Our passion is artisan cheese and quality wine, predominantly from Périgord, but also from the rest of France and beyond. We set up Planches et Plonk to be able to share our enthusiasm with others.
We’re Damon Biddlecombe and Graham Welch (Damon’s the one with the beard).
Together, we bring our years of customer service to make sure you enjoy your time with us.
We must be doing something right, because in 2023 we won LUXlife magazine’s award for Best Wine Bar in South West France.
Damon is our cheese connoisseur – his passion and knowledge will help you savour a Cabécou, enjoy a Cantal and devour a Comté. He’s spent time learning how to make cheese with the Sussex Cheese School, based at England’s renowned High Weald Dairy.
He has a background in tourism and retail.
Graham is our wine expert – he’s a qualified French Wine Scholar who knows his Bergeracs from his Bordeaux and his Burgundies. He holds the globally recognised Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level 3 qualification and has also studied with the Guild of Fine Food.
He has a background in journalism and corporate communications.
We enjoy meeting new people and having guests to stay. For us, the most important thing is that your time with us is as enjoyable as it can be – whether you’re here for a few days or just taking a moment’s break.
As well as the two of us, there’s also our dog, Malbec. Other dogs are welcome, as long as they’re good with people and other dogs.
If you’re wondering about the name Planches et Plonk, we chose it as it’s half-French and half-English. A planche, if you aren’t sure, is a platter. And plonk, well, you don’t need us to tell you what that is!
In 2021, we were lucky enough to feature in the hit Channel 4 series A New Life in the Sun. We also appeared in revisits in 2022 and 2023.
Thank you to everyone who’s booked a room, had a drink, enjoyed a platter or even sent us a message of support after seeing the show. We’ve been very moved by your response to our story.
Wishing you all the very best with your new adventure ….
Thank you, Sue. Two days to go and we can’t wait!
Looks fab! What is the rate for a single night on your rooms?
Hi Debra, Sorry for the slow reply — only just received the alert that you’d left a message. It’s 75 euros a night for the Pécharmant room, and 65 euros for the Rosette room.
Thank you for your reply. One other clarification… are those year round prices, or are you only open in peak season. We might be coming in November…
No, we’ll offer different rates out of season — and don’t worry, we’ll be open year round. I’ll drop you an email once we’re closed this evening.
Hi both, the venue looks fantastic and you look very very happy (and fantastic too)! I wish you all the best, Stefanie
Hi, the venue looks fantastic and you look very happy (and fantastic too)! Good luck and all the best!
Thank you!
I visited yesterday , what a find , the wine bar is beautiful , the food and wine is fantastic , a lovely selection of cheeses , meats and Bread ,
The Guys are very welcoming , and there knowledge of their produce is amazing .
Thank you Guys I will be back very soon .
Tom 🍷
Thanks for coming — and for your kind words. It was great to meet you. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Just saw the article on you and your new place. Congrats. It sounds fantastic. Actually, my husband and I are looking for a second home in Belves. Right now we live in Mexico and are just waiting, and waiting and waiting to be able to travel and do some house searching. How do you like Belves? Would be great to hear from you. Joseph McClain. Josephmcclain2@hotmail.com
Congratulations to you both! This concept is a great idea!
We are a British family living in NC at the moment and are moving permanently to Monplaisant in two weeks. So very excited!
I can’t wait to head over to Planches & Plonk ! Are you in the main square area with the covered market?
Looking forward to meeting you soon
Jane & Matt Smith
Oh wow! How exciting! We’re on the high street, rue Jacques Manchotte, opposite le Médiéval restaurant. Come and say hello when you get a chance. À bientôt!
Graham- a long way from Westminster and even Hanover. When this wretched virus is over we’ll make every effort to get your way. A brilliant venture, good luck and warmest regards , KEN.
Ah, thanks, Ken. You’re right, it’s been quite a journey! Really enjoying our new lives here. Hope all is good with you.
Congratulations to my cousins. I am so proud of you both. You look so happy. Have you used your fluent German yet Graham. I joined the 50 club last October. Where have all those years gone. Miss you both. Lots of love and huge success to you and stay safe.
Lisa xx
Hi Lisa,
Thank you. I did dredge up my German to serve a German couple in the summer and was rather proud of myself in how well I managed, despite not having spoken a word of it for years.
Love and hugs to you too, Graham x
I would so love to come and visit your place once restrictions ease. Good luck for the year ahead
Thank you. We’ll look forward to it!
I’m sitti ng here watching your endeavours on tv in Dublin, and I have to say you have done an amazing job. Everything looks superb. Great job, well done. I wish you both every success in yiur venture. And when I get to France I will definitely visit.
Hi Catherine.
Many thanks for your message. It has been so uplifting, particularly at this moment, to receive such wonderful messages of support.
Hopefully you will get to France soon and we can have a glass of wine with you.
Regards
Damon
Good evening both I have just put your wonderful place on my bucket list.
Absolutely delighted to read your business is doing well and I hope these difficult time have not caused you both too much stress.
Well done on everything you have achieved together xxxx
Best wishes Ann & David Blair xxx
Hi Ann
Many thanks for your message. It has been so uplifting, particularly at this moment, to receive such wonderful messages of support.
We are still open but as a cave and takeaway, so still going!
Thanks again
Regards
Damon
Good afternoon Damon and Graham
We are currently watching you on “New life in the sun”
We’ve put a visit to you on our bucket list of places to visit when we plan our French Road trip
My husband is already looking forward to your cheese platters …I’m just looking forward to a nice chilled glass of wine.
Stay safe
Best wishes
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
Glad you enjoyed the show. So your husband’s more cheese and you’re more wine — sounds like the perfect combo!
We’ll look forward to meeting you one day soon.
All the best, Graham
Hello Damon and Graham
Like others my husband and I are watching Channel 4 New Life in the Sun and very much enjoy watching you and hearing about your story. We have a holiday home in Spain and the next time we are able to get there which will be by road, we really do fancy coming and stopping off for some cheese and wine. Your place looks fabulous.
Very best wishes with your new adventure. Stay safe
Best wishes
Jo
Hi Jo
Many thanks for your lovely message.
Lets hope we can get back to some normality as soon as possible.
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes
Damon
Hi Damon and Graham,
We have been enjoying watching you on t.v. and are thrilled with the success of your venture. You both work so hard and you deserve your success, we hope you continue to go from strength to strength, you are such a nice couple.
All Our Very Best,
Keith and John.
Aaw, thank you, guys. A New Life in the Sun has certainly set us up to have a good year this year, so that’s great! Roll on spring and summer! All the best, Graham
Hi,
Loving watching your escapades on ‘A new life in the sun’. Immensely jealous and pondering escaping the drab UK ourselves.
Rob
Hi Rob,
Glad you enjoyed our story. Our advice is to go for it! We haven’t regretted it even for a moment.
All the best, Graham
What a great Pair, loved watching you guys in “New life in the Sun”
we are looking for a house to move to from the UK around Aubeterre S.Dronne
and are waiting for the travel ban to be lifted so we can start our life changer again.
When we do get over we will book 2 nights with you and hopefully share your love
of wine and cheese. You should do your own TV documentary ….
Darren & Gemma
Thanks for the message. We’ll look forward to meeting you later in the year. And if you hold any sway at Channel 4, now that we’ve learned to laugh with/at ourselves, we’d be up for own series…! 😉
Hi Damon and Graham,
Really enjoyed watching a new life in the sun where you both participated.
Your establishment looks fabulous and hopefully some day my wife and myself can visit to enjoy those lovely platters and of course the beautiful wines.
Wishing you both every success for the future, well done to you both.
Thank you. We’ll look forward to meeting you soon.
It was good to meet you both last year and enjoyed lunch.
Look forward to seeing you this year when the sunshines !!
Thank you. Now that the terrace is open again, plenty of sunshine would be good!
Dear Boys,
Just heard you on Blue Perigord Graham and am delighted to discover your enterprise.
Jo and I look forward to dropping in very soon and certainly while we’re here for July before we head back to Brighton.
Our middle one is vegan and not yet partial to wine so if we were to visit I can you cater for her in some way?
In any case, best wishes to you both for soaring success!
Dominic and Jo (Guesthouse owners of http://www.lepetitcapelier.com)
Hi Dominic. Yes, we can cater for a vegan as part of a group. We make our own houmous and tapenades, for example. Please book ahead so we can be sure to have things in for her. We’ll look forward to meeting you! Graham
Thanks guys for a very pleasant stay,delicious wines cheese and charcuterie,Very comfy bed too.
Have a good season .
Lyn webb
It was our pleasure to meet you and have you stay. Merci et à bientôt!
I’ve been watching you both on a A New Place In the Sun this week and just love what you have accomplished and how wonderful you both are! Well done to both of you and your success, especially during such challenging times. I look forward to popping by for wine and cheese very soon and meeting you both. You’re truly an inspiration. I’ve just moved to the area myself. Will be sending you both a gift in the coming weeks by post. Keep an eye out for a wee box. 🙂
Keep smiling and carrying on!
Thank you. It’s lovely to hear that you have enjoyed our story. The TV show has been an enormous help too. We’ll look forward to meeting you soon… and to a surprise in the post… All the best, Graham
Hi Graham and Damon
I’ve just caught up with your enterprises in Belvès on ‘A New Life in the Sun: Where Are They Now?’ You have done a terrific job with the wine and cheese bar and the new wine cellar. They both look absolutely amazing. Congratulations on all you have achieved. I hope you continue the success in the future.
Best wishes
Stephen Wood, Birmingham
Thank you so much. It’s fair to say we’re loving our journey!
Fantastic venue. Graham and Damon are amazing hosts. Food and drink superb. Love taking friends and family . Thank you both Brenda and Rod
Thank you. It’s always a pleasure to welcome you here.