In 2000, we had our first holiday in the Périgord Noir (the area near Sarlat), when we stayed in a Chambre d’hôte of a nice French couple, nowadays good friends of ours. We enjoyed our stay because of the good accommodation, nice people, the region and the pleasant climate. On our way back to Rotterdam in the Netherlands (where we lived at the time) we came up (independently) with the idea of starting our own Bed and Breakfast in the Dordogne.
After looking for a house for two years we found "l’Ancienne Gendarmerie" (the old police station) in Cadouin and instantly fell in love with it. In February, 2004, we became the proud owners. Little by little, with help of friends and family, we are restoring and converting the building into a Chambres d’Hôtes (for many of you better known as “Bed & Breakfast”). We have been living permanently in Cadouin since the beginning of Mai, 2005.
A brief history of the building:
The building was originally constructed, in the year 1606, as a “Presbytere” (a house for priests). Later, it functioned as a police station (Gendarmerie) until 1937. Remainders of this period are still visible in the house: the prison doors, nowadays, give access to the annex of our kitchen and also the door to the “Ecurie” (horse stable) dates from this time. At that time, policemen still rode horses, that’s why the word “Ecurie” is still painted on this door.
After 1937 the building was community property and was divided into a number of small apartments. Since the seventies the building has served as a dwelling house of the former owners. Fortunately for us, they had already started to rebuild the premises.
In the summer season of 2007, we have welcomed our first guests, in our Chambre d’hôtes Ancienne Gendarmerie.
