Submitted by Caitlin Woodbury, Mar 31, 2007 11:11

The first time we passed through the valley of the five chateaux near Sarlat, en route to points south, we were awestruck and vowed to return. Two years later we spent a week at a gîte near Domme, and fell more deeply in love with the valley's attractions. Lust became obsession, and back home in California, we lurked at our computer on winter evenings, stalkingFrench real estate sites and trying to find a way to make the area part of our lives. Now we live six months each year in our old stone house near Castelnaud-La Chapelle, managing a B&B in our home, and listening to our guests' rave about the beauty and history that surrounds them. Be careful if you pass through this magical region, lest the Sirens lure you in.

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