A picturesque medieval village with stone buildings and red-tiled roofs is nestled along a curving river, surrounded by rolling hills and trees under a clear blue sky. A church with a tower overlooks the charming scene.
Travel

Preserving the Périgord: France’s forgotten province

The story of how Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s founder came to be known as ‘the guardian of history and heritage’ in the Périgord.

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Words by Dulcie Barnes

6-minute read

This is a story about stories. About how the individual tales of an impassioned woman (Madame Laëtitia Morlat), a forgotten region in France (the Périgord), and four historical properties (Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil) collide to create something special and sustainable for generations to come. 

But let’s start at the beginning. Before Madame Morlat and before Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil, there was the Périgord – an historic French province split into four colour-coded regions: the Périgord Vert, Périgord Blanc, Périgord Noir, and Périgord Pourpre. Today, you might know it as the Dordogne département. 

France’s forgotten province 

Our story takes place in the Périgord Vert. Somewhere that feels utterly in the middle of nowhere, but in truth, is no more than two hours away from Bordeaux, Paris, and Saint-Tropez by car or helicopter (a choice that doesn’t shave any time off the journey but certainly adds a splash of noisy extravagance to this otherwise quiet luxury escape). 

Whether arriving by road or air, you’ll be welcomed with the same sights: grapes swelling on vines under the southern sun, villages that look like they’ve been plucked from the pages of a fairytale book, sunflowers swaying side by side in rolling fields, and 1,000 (yes, one thousand) castles protruding proudly from rounded hills. 

Despite this idyllic description, without the usual enticing symptoms of sea or city, this patch of French countryside had been somewhat overlooked. Until an impassioned woman made it her personal mission to preserve it, that is. A journey that will ultimately lead Madame Morlat to becoming known as the ‘guardian of history and heritage’ in the Périgord. 

Madame Morlat by Franck Sonnet - wearing a straw hat and a white blouse sits at a table outdoors. She is smiling and resting her hands on the table, next to a bouquet of colorful flowers. In the background, theres a blurred view of a building and garden.
The charming house - Château de Marqueyssac, with a steep, dark slate roof, cream-colored walls, and blue shutters. It is surrounded by neatly trimmed bushes and lush greenery under a cloudy sky.
(L) © Madame Morlat by Franck Sonnet | (R) Château de Marqueyssac

The guardian of history and heritage 

‘Nobody wanted to do it, so I said I’ll do it,’ says Madame Morlat. ‘It’s interesting to uncover parts of France that nobody knows, and I want to introduce people to this part of the Périgord.’ 

But Madame Morlat’s connection with the area runs much deeper – her family history dates back to the early 1200s, so it’s where she was born and raised. And despite having travelled and lived all over the world, the Périgord pulls her back time and time again. 

What started as a desire to transform some rooms in her private home into guest rooms, soon exploded into the vision for Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil: four all-inclusive private estates that have been elegantly restored whilst revitalising the rich cultural heritage surrounding them. 

Whilst they all share certain features – heated swimming pools, padel and tennis courts, and carefully curated artwork – each property has its own personality. 

‘I love every property because each one contains a part of my soul and my spirit,’ says Madame Morlat. ‘Every property has its own story, and I want my visitors to be able to feel that when they are with us.’ 

The properties 

 

Aerial view of Château de Chanet - a large, historic chateau with a red-tiled roof surrounded by lush greenery. A swimming pool and manicured gardens are visible nearby. The landscape includes expansive lawns and a wooded area under a partly cloudy sky. Aerial view of Château de Chanet - a large, historic chateau with a red-tiled roof surrounded by lush greenery. A swimming pool and manicured gardens are visible nearby. The landscape includes expansive lawns and a wooded area under a partly cloudy sky.
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut

Château de Chanet

This honey-hued home is made for lovers. In fact, it’s where Madame Morlat spent her honeymoon. Inside the dry moat surrounding the property, you’ll find a giant chess set, a cosy film room, and 11 uniquely designed bedrooms (each named after an inspiring woman). It also has a secret: a cave containing several scrolls preserved in glass bottles, each containing a previous guest’s wish. Those brave enough can squeeze through its tiny entrance to retrieve someone else’s wish – and leave their own. 

Sleeps 23 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/chateau-de-chanet 

Domaine de Bagatelle

The name of the game? Fun. The players? 16 of your nearest and dearest. This property’s chic, cream-clad rooms are all open-plan and airy. But our favourite space is the Orangerie – home to a row of bi-fold French doors that expose the raised patio that’s perfect for alfresco lunches and the infinity pool that overlooks an untouched patch of Périgord countryside. And with a spa, sauna, gym, and four more bedrooms on the way later this year, the future of this property is even brighter than the sun streaming through its windows.

Sleeps 16 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/domaine-de-bagatelle 

A sunlit room inside Domaine de Bagatelle features a chess table with large black and brown pieces. Two white armchairs surround the table. A tall vase with a floral arrangement stands on a pedestal by a multi-paned window with a view of greenery outside. A sunlit room inside Domaine de Bagatelle features a chess table with large black and brown pieces. Two white armchairs surround the table. A tall vase with a floral arrangement stands on a pedestal by a multi-paned window with a view of greenery outside.
© Ivonis - Lucas Gorry
Aerial view of the large, elegant Domaine de Lavy estate featuring a historic mansion with a turret. The property includes a well-manicured garden, stone pathways, and a rectangular swimming pool with sun loungers, set against a backdrop of lush greenery and trees. Aerial view of the large, elegant Domaine de Lavy estate featuring a historic mansion with a turret. The property includes a well-manicured garden, stone pathways, and a rectangular swimming pool with sun loungers, set against a backdrop of lush greenery and trees.
© Wilma

Domaine de Lavy

With a name that phonetically sounds out as the French word for life (“la vie”), it’s no surprise that Madame Morlat wanted to express a sense of eternity with Domaine de Lavy. This multi-level residence (made up of two separate houses – the original manor and the Soldier’s House) and its meticulously manicured gardens slant over a hillside in Saint-Pierre-de-Cole. Curl up in the cosy library, tinkle the keys of the grand piano, and taste the local honey varieties. Bucolic bliss. 

Sleeps 20 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/domaine-de-lavy 

La Roussie Villa

Not a château, nor a manor. La Roussie Villa is an authentic former farmhouse that oozes warmth. But don’t get us wrong: it’s equally as elegant as its sisters. It’s Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s pint-sized property ideal for families seeking the chance to escape and reconnect. Inside, the art adorning the walls paints a picture of Madame Morlat’s eight years’ living in Japan. Outside, woodlands wrap the 17th-century home in a warm embrace that feels seriously secluded. The only order of the day? Sundowners on the sun-drenched terrace.  

Sleeps 8 | domainedevieuxmareuil.com/villa-de-la-roussie 

A cosy living room inside La Roussie Villa, viewed through open double doors. It features a beige sectional sofa with red and plaid cushions, a wooden coffee table, and an abstract painting on the wall. The room has a soft, neutral colour palette and a decorative chandelier. A cosy living room inside La Roussie Villa, viewed through open double doors. It features a beige sectional sofa with red and plaid cushions, a wooden coffee table, and an abstract painting on the wall. The room has a soft, neutral colour palette and a decorative chandelier.
La Roussie Villa

By breathing new life into four once-forgotten properties, Madame Morlat has also breathed new life into their once-forgotten land – the Périgord. Thanks to the employment opportunities Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil has brought to the province, she has witnessed first-hand the local villages slowly repopulate after decades of desertion. 

Speaking of guests and employees alike, Madame Morlat says, “Everyone brings their own meaning to Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil. It starts with me and carries on through everyone.” 

It really feels like stepping into a fairytale frozen in time. A place where the owner’s brother went to school with the butcher’s father (true story), and everyone might burst into song and dance at any moment – which does, in fact, happen when Madame Morlat breaks into a short rendition of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good when describing how she wants all her guests to feel at Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil. 

A scenic view of a river meandering through lush green fields and forests under a clear blue sky. A bridge spans the river, with rolling hills and farmland visible in the background in France. A scenic view of a river meandering through lush green fields and forests under a clear blue sky. A bridge spans the river, with rolling hills and farmland visible in the background in France.
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut

The concept of kintsugi 

Swiftly after moving to Japan, Madame Morlat became enamoured with the art of kintsugi: fixing something broken with something beautiful to enhance its value – like gluing the pieces of a fractured vase back together with literal gold. 

“I am not broken because of my cancer. Because I have a life to live. The same goes for these properties,” says Madame Morlat, demonstrating how kintsugi’s metaphor for life has seeped into all aspects of her own. 

Despite appearances, nothing at Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil is new. Because, in Madame Morlat’s eyes, nothing is broken. Everything in these properties was either here before the renovation and upcycled or sourced from antique shops around the world to give them a new life and home. 

But it might surprise you to hear that the true gold in Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s offering isn’t in its picturesque surroundings or its exquisitely curated décor. No, it’s in something that can’t be seen at all: its service. 

A cosy bedroom with a large bed featuring green and white pillows and a teal blanket. The wall is covered with a scenic wallpaper depicting trees and houses. A rustic wooden beam ceiling is above. A small table with a lamp and flowers is by the bed in France.
A table set for breakfast outdoors on a lawn. It features fruit, croissants, baguettes, butter, jam, juice, bottled drinks, a teapot, and cups. In the background are trees and grass scattered with white flowers.
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut

Five-star service 

Blending the privacy of an exclusive villa with the ease of five-star hotel service is a winning formula – and Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil nails it. 

‘People need to be reunified in a special place, where it’s only them. Not in a hotel – in a villa. With everything we provide,’ says Madame Morlat. 

The team works tirelessly to seamlessly pre-empt all guests’ needs. But none more so than the main group contact (you know, the one who usually books the property, organises all the activities, sources the staff, and manages everyone’s expectations). They describe this strain as ‘emotional labour’ – something that prevents this person from truly switching off. And by taking care of all this and more, they grant everyone in the group the invaluable gift of time. 

In other words: a stay at one of Domaine de Vieux-Mareuil’s properties gives you the time and space to rewrite your own story – even if only for a week or two. 

A beautifully set outdoor dining table with a white tablecloth and various dishes is under a large umbrella. Elegant chairs surround the table. In the background, there are lush green trees and a stone wall, suggesting a scenic, sunny setting. A beautifully set outdoor dining table with a white tablecloth and various dishes is under a large umbrella. Elegant chairs surround the table. In the background, there are lush green trees and a stone wall, suggesting a scenic, sunny setting.
© Gaelle Le Boulicaut

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