Saint-Félix-de-Reillac-et-Mortemart, Perigord, France

I have highlighted some of the better known villages in the Perigord Noir, but truly, there are dozens of them that are really gorgeous to drive through and go by. If I were on a longer trip, I would settle down in a public square, get a coffee, a croissant if the town had such a place, and read while taking in the sights and scenes. This is a region where you can loiter, where there is beauty everywhere you turn, especially if you love rivers, mountains, and forests.

This town is actually an amagamation of two towns, so there are two cemetaries, two churches and about 200 people. Overcrowding is not an immediate concern. There may be some concern about the lack of people, as when I peruse the real estate on offer in the region and see that there are quite a few places for sale. If I lived closer and spoke more French I could see this as second home kind of territory--or work remotely, better yet.

I have said this before as I write about this recent trip, but put this on your radar as a wonderful region to visit, with lots of nice places that are not on the well beaten path.