Limousin
Visit Limousin, France
The lakes and mountains, valleys and forests, interspersed with crashing rivers and tiny lost villages all combine to give the Limousin its own very distinctive personality. The unspoiled charm and tranquility make this 'off the beaten track' region well worth exploring...
Four random places to explore: discover somewhere new in Limousin!
Limousin, France: introduction and highlights
Limousin is found in the southern centre of France, around the town of Limoges. The landscape is varied with forested hills, open moorlands and traditional farms being the main features - it is essentially a rural region. Much of the region is at an altitude of more than 350 metres, so it can be rather cold or wet.
In part because of the climate the Limousin region is not yet highly placed on the tourist circuit, but it has a great deal to offer and is perhaps perfect for those wishing to explore somewhere off the beaten track. There are three departments in Limousin - Creuse, Haute-Vienne and Correze.
Limousin highlights by department
Correze
Correze has a great deal to enjoy with traditional towns and villages set in beautiful countryside and the upper reaches of the Dordogne river.
The capital of Correze is Tulle. Meymac is a town with several interesting architectural highlights to the north-east of the Correze, just east of the pretty village of Saint-Angel. The town of Donzenac is towards the west of the Correze department, north of Brive-la-Gaillarde.
Other favourites include the impressive walled town of Uzerche on the Vezere river, and the classified 'most beautiful villages' of Treignac and Ségur-le-Chateau, along with the historical centre of village that gives its name to the department at Correze.
The south-east Correze includes a group of 'three most beautiful villages of France': Turenne, Collonges-la-Rouge and Curemonte - the three are each unique and well worth exploring. Also nearby is the pretty town of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, with the village of Argentat a little way to the north.
The pretty scenery and the proximity of this group of villages and towns to the eastern Dordogne and northern Lot departments, each also very attractive, makes the south-east Correze the most visited part of Limousin.
visit Correze for more highlights and information
Haute-Vienne / Creuse
The Haute-Vienne and Creuse are less visited than their southern neighbour, Correze, but has its own quiet highlights waiting to be discovered and explored.Limoges is capital of the Haute-Vienne department. To the north-west of Limoges a particularly poignant visit is to Oradour-sur Glane, the village destroyed by the Germans during the second world war (Haute-Vienne), while to the east is the town of Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat.
The gateway to the Regional Natural Park of the Perigord-Limousin is at Aixe-sur-Vienne.
Rochechouart is the site of a meteorite impact and an attractive chateau, while the countryside to the north of Haute-Vienne also has some interesting sights and places to visit eg Bellac and Le Dorat.
In the Creuse department visit Aubusson, known worldwide for its rugs and tapestries, and the market town of La Souterraine.
(Oradour-sur-Glane photo courtesy Dennis Nilsson, Sweden)
visit Haute-Vienne for more highlights and information
See more ideas at Limousin tourist information, with more towns, national monuments, national parks, towns in bloom etc across the Limousin region.
Map of Limousin
French version: Limousin (Francais)
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