We moved to Eymet in 2023 and haven’t looked back. The combination of amenities, warmth, cosmopolitan population and general feeling of vivante (liveliness) have made it an easy place to call home.
This guide is both for those visiting to explore the region or if you’re considering a move here. These are all the things I’d want a friend to know!
Please note, this is a guide, not a directory! These are just some of our favorite or familiar places in town, places we frequent, services we’ve used. There are many wonderful and useful places you’ll discover here beyond these. 🙂
If you’d like a complete directory to all the businesses in Eymet, stop by the tourist office! They are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and usually have a little directory booklet available.
Lastly, please note this list only includes Eymet proper. There are lots of great places, businesses, and restaurants in the larger area, but I had to stay focused!
Places to Stay (in town or within a 2 – 5 min drive)
52 Eymet – Bed and breakfast run by a French couple that worked in London in high end hotels for 30 years, before opening 52 Eymet. The care and attention to detail they brought with them from their previous careers shows in the decor and small touches that make you truly comfortable during your stay. Also, the owners are lovely people who will make you a delicious breakfast and tell you great stories before wishing you well on a your local adventure.
Walnut Suites – Above the restaurant of the same name, gorgeous luxury spaces with small kitchenettes. Perfect for a stay where you know you’ll want to go out mostly, but it’s nice to have the option to make a simple meal in or heat up some food.
Maison Nº 20 – Owned by an Australian and a local antique dealer, these two apartments are in a great location in the village (quiet but close to the center) and are really beautifully done. One of the apartments is a two bedroom two bath, so nice for a family.
House with fenced yard for pets, 3 bedroom and a/c, 5 minute walk to square. We’ve had a couple of clients with dogs stay there and they said it worked out perfectly.
Le Domaine des Hauts de Rouquette – Gorgeous luxury cabins just outside Eymet if you want to feel you’re in a lux French countryside getaway while still being really close to town (but they probably are not walkable unless you’re REALLY ambitious).
Le Trésor d’Eymet – Newly renovated, 6 bedrooms all with a/c and an ensuite bathroom, plus a POOL right in the middle of Eymet. Good for big groups who don’t want to share bathrooms.
Places to Eat and Drink
Maison d’amour, the Crêperie: Best place for traditional French in a casual atmosphere.
Their galettes (the savory version of crêpes) are better than some I’ve had in Normandy! And they make the best duck breast (margaret de canard, a Southwest specialty) in town in our humble opinion. It’s all Juliana will order there because it’s so good. There is a small inside seating area, and large outdoors seating under the shade of the arcades on the square; they have outdoor heaters in the winter.
Menus are all bilingual French/English. Owner is lovely and welcoming. Reservations, especially in the busy season are a must. If you don’t have reservations in the off season, you can try getting there right when they open in hopes of getting a table.
The Walnut: Elegant space, great for a large group, global cuisine, always vegetarian options.
The Walnut has a casual elegant feel of a restaurant in Napa Valley with fresh, global fusion type cuisine, but also a few dishes that feel like comfort food.
The menu changes seasonally so there’s always something new to discover, and always a creative vegetarian option.
To me, this combination reflects both the owners’ Julian and Chelsea’s heritage (American, Dutch and British) and love of travel. This is where Juliana asks to go to Eymet when she’s homesick for American food and at the same time Jason and I can order something seasonal and maybe a little exotic. The week day 3 course lunch is a great value and they offer brunch on the weekends.
Cafe Sara: Best place for breakfast, a quick lunch, or to catch up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
Have you read any of those Pumpkin Spice Cafe books that are basically the slightly spicy book version of a Hallmark movie? Ok, I imagine Sara’s could fit into Dream Harbor, the little town those books are set in, perfectly. Warm and cozy inside, simple delicious breakfast and lunches. I always seems to run into a friend when when I’m there. The owners Sara and Vincent are lovely welcoming people, I like stopping just to chat.
They are open in the morning to mid-afternoon, but you can get food the whole time! Yes, outside of French eating hours! 😂 You can also go just to meet friends for a coffee in the cozy living room like salon up the stairs, and maybe try a baked good Vincent has dreamed up. Sara’s has wifi and a bar with stools along the window, she doesn’t mind if you order a coffee and set up there for a bit with your laptop to get some work done.
Le Tube: Best place for people who love good coffee and sausage rolls, especially on a beautiful day.
Everytime I go to Le Tube, I think to myself “why aren’t I here everyday?!?” 😅 The setting outside is so cool and unique, the coffee is excellent, and the vibe is relaxed. It’s no wonder people come here just to chat with the owner behind the counter and hang out! Also, I think he might be one of the few people in this town who makes a cordada or a flat white. On a nice day I often stop and get a cup of something to go (yes, you can get to-go coffee here!!!) and then stroll the trail at Bretou park nearby while I enjoy it, listening to the birds sing and the leaves rustle.
Saturday mornings there’s usually a lady making breakfast sandwiches on site. One of my dad’s favorite memories visiting was the two of us hanging out here in the sun on a Saturday morning with drinks and breakfast. Me too.
Cafe Tortoni (but everyone just calls it Tortoni’s)
This is our cheers bar! Best for: casual drinks, pub food, families and watching the match.
You’ll hear English and French spoken here in a complete melange, everyone is welcome. There’s a TV to watch matches, and the place is often decorated festively for holidays. Inside and outside seating, just off the square. Open all day from the morning when you can get coffee to late in the evening for an after dinner drink. When I don’t know where to go, I go to Tortoni’s
This is our favorite place to bring a game to play while we order drinks in the afternoon, then stay until they start serving dinner, which is casual French pub food. And should you have a picky American kid with you, this is the one place in town you can get chicken strips. I thought you should know. 😉 Oh, and while the kitchen is only open for lunch and dinner (normal French hours) they do serve ice cream in the afternoons! The Sundays are soooooo good. The rest of the time there are coffee drinks, hot chocolate, non-alcoholic drinks and sodas, and of course all the standards you’d expect at a bar.
For the Tuesday night summer markets, they just do drinks and it’s Ok to bring food from the market to eat at the tables. They even put out extra tables those evenings! But you’ll have to get there early or make a reservation to get one. Closed Wednesdays.
Best for: a cozy, classic bistro dinner, especially in the cooler months.
Serving traditional French bistro food, they have mastered warm lighting and a cozy ambiance. It’s the kind of place when you walk by in the evening and see inside, you’re just drawn to the glow! Plus it’s right across the church which is lit at night. It’s also open on Mondays when a lot of the other restaurants are closed.
Here’s another tip – this is one of the few restaurants in town with A/C, so while they don’t have much in the way of outdoor seating, if it’s a hot day in the summer it’s a great option!
Best for: a special occasion or date night (or date lunch!).
This place is a gastronomic restaurant that has been mentioned in the Michelin guide before and I lost track of how many French friends recommended it to us before we went. We FINALLY made it recently and I get it now.
When you step through the gates off the busy boulevard, it’s like you just stepped into a whole different world. The courtyard is beautiful and serene and the inside dining room is like stopping by a well heeled French uncle’s house for dinner, elegant but comfortable. The music is just the right vibe, there’s a gentle sound of running water from a fountain in the background. The proprietor will often hand you a menu, but then tell you exactly what to order…and he’s not wrong.
We had three courses and every one was delicious and perfectly cooked. The wine recommendation was local and delicious too. Nothing crazy or complicated here, just really, good French food well prepared. We popped in without reservations for lunch, but you definitely need them for dinner.
Best for take out Pizza or when you miss pepperoni or cheesy garlic bread from the U.S.
This is our go-to take out pizza place in Eymet, but it’s only open seasonally. Call early, there’s one pizza oven and if you don’t get your order in early, you’re not eating until 9pm! The French owner speaks great English, so don’t be afraid to call and place your order. They have pepperoni here too!! So hard to find in France. And Juliana loves the cheesy garlic bread, also not always easy to find. They do have a nice courtyard if you’d like to eat in.
Best for when you missed lunch and nothing’s open or forgot it’s Sunday. 🤦♀️
This is your emergency lunch / dinner plan! Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, you can stop and use your credit card to order a pizza that will pop out of the machine in 3 minutes, hot and ready. Get a drink from the Tabac across the street or a bottle of wine from the cave on the square and head down to the picnic tables in the park across from the Marie or by the river to eat. You’re set, no matter the time of day!
Best for a quick break and snack while wandering town.
This is the “pink” place you may have seen in our video on Eymet! Find ice cream, waffles, crêpe, coffee, beer and wine all available whenever they are open. Nice atmosphere and location on the square. Perfect if you want an ice cream cone to stroll through town with or watch the kids play around the fountain (you can get simple toys, balls, etc at the Tabac on the square).
Best for French Petit déjeuner (breakfast) on the square.
Get a traditional French breakfast of a hot beverage, juice and a vinnioserie (chocolatine, croissant, etc) and watch the world go by.
Dordogne Chippy Fish and Chips Truck
Best for a taste of Britain in France.
Arrives every Thursday night in the parking lot of the catholic church. Take your food to go or get a table at Cafe de Paris across the street, order your fish and chips and wait for them to be ready while you enjoy your drink.
Assuming you buy a drink, it’s fine to bring the fish and chips back to the bar to eat, and in fact you’ll find all the condiments inside the bar. They also have chicken and chips. You can order ahead on their app, but your order has to be approved and you’ll get an email letting you know if it was or not on Thursday. Again, this is popular, so I would get here early both to get a table at Cafe de Paris and to order. Inside is air conditioned in the summer!
Best for easy and delicious takeout when you don’t want to cook.
OMG, this Indian food is SO GOOD. I did not expect to move to a tiny village in France to have great Indian food, but sometimes life just works out. 😆
Eating in is nice here (and sometimes if the owner knows you like spicy things, he’ll share his personal spicy sauce when you dine in), and you don’t often need a reservation.
But this is much more often my go to take out option. You can order take out online for pick up! So convenient and rare out here in the countryside to be able to order take out food OR online, yet they have both! Be still my convenience loving American heart! 😂 AND they just started opening on Monday! So if you didn’t have time to go shopping after a busy weekend, volia, here is your dinner problem Monday night solved. Closed Wednesdays.
Best place to get an early morning coffee and at lunch experience traditional, unfussy French countryside food.
This place is what I imagine the food would be like if I had a French aunt who lived out in the countryside and I stopped by for lunch. Still the traditional three courses, but completely unpretentious, hearty food.
No reservations needed, just show up around noon. Lunch starts with a trip to the “entree” bar, which is all traditional Southwest countryside food “first course” choices – eggs mayonnaise (French deviled eggs), chopped salads like beet and carrot, sliced dried sausage with little pickles to go with them, and meat pâté and terrines (promise, try one on some bread with a pickle! So much yummier than you think it will be!). You go to the bar and choose what you want, as much or as little.
You’ll choose your main course ordering at the table. Usually there are two options, beef and pork or chicken. Last time we were there I got chicken that was stewed with peppers. Delicious.
Then the last course will be either a little cheese plate or a couple of simple classic options like creme brulee or chocolate mousse. This place is the perfect example of how the French eat three courses, even when it’s not what Americans would call “fancy” food, it’s just a way of life to take you time, enjoy and pace the food.
The brasserie is attached to a bar that opens early where a lot of the artisans in the area stop for a coffee on the way to the job. This is the best bar to practice your French Southwest accent. 😉
Restaurant Italien des Arcades
Best for the outdoor iconic view of Eymet. .
This has to be the most famous restaurant in Eymet. It was the first here 30 years ago before Eymet became the re-vitalized town it is today. It’s the restaurant with the famous mural you see coming into town of the man and woman. Still owned by the same family, it’s open from April (around Easter) to around mid-Oct each year.
No reservations accepted, just show up and try your luck, but in the busy season seatings will usually happen around 7pm and then 9pm, you can get a drink at the bar while you wait.
Pizza is their speciality, but they have an entire menu of pasta dishes. We love their marinated veggies as a first course with the focaccia bread.
Tons of outdoor seating here, but there’s also indoor seating and they have A/C inside when it’s hot!
Best when you want something light and love drinking tea (or American style cake!!! I love their chocolate layer cake, that’s really uncommon in France).
This place is exactly what you think it is, cozy on the inside, cute on the outside with yummy scones, a big selection of tea, delicious cakes, an English breakfast in the mornings and light lunch items like the British classic coronation chicken or BLT for lunch. Open Tuesday – Friday 9 – 2pm.
Things to Do – Inside
My new favorite place in Eymet, I’m not joking. Justine, the artist who owns and runs this place is so cool and so talented, but this doesn’t every overshadow her incredible warmth as a person.🤩
Stop in when you’re around, she has fun unique jewelry she designs herself, great stationary with her original prints and patterns adorning them, plus of course her gorgeous art in affordable prints and cards. Check out her website to shop online or to sign up for creative workshops of all kinds.
This is the heart of the winter cultural program in Eymet. Pick up a schedule in the tourist office. Often you can buy tickets online for shows and they range from dance, to singing, to orchestra, to the English pantomime and comedians! This is also the home of our local cinema. Schedules come out month by month and you buy tickets at the door. Usually once a month there is an older French movie shown with English subtitles.
This is a wonderful multipurpose center with an association run cafe usually open on Thursdays during the market and weekends, but check the website for other times. Coworking is welcome here anytime the cafe is open.
There are also lots of great local products for sale, stop in and take a look! I especially like the lavender hand soap and buy it for all our bathrooms. This is where the pick up for the Monday night organic veggie co-op we showed on the video is.
They also have an incredibly varied program open to the public. Lectures, craft workshops, live music, dinners, quizzes, Gen Z language exchange, a community garden…it’s amazing really! The volunteers there work very hard to bring interesting and engaging events to life in this historic building and grounds.
If you’re going to be in town, always check their facebook group, you never know what cool thing might be happening (this was the location of the Texas themed Gunguette we showed on the channel!)! If the gate is open, feel free to wander in, get a cup of coffee or soda, and shop some yummy local products (including beer) and relax by the river for a bit.
Yoga classes and massage near the Mairie. Liswati has a wonderful calming energy about her, her instruction is fantastic, and the studio she’s created for private classes and massage is a clean, welcoming, light filled space. Only in French, but if you’ve done yoga before you can follow and it’s been great for my vocabulary! Look for her group classes through the associations around town too!
Wine tasting at Cave Eymet Opéra Vinalis
The Cave on the square is essential for a visit to Eymet. It’s run by Joseph who is married to a Canadian and happy to speak English to help you find a local bottle to your tastes. The prices are very reasonable and you can even arrange to do a themed tasting! We usually do this with a few friends in the afternoon before going to dinner.
It’s also a great place to pick up a gift to bring home for friends or family, let Joseph know you’re traveling with it and he’ll pack it in a box. If you’re more into cocktails than wine, he carries hard to find French small batch spirits along with beers, and cider.
The bar/restaurant across from Andine just off the square has a pool table inside. A nice activity for after dinner when you’re not ready to go home!
Meant primarily for children under 6 years, so I haven’t been here since Juliana is too old (😭), but heard nothing but good things. The photos look magical! And it’s made to look like a replica of our actual town?!? Could this be any cuter?!? Wonderful place to connect with local parents of other young children and nice to do through the winter when it’s hard to go outside with the rain! And the space inside is air-conditioned if it’s too hot outside.
Go to the library to read or look at magazines
Eymet has an exceptionally large library for its size. To get a library card, go in anytime it’s open and just show something with your name and Eymet address on it, like a utility bill. You can order books from all over the Dordogne library system. There is a middle grade and adult fiction English section. And a ton of French graphic novels, which are an awesome way to practice reading French in small chunks with context clues. Large children’s area with comfy seating, and I know there are a couple of parents groups that meet here.
If you’re just visiting and don’t have a card, it’s still a nice place to go find a comfy seat and look at magazines on days when the weather is less than great.
Book browsing at French or English bookstores (see bookstores under shops)
Shopping (see list below)
Things to Do – Outside
There’s parking just off the road. A lovely place to watch the seasons change. There is nature and bird watching signage along the way, dogs are welcome. The trail can get muddy if we’ve had a lot of rain, so if that’s the case, wear appropriate shoes. In the summer you can rent a SUP or kayak to take out on the water in specific areas.
Right across from the Marie with a small playground, ping pong table, and these are the closest picnic tables if you get a pizza from the pizza machine! There is a nice trail that takes you through the chateau to the parking lot by the church, and behind this park is the RV camping area. This park is really shady in the summer and has lots of benches, so it’s a good place for a rest. Dogs are not allowed in this park.
Basketball courts
Find the basketball courts across from the Salle de la gare and just behind the petanque courts.
Petanque courts
Behind the notaire’s office. Multiple courts, bring your balls. There are a couple different associations in town you can join if you want to play regularly with a group.
This park is one the “outskirts” of Eymet, a lot of people miss it, but it’s a really great green space! There is a playground, picnic tables, restrooms, walking trail, work out equipment, open space to play with your dog, and a ramp to put your canoe in.
When you’re on the Boulevard going through town, after you cross the river going toward Carrefour, at the one stop light, turn right. The park is at the end of this road to the right.
Tennis courts
When you’re on the Boulevard going through town, after you cross the river going toward Carrefour, at the one stop light, turn right. Then when the road dead ends, go left.
You’ll come to a huge parking lot on your right, and a wall that looks pretty neglected, like it’s containing a construction site. I’m not joking, it looks kind of abandoned. Park your car and go through the pedestrian gate.
Voila! Very nice tennis course on the left. As I understand it, you’re supposed to register at Mairie to use them, but they are just first come first serve for availability.
Soccer fields
See above instructions, but look to your right across from the tennis courts. There is an organized league and teams for these fields, I don’t know if they can be used anytime or if they are open otherwise, but the Mairie would tell you.
Outdoor racquet ball court
Keep walking past the soccer fields above and look to your left. You’ll see the racquet ball court.
Pool
Near the center loisiers, open July and August in the afternoons. Small kiddy pool and big pool. Not a lot of frills, but a place to cool off for just a couple of euros.
Mini golf
Open in the summer near the holiday village at the back of Parc Bretou. Just recently refurbished, not sure if it’s open outside of July and August.
Games take place at the Stade de Rugby d’Eymet which is off the road going to between Eymet and the village Sauvetat de Dropt.
When there’s a match, you’ll usually see signs up around town or you can check their facebook page. It’s free to attend a match, no tickets, just show up, park, and pick a spot on the bleachers.They usually happen at 3pm on Sundays in the season. If you want to attend the supporter meals before, you’ll need to make reservations. Watch for the signs around town to see what they are serving that week and where to call/text/email for reservations.
The supporter meals will be in a tent past the bleachers. Bring cash for your meal, usually 20 euros a person. Get there at noon. It’ll start with a drink and hanging out to chat, then you’ll sit down at the tables for four courses before heading out to watch the game. This is the French equivalent of tailgating!
Annual Summer Night Markets
Eymet’s official night market is on Tuesday evenings 7pm – 11pm in July and August.
This is more like a night time artisan market with a few food vendors sprinkled in and a festive atmosphere than a marche gormande with long tables set up in a central area and just food on offer.
One to two specific food vendors do set up tables on a side street, but they are just for if you’re eating from their stall. So what most people do is one of these to things:
Make a reservation at one of the local restaurants and enjoy the festive atmosphere in town, walk around before or after to shop, get dessert, see who you might run into.
OR
Get a table at one of the bars that will not serve food that evening (Cafe de Paris, Tortonis, or Chez K) then bring back food from the vendors to eat at the bar’s table. This is OK on night market nights as long as you’re ordering drinks from the bar. There are also as always the picnic tables by the river and in the park across from the Marie if you want someplace a little quieter to eat.
Shops
Les Penates (Imagine)
Home decor, tableware, local artists. This is Wallis’ shop! (from our video) It’s right across from the post office (the sign says “Imagine”), and you can order her lovely things online even if you’re not in Eymet! If you’re interested in designing a kitchen, we’ve visited her husband’s workshop it’s fantastic. A mix of traditional French with amazing modern appliance options. He speaks English and loves to work with Americans.
This boutique has all kinds of personal accessories along with things that smell fantastic. Keny makes a lot of the jewelry for sale here at her workbench in the shop, but she also features other artisans. I love this shop’s style, which is sort of the French version of bohemian / spiritual / mystic. There are also ethical perfumes, home fragrances, small leather goods, a great collection of scarves, market shopping baskets, stamped textiles, and candles poured in antique French tea cups.
Dépôt-vente d’Eymet – Friperie
This is the resale shop we mentioned in our video about Eymet. Clothes, shoes, jewelry, and bags on the first and second floors. In the back on the first floor are home goods, including antique linen and tableware. Upstairs are the dressing rooms and a nice couch with magazines if part of your party is not into shopping! There are also dressing rooms upstairs.
There is a small selection of mens clothing and shoes too, but primarily womens. She does a really good job curating and organizing by size and type, so it’s really easy to find what you’re looking for and prices are really reasonable.
Au Coin Fleuri – Florist
My go to for hostess gift or to cheer up our entryway! She also makes very cool preserved arrangements for you decor. In the middle of the store you’ll see buckets of flowers. This is a bit like a “flower bar”. Feel free to ask her for the ones you want to create a bouquet that’s just the right vibe for the day.
Juliana and I each usually get at least one new piece of clothing here each season, usually when something in the window catches our eye, like the dress she wore for our 2025 Welcome to France dinner in this video. Lola is great at looking at you and pulling something off the rack you didn’t notice that will suit you, and is just right to wear tonight. Think more of the moment seasonal pieces than heirloom classics.
I mentioned this place before for the workshops with Justine, the artist and owner, but don’t miss it for the stationary, cool art prints, cards, hand sewn phone cases, and jewelry.
French language bookstore with new books, but the owners also keep a small English section to the right at the front of the store. There is also a lovely collection of books about the region, bookmarks, greeting cards, and cool posters.
This place is filled with positive energy from the owners! So welcoming and passionate about what they do. They plan lots of interesting events here, everything from children’s activities to author readings, talks and signings. Keep up with what’s happening on their facebook page or instagram. If there’s an English book I want specifically, I always try to stop here first to see if they can order it, just so I can spend my money here vs online.
English language used bookshop. Well organized and run by Kinet and Terry, it’s a place that encourages browsing to “let a book find you” as the owners say. Juliana and I have book buying problem 😅 and since we weren’t able to ship many of our books to France, visits here are part of how I’m rebuilding our library, especially the classics.
Home goods store run by one of the architects in town, Suzanne Pasquon. This style here is global, some African influence, lots of interesting light fixtures and some very cool furniture pieces.
Independent hardware store, where I go when I need to solve a problem and can’t figure out how. Cave flooding but have a weird situation with the pump? Went here. Wanted plastic to cover the chains of the back porch swing so they didn’t damage the beams as the swing rocked? Went here. The people who work there will always try to help you solve a problem or find what you’re looking for. Their plant selection is great too, always really healthy things. Open on Sundays! We usually get our christmas tree here each year.
Larger chain hardware store for when you can’t find it at L’Etaboli, especially plumbing supplies, home organization items and specific lightbulbs.
Great place to buy simple toys if your kids need a little something to occupy themselves!
Lucien Georgelin Jam (confiture)
This place! They have been making confiture (jam) in their production facility about half an hour away for over 40 years and it is so, so delicious. They even have reduced sugar for Jason in lots of flavors!! It’s shipped all over France now, but at the factory store in Eymet you can get specific regional flavors made with varieties of produce like plums and strawberries grown in this area for the variety’s flavor.
They also offer classic French pâté (perfect to take on a picnic since they don’t need refrigeration) savory spreads like sun dried tomato or caramelized onion, and Juliana’s favorite, homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread (they also do this in reduced sugar!). Go ahead, bring back a jar for everyone in your family, they’ll never see Nutella the same way again.
Groceries
Thursday market (Traditional Farmers Market)
Year round 8:30am to 1pm. This same market has been happening on this same square for almost 1000 years. How crazy is it that you are buying potatoes in the same place people bought them 900 years ago?!?
You’ll find everything you could need. Produce meat, fish, cheese, bread, fruit, olives, flowers, and ready made food. You name it, they have it. During the warmer months there will also be stalls selling things like hats, linen clothing, table clothes, rugs, wooden table wear, and mattresses.
Parking gets tough and it gets crowded after 10am in the summer, so come early during those months. In the winter you’ll have less non-food vendors, but all the core food vendors keep showing up for us week after week, despite the rain or cold. Thank you to all of them!
Les Bouchées d’Eymet (Butcher)
We are lucky to have a wonderful Bucherie in Eymet. Not only is the meat very high quality, he also usually stocks some potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic, jars of veggies, and a few bottles of wine. When you don’t want to go to 3 different stores to get ingredients for dinner, just go here!
Or if you don’t want to cook at all, there is an entire section of ready made dishes to purchase by the kilo like lasagna or beef bourguignon. In the summer he’ll have pre-seasoned kabobs to throw right on the grill. He makes a sausage called “Eymetois” that’s my favorite. Not too fatty, nice subtle seasoning.
This is also one of the few places I’ve found to get “Portrine Fume” which is close to American bacon and you can get it cut in the thickness you prefer.
Maybe most importantly, this is where we order our Thanksgiving turkey. You have to do it early (like 3 weeks or so) as this isn’t a common thing to request! But the last one we got was literally the best turkey we’ve ever had. Who knew our best American Thanksgiving turkey would be French?!?
Don’t forget, like most of the food shops, they are open in the mornings, closed from 12:30 – 4:00 for lunch, and open again to pick up something for dinner from 4pm – 7pm.
L’Ancre d’Eymet Poissonnier (Fishmonger)
The poissonnier just opened this past year and we were SO excited! It’s not big and she just has what’s fresh to sell, so you might go looking for something specific and it’s not there that day. But I would rather it that way when it comes to seafood!
She has a few pre-made seafood items for appetizers, and on Fridays she has sushi you can pick up to take away. It’s a bit hidden, but look for it behind Le Tube coffee, in front of Carrefour supermarket and you’ll find it. She has similar hours to the Butcher shop.
Boulangeries (Bakeries) We Have Two
This one has all the usual breads, pastries, and sandwiches you’d expect. If you ever see the apple croustade, get it! He doesn’t make it everyday, but when he does I’m excited. It’s apples between two layers of flaky crust with crunchy baked sugar on top. If you happen to be blessed for it to still be warm….omg.
This is the bakery to line up at on Sunday mornings to get bread and a dessert for Sunday lunch, but get there early! Nico sells out of bread literally everyday.
The other boulangerie on the square.
Read the google reviews. They are true. BUT, this bakery has good chocolatines, and you can get a coffee (ask for an allonge if you don’t want a tiny French espresso) to have with it. There’s a few tables to sit outside, or sometimes I sit in the sun on the side of the fountain while I enjoy my croissant. They also have Pain de mie which I like for toast and Thanksgiving stuffing.
Les Folies Fromagères (Cheese shop)
Owned by a very cheery family of goat farmers who make all the fromage de chevre (goat cheese) you’ll see in the shop. You can order a platter of cheese ahead of time to pick up for parties, or sometimes on market day they have ready-made ones. Solid selection of all the well known French cheeses, reasonable prices, and confiture if you need it to go with it.
This little grocery shop is on the Boulevard very close to L’Etaboli hardware store. It is one of the only places open on Sunday evenings!!! If you get back into town after a weekend away or come to stay and check in on Sunday, this place is your savior!
She carries a lot of local meat and produce, otherwise she has all the basics to pull together dinner and breakfast, plus all the things you might run out of and need in a pinch – milk, eggs, toilet paper, etc. You can park literally right in front of the store, so it’s super convenient.
You can also buy bread here on Mondays when the bakeries are closed.
Slightly bigger than the Epicerie de Boulevard with a bit more selection of dry goods and they usually have local chocolate. Just ½ block off the square if you’re staying in town. An easy option to get packages delivered to.
You’ve seen the video! Local, seasonal food of all kinds is stocked daily. During the spring and summer it will mostly be produce, but there’s almost always also cheese, eggs, meat, and various other local items like pastry crust or juice. It’s just on the edge of town. Be warned, the roller door automatically closes at 10pm, make sure you’re on the right side when it does!
Sign up for a basket of local organic goods to pick up at the mill every Monday evening while supporting local producers and eating sustainably.
This shop is filled with imported goods from the UK. While a lot of this stuff is totally unfamiliar to me as an American, she stocks three things I go here for specifically: pickled jalapenos, canned refried beans, and spicy curry seasoning in the brand I like. Are they all 3x the price of the U.S.? Yes. Do I care when I really want those three items to make something? No.
Carrefour Contact
Going out of town toward Bergerac, this is a regular, smallish grocery store. I prefer to shop at the market and local shops when possible, but let’s be honest, sometimes you need a six pack of cokes or some shredded cheddar at 1pm when all the small shops are closed and this is the only food shop in town that doesn’t close for lunch.
Also, there are washers and dryers in front of the store and you can use a credit card for these.
Practical Services
Hair & Beauty
Men’s Barber – BarberEymet
Bilingual and you can book online, best haircut Jason has had in France. My cousin went in for a shave when he was visiting from Oklahoma and liked it so much he wanted a T-shirt. 😂 I’m not kidding!
I’ve gotten a pedicure here and I’ve had family get gel nail maintenance here and were happy with the result. They offer lots of services like waxing, facials, massage, and eyelashes. I LOVE you can book online, often same week availability, and the ladies that work here are very fun.
A reminder that pedicures are not the same in France as in the U.S ….those wonderful massage chairs with water baths are rare, nowhere in the greater Eymet area I know of that has them. Also if you want extensive callus removal, you usually need to book with a Podologue vs an Institut de Beaute.
Cordonnerier – Keys and shoe / leather repair
This is one of the few places I know that copies those old skeleton keys you often inherit with a country house. It’s a bit expensive to keep these old keys and make copies, but I love ours. They just look so cool!
Architecte – Anglo-French architectes if you watch our YouTube channel, you have heard us refer to our architect many times when we’ve talked about our housing renovation project. This is them!
We adore Ziad and Ben. We know that the project wouldn’t be at all what it’s become without their ideas, reflection, counsel, and deliberate thought. And of course, Peter, our project manager works with us through their office and I know we’d have a million more grey hairs without him in our lives. His attention to detail and organization skills completely amaze me.
Just remember if you contact them, they are very in demand and they don’t rush things. There will be a wait. It will be much, much longer than what you’re used to as an American. The process will be slower and more deliberate than you think needed. The artisans they use are top notch and will also have a waitlist. I tell you that to prepare you. In the U.S., when you want the best, you pay more. In France when you want the best, you wait more. Personally for us, it’s been so worth it.
Doors, windows and SCREENS: APM COMTE MAURIN – Three generation menuisier (carpentry specializing in doors, walls and windows). Florie and Mathieu are wonderful to work with. Their craftsmen are skilled and do careful work. All the woodwork done in our house for the renovation to re-create what was here before was done by them. And Florie ordered us custom made screens with this cool mesh that practically disappears on our windows so it doesn’t ruin the look of the front of our house! Be warned, these are drop-your-teeth-expensive screens compared to the U.S. but it was worth it to fit the weird size of our historic windows and be retractable to open and close shutters. We’ve only done a select few windows at this point though, because of the expense.
Everyone uses them and with good reason. They are local, responsive, you can ask for a quote online, no French phone call needed!! They will also unblock drains outside, which you might need because there are some weird connections in these old houses. Saved us when we had problems with our kitchen drain and it was flooding the house! You can also buy some powdered stuff in their shop if you have a septic system that helps keep the sink drain from getting blocked up. We put it down every two weeks now faithfully.
Semi-custom kitchen cabinets: Maison d’Aquitaine
We had Craig create a quote for us when we thought we were putting in a kitchenette in the new renovation. We ended up using the space for something else instead, but during the process, Craig listened to what we wanted, was open to ideas, and a problem solver. Emma, his wife who also works in the business is a lovely, helpful person. I have no doubt it would have come out great had we used them just based on professionalism during the planning process. Follow their instagram for some really cool kitchen and cabinetry projects.
Coworking – Above Imagine, Wallis’ shop (from our Eymet video)
Other services available in town that I didn’t list because we haven’t had need of them, so I don’t have any notes to share: Notaires, upholstery, decorators, financial advisors, admin assistance.
Medical
Right on the boulevard so it’s easy to find. If you need an annual flu or covid shot, you can get one here without a doctor’s note, but you can’t just walk in, you’ll need to come in and schedule it, usually for a couple of weeks later.
Multiple doctors, dentist, ophthalmologist for vision testing and nurses for wound changes, follow up labs, etc. The secretary has limited hours to help book appointments with doctors, hours are posted. Some of the doctors like the ophthalmologist can be booked directly on doctolib, so it’s worth checking.
behind the pharmacy. Book an appointment on doctolib. Very nice, very helpful, classic French styles of glasses. The glasses Jason has been wearing on the channel the past year that everyone declared made him look “more French” came from here (I agree, I think they look really nice on him!).
Also – chiropractor, Chinese medicine, multiple massage therapist, physio, and other practitioners can be found throughout town but again I can’t comment because we (fortunately) haven’t need them.
Banking
Personally we’ve used Credit Agricole and were able to open an account there no problem. But you’ll need to go in and ask for an appointment to open an account, you can’t just walk in and do it like in the U.S. Make sure you get a list of the documents you need to bring. Plan to be there for a couple hours. They also offer car and house insurance.
Two Other banks in town
- Banque Populaire Aquitaine Centre Atlantique
- Caisse d’Epargne Eymet
Auto & Transportation
Garage Guitou – really nice, you can book online. They stay busy though, so it can be difficult sometimes if you have an urgent need, so don’t wait to book. We’ve used them for small things like patching tires. At last check, they don’t work on hybrids unfortunately.
Station Service Total Énergies – If your tires need air, this is the only place in town I know. There’s a car wash, vacuum, and air station. They also offer other services / supplies for hunting and fishing, but I’m not sure exactly what because I don’t hunt or fish. 😅
Government
The Mairie – When you walk in, to your left there is a counter that is staffed. You can go there to ask questions or get help with services like registering your child for school or questions about trash service.
France Services – this is where you’ll go to do things like drop off papers for building approvals and where the tax service will come once a year to help people if they have questions about their tax returns. France services also provides assistance for free to any French resident in completing administrative that involve the French republic.
The Tourist Office (Pays Bergerac)
Best place to go for information on seasonal events, where to do bike rides or hikes, and tours / attractions in the greater area. They also have some nice souvenirs, local directories and maps.
Across the Ages
Schools
Nursery school (creche) is in the building the Bibliotheque (library) is in.
Preschool in the center de loisirs la Ruche
Public elementary school is a bilingual French-English school.
Public middle school – I’ve heard conflicting things about if they have an FLE (French for foreigners) program, but the school itself has a good reputation.
Sector high school is Lycée Maine de Biran in Bergerac and kids take the bus from the Eymet bus stop.
Aging Care Options in Eymet
Maison de retraite or independent living
Religious Services
Catholic Church Notre Dame – services in French find the schedule here: https://messes.info/lieu/24/eymet/notre-dame
Protestant Church Temple d’Eymet – services in English find the schedule here: https://www.churchinaquitaine.org/dordogne/eymet-temple/
Language Classes
Dordogne French courses – Offers small size in person classes in the heart of Eymet. Sign up for 8 week blocks at a time with some intensive options (you can take up to 8 classes a week!) and a conversation group on Saturday mornings. Damian, who runs the school, is very friendly and speaks perfect English.
ACFAA Association classes – This wonderful association in Eymet offers both French and English classes, each taught by volunteers. You must be a member of ACFAA and sign up in Sept at the open evening, committing for the full year until May. Classes are very low cost and fill up fast.
They are usually once a week for an hour and 15 minutes, and especially in the beginner levels, may be fairly large. This is a great way to meet people and learn, but I would plan to supplement these classes if you want to make language progress quickly.
Parking
Eymet offers a lot of parking, all free. Street parking is fine throughout town; just be aware of the one way streets.
By the Mill Turn right if you’re coming into Eymet over the bridge across the river.
Along the Boulevard If you’re coming in on D33 (the “big” road, referred to as “the boulevard”), there’s parking that extends the entire length of town along the road. But pay attention, it’s only one way!
The Church There’s parking along the street and a lot behind the Catholic church if you turn left entering town after crossing the bridge.
Behind the Pharmacy A great spot when it’s busy. This is also where the electric chargers in town are located.
Public Bathrooms
You’ll find public bathrooms at the bus stop, in the parking lot behind the pharmacy, in the parking lot behind the Catholic church, and in Bretou park. Availability of toilet paper is pretty hit or miss, so bring tissues with you in case, if you can.
Recycling and Trash Stations
You must have a card from the trash service to open and drop off trash; inquire with your Airbnb owner. Recycling of glass, cardboard, and plastics is free. Find maps and what’s accepted at each station here: https://ourecycler.fr/ville/24500/eymet
Associations
Eymet has over 50 associations, but unfortunately they are not listed online. Stop by the tourism office or Marie to inquire about an updated list.
One of the most active is ACFAA – Association Culturelle Franco-Anglaise d’Aquitaine. It was formed several decades ago with the express purpose of providing a place to integrate French and English speakers of all nationalities living in the area with shared activities. All communication is in both languages and there are a ton of activities offered! It’s just 25 euros a year to join.
