroundings. We have developed an array of routes and combined a number into various interesting day trips that can be adapted to your personal interests and fitness. These include:

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• Hiking trails around terrasson:
  There are various signposted hiking trails around Terrasson and surrounding villages. Borrow a map or download a route from one of the 'rando' sites.
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• Cycle down the Coly valley:(moderate-with drop-off)
  Follow the small stream to seesaw through forested hills, small villages and hamlets (La Cassagne, Coly, Condat sur Vézère), ruins, St-Amand Abbey and historic sites.
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• Kayak down the Vézère:(drop-off and pick-up)
  Choose from a number of starting and ending points from a few hours to a full day. Select from the available kayak rentals and peddle down stream at your own speed. Pull your kayak from the water to have lunch at pictureque Saint Leon, or a number of sights to visit.
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By train

A number of day trips can be made, including to the following:

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• Périgueux (capital of the Dordogne):
  If you would only take one train trip, this one would be it. 40 minutes from Terrasson, home to roman ruins, a medieval and a renaissance quarter. The large and impressive Saint-Front Cathedral is no doubt a highlight. Considered more foodie than Lyon by people in the know, the birthplace of foie gras has a market, shopping and mouth-watering possibilities to drink and eat, to make your day.
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• Cahors (Lot):
  Another great foodie destination, home of the 'black' Malbec, at an hour's train ride from Brive. Places to visit include the medieval center, the historic 'devil bridge', the 'secret gardens' and St. Etienne cathedral. Take one of the themed walking tours or discover the medieval district from a donkey carriage.
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• Limoges (Limousin):
  Famous for its porceline, Limoges can be reached by train from Brive in an hour. It offers attractive historics quarter (the Boucherie village), cathedrals, its 'Art nouveau' railway station, several museums (including fine arts) and a relaxed shopping and food destination (and when in the Limosine, try the famed Limosine beef).
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• Bordeaux (Gironde):
  Can be reached in 2 hours from Terrasson, so you could spend half a day in its historic center. It is more suitable as a stop-over point from Paris or Bilbao by train or arriving/departing from a large number of (European) destinations by plane. To visit the vineyard outside the city, you should spend a night in Bordeaux (or one of the chateaux).
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Dance and art related activities.

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• Dance and stretching classes.
  Many people travel to get out of their familiar surroundings, people, culture, landscape/cityscape and habits to refresh themselves. However, many of us come home still feeling tired after what was supposed to be a recharging trip. One of the reasons is that the surroundings may be different, but our bodies still carry the same old habits which have been accumulating stress for years.
  
  To help heal this, La Min-su de Terrasson provide a unique relaxation service, in the form of a stretching & fun dance workshop directed by dance artist Sze who has spent years investigating this area. The workshop helps our guests to find the ‘problems’ of their bodies, suggests solutions and teaches them relaxation skills and strengthening exercise.
  
  All the techniques Sze proposes can be easily merged into daily lives and the principles are explained in an easily understood manner, and… after all A LOT OF FUN too. The studio provides a space to review and refresh your habits in an amazing environment. La Min-su De Terrasson hope this extra gift will continue to benefit you long after you have left.
  

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• Dance camps.
  In October 2016, May 2017, May 2018 and May 2019 we organised our first dance camps. Through mindfully designed programme in our in-house studio and work in specific sites we explore interrelationship of nature, movement and oneself pleasantly.
  
  We will try to organise dance camps every year for those who curious in exploring and expressing through their own bodies. We could also organise special dance / retreat camps on request, gather 5 to 6 people, the minsu and its services are all yours!
  
  Find out more about the summer dance camp 2022 .
  

Though not being exhaustive, this gives you an idea of how we can help you customize your experience based on your personal interests.

A two week stay would allow guests to experience most of the suggested places and activities. It will bring you a satisfying, unique, and memorable experience which will stay with you for a long time!