Combe-Claire, Magnificent House with Private Pool in the Heart of Dordogne, Near Sarlat Reviews

We are a couple from the States who invited their British relatives to a week in June at Combe-Claire. There were eight adults in all.
Combe-Claire is a large house near Tamnies, France that is immaculately maintained. It has large, very comfortable, bedrooms and beds , as well as an abundance of bathrooms, all modern and spotless. On the ground floor is a great room, kitchen, en-suite Master Bedroom and dining room. The highlight of the home is a large, heated swimming pool that is steps from the house and includes a number of chaise lounges and umbrellas. There is even table tennis available in the garage. The house is fully airconditioned. Everything works as it should and is of very high quality. Located in the tranquil rolling hillsides, there are numerous opportunities for quiet country walks (or runs). Farah, the owner was very prompt in her communications and provided a lot of helpful information about the house and local area.
We had two cars and explored the area every day. Sarlat is about twenty minutes away and is a beautiful medieval city with large grocery stores on its outskirts and lovely shops and restaurants in the old town. We toured the city on market day and spent most of the morning there.
One day we took kayaks down the slow-moving Dordogne River. We started in Vitrac and paddled to Pont de Beynec, about a three hour trip. Along the way we stopped at La Roque Gageac and Chateau de Castelnaud. We also went to Domme (beautiful view) and the Les Vignerons des Coteaux du Ceou vineyard for a tasting and a tour.
We ate mostly at Combe-Claire since the stores in Sarlat are plentiful. Each morning, we bought bread and pastries just down the road at a little farm shop, Au Four et au Moulin (get there early, they sell out fast). We also had a wonderful dinner at Laborderie, a restaurant five minutes away and a gourmet catered meal at the house by a local chef.
All in all, a dream holiday, and this from people who complain a lot.

Elaine

Review of Combe-Claire By Anne on 09-Jul-2024
Review of Combe-Claire We are a family party of six adults and stayed in Combe- Claire during June 2024. We felt well prepared with wonderfully detailed information from the owner. She was welcoming, courteous and appeared genuinely interested in our comfort. We agreed that this part of our holiday was second to none we had received before. Rosemary, the housekeeper, was equally professional and welcoming, despite the hour of our arrival. The house itself is in a peaceful location with tranquil views, and there are quiet roads leading to Sarlat, Montignac and Les Eyzies, which provide shopping, tourist attractions and restaurants. Not that we wanted to leave very often as the weather was benign and we were happy to enjoy the wonderful facilities and comforts of Combe- Claire. The house is well equipped and tastefully decorated and we were all impressed and happy there. There is an excellent boulangerie a mile or so away and we enjoyed a good lunch at the Laborderie restaurant which is nearby. I rarely write reviews but feel quite honestly that this is the least I can do to say thank you for an excellent holiday. Anne

This villa is stunning !
It stands in the most peaceful, tranquil location with beautiful views and is yet just 20 minutes or so from the many and varied attractions the Dordogne has to offer.
Our grandchildren loved the pool ( as did all three generations) and our youngest loved his many early evening visits to see the local deer.
Communication with Farah was first class. She responded promptly to any queries we had throughout the booking process and supplied us with lots of useful information prior to our arrival and throughput the holiday…….and Rosemary was lovely and always on hand during our stay.
We have spent many holidays in France over the years and this was without a doubt the very best.
David ,Pauline and family ( 2weeks in July 2025).

Review July 2025
Combe Claire is an elegant and comfortable home. We stayed as an extended family group of 8 for a week during July 2025. The house is spacious and benefits from having 5 bedrooms with bathrooms en-suite. We enjoyed meals outside overlooking the swimming pool and surrounding countryside. The house is exceedingly well equipped with thoughtful provisions such as swimming towels, and most significantly air conditioning.
The house is in a great location for exploring the surrounding area where there is much to see. We enjoyed wandering around Sarlat, canoeing and paddleboarding on the River Vezere, visiting caves at Lascaux, learning the 20* century history of Chateau des Milandes and exploring the hilltop towns of Domme and Beynac. The local bakery, which is in an unusual position, was a hit with all of us.
Farah and her team were exceedingly responsive from the moment we enquired about booking the house for a holiday. Arrangements were straight forward and dealt with very professionally.
We would love to return to Combe Claire and highly recommend a stay in this wonderful home.
Belinda D

Beautiful and immaculate house with the most comfortable beds and By Georgina Coad on 10-Aug-2024
We stayed at Combe-Claire in August 2024. I can only add to existing reviews that this is a beautiful house. Farah is great. She responds quickly to emails and provides comprehensive notes for your stay. Rosemary was lovely and walked us through the house on our arrival. Every consideration has been given for a self catering holiday. The house was immaculate and the beds are the most comfortable I have experienced in France. The location is perfect if you are seeking peace, quiet, gorgeous countryside and diverse wildlife. The surrounding villages are beautiful and you are only a 20 minute drive to Sarlat. The local lake and inflatable course was thoroughly enjoyed by our three grandchildren. The pool is the icing on the cake and perfect for young and old alike after a busy and hot day. I would highly recommend Coombe-Claire. Having stayed in six rentals over the last 10 years, this is the best by far.

The Villa and Settings Are Beautiful By V Churchill on 15-Sep-2023
Recently stayed in the beautiful villa Coombe Claire with my family, both the villa and settings were stunning. Each room is very spacious and decorated to a very high standard, they also have their own en suite so each couple had their own privacy. The swimming pool is beautifully clean. One of the nearest towns Sarlat is like taking a step back to medieval times, they also have markets on Saturday and Wednesdays that are definitely worth a visit. Lots of very pretty places to visit within a 30 min drive. Farah and Rosemary were also very informative and helped with any questions that we had. Would definitely recommend a visit to this beautiful place.

A Fabulous Two Weeks By Stephen on 22-Jul-2023
Had a fabulous two week stay at Combe-Claire in June/July 23. The pictures (which sold us on coming to Combe-Claire) were only a small insight into how lovely the house is and was absolutely perfect for the requirements of our party - of ages ranging from 20 to 81. Kitchen was well stocked with every utensil or pan you could wish for! The beds were also the most comfortable we''ve ever slept in for a holiday let and the air conditioning was a lovely addition. Managed to keep up to date with news from home on the English TV channels and never had any issues with WiFi during our stay. The pool loungers and towels made us feel like we were staying at our own private resort. We used the pool everyday (apart from on the day we left) and it was a welcome addition with the hot weather. We also took the opportunity for numerous table tennis tournaments and, whilst we didn''t use them, there were also bikes provided in the games room. The house, whilst quiet and remote, was only fifteen minutes away in any direction to numerous towns or points of interest (Sarlat, Les Eyzies) and Tamnies is a fabulous area to stay in. Great little market at Saint Geniès on a Sunday where there is also a lovely little bakery which did the most amazing bread. Although we were there for two weeks, we really didn''t venture too far as the house met all of our needs. All throughout from booking, to returning home, Farah was very quick to answer any questions or deal with any concerns. The housekeeper Rosemary was fabulous too. Whilst staying at Combe-Claire, we took the opportunity to arrange for local chef, Julie Harris, (recommended by Farah) to come and cook for us one evenig which was outstanding and worth every penny (or should I say euro?!) We had a lovely time, which went far too quickly and we would really love to return to Combe-Claire again in the future. Five stars Guest rating:

A Very Tranquil and Enjoyable Holiday By R Preston on 07-Aug-2023
We had a lovely time staying at Combe Claire. There were 8 people in our party (4 adults and children aged 14, 13, 12 and 11) and there was more than enough room for all of us. The house was very comfortable and well equipped. The location is a little remote but consequently very tranquil, we saw more deer in the garden than people passing by! Everyone really enjoyed the pool which is a good size and we spent a couple of the hotter days just relaxing around it. There’s also a nice large table on the patio which was great for dining outdoors and just sitting and taking in the views. Away from the house our highlights were visiting Sarlat and canoeing on the Dordogne. We actually ended up doing less sightseeing than we’d planned because we were happy to relax around the house. As mentioned in other reviews a car is essential due to the remote location. We didn’t have any issues with the single track roads leading up to the house and the Carrefour supermarket in Sarlat was an easy 20 minute drive away. Farah was an excellent host both before and during our trip, providing lots of helpful information and responding quickly to any questions. Rosemary the housekeeper was also very friendly and helpful, and we really appreciated not being pressured to immediately drive over and check in when our flight was delayed and we needed to visit the supermarket on the way. All in all this was a very enjoyable holiday Guest rating:

Combe-Claire: Something for Everyone

I have just returned from the most enjoyable family holiday ever. In all we were 5 adults and 5 children ranging from the ages of 2 to 75 and there was definitely something for all of us at Combe-Claire. The grown ups had the pleasure of watching the little ones enjoying the freedom of playing safely in the garden and pool area while we relaxed in this beautifully furnished, spacious and well equipped house.
From the moment I made the booking Farah, the owner, was extremely helpful and so keen to make sure all would be as we wanted. On arrival Rosemary, the housekeeper, took over making sure we were comfortable and 'at home'. The information she passed on was very useful for the days when we were able to drag the children and certain grown ups away from the pool in order to find fun things to do elsewhere. There were no shortages of these and all within 15 to 30 minutes by car. Just one disappointment - one week wasn't long enough to fit in all there was on offer and on arrival back in the UK one of my family immediately booked a two week stay in Combe-Claire for next year. What more can I say? That in itself says it all!

Wonderful house and garden 5 *
5/5 Stayed Aug 2018
Lisa S.
As two families of 5 we visited Combe-Claire in the summer months. The house is spacious and very comfortable.We were struck by the beautiful, tasteful decor as well as the quality of all equipment/ furnishings etc. The setting was fabulous and the garden and pool area wonderful for all ages. We rarely left the property all week as we were so fortunate with warm sunny weather. However, unlike many properties in France, it would have been lovely to also stay over during cooler temperatures as the interior of the house was so beautiful. We had a wonderful holiday and would thoroughly recommend to all groups. Farah was a fabulous host with prompt and helpful communication. We would love to return.

Published 27 Oct 2018