“Socialising and networking is one of our main purposes.”So says Lin Green, the latest president of the Dordogne Ladies Club International, a female-only nonprofit association in Dordogne and its surrounding regions, who took charge in the wake of the Covid crisis, when many locals were stripped from both.
Since then, the club has increased its presence on Facebook, and bumped up its magazine in pages and information, resulting in an increase in membership from 85 to 130 in 2025.
DLCI President Lin GreenDCLI
Communication is a key, historic component of the club, which was founded by Jennifer de Chabaneix in 1986 after “she heard of an English lady who wanted someone to talk to in her own language while she was ill in hospital,” writes the club on its website.
Women range from 40 to 85 years old and come from around 20 different countries; they are either working full-time or are early retirees. Men are welcome to a few events across the year, mostly as guests and invitees of members. The Dordogne Ladies Club International organises the usual activities and events expected from an international club.
“Whoever can drive comfortably to Bergerac, please join,” said Ms Green. It is one of four locations where many events are held, along with Périgueux, Sainte-Foy-La-Grande and Villeréal.
Author Martin Walker at the recent book signingDordogne Ladies Club International
Its book club meets every four to six weeks. The latest guest speaker was Martin Walker, the British author of the Bruno detective series and a périgourdin for 30 years. Many of his crime novels take place in Périgord.
Its coffee club meets each week at Bar des Arcades in Sainte-Foy-La-Grande.
The monthly edition of the magazine recounts what has happened at the club, mainly through an editorial from the president as well as various columns and news items of interest, mainly the “beautiful Brexit,” said Ms Green sarcastically.
It also features a ‘member of the month’ category and lists new members.
The club is a proud supporter of three charities; one for adults, one for children and one for animals; for which it donates from €1,000 to €15,000. Charities are supported over a period of 12 months and selected by members through nominations and votes.
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The three charities for this year are CSF Dordogne Sud, which supports cancer patients, Le Chemin de Jade for parents with children battling multiple disabilities and the Pawprints Association.
Very little information about the club is available online. The website contains a bare minimum of information, while the Facebook link leads to a Facebook private group that restricts access to members only. It only features a wallpaper picture of a boat sailing on a river.
The Christmas fairDLCI
The confidentiality of the club is very much nurtured, Ms Green said, to provide a safe haven for women who want to protect their privacy online. The annual membership fee, and with it the right to benefit from the strict confidentiality rules of the club, is set at €25.
Ms Green is pleased to have been able to increase the variety of events in the club as well as its member numbers. But she said she does not wish to exceed 150 people.
“Everybody who has joined us over the last 18 months is savvy. Our technology is up and running,” she said.
It is already looking forward to a big event in 2026 for its 40th anniversary.
