Montrol-Senard travel guide
Visit Montrol-Senard (Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France)
Photo Gallery Book a visitThe village of Montrol-Sénard is west of Limoges and south of Bellac in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Explore Montrol-Sénard
France This Way review: Montrol-Senard is a quaint little Limousin village whose buildings evoke the traditional life of a Limousin village in times gone by. As it is just a couple of kilometers from Mortemart, the only village classed among the "most beautiful villages in France" in Haute-Vienne it gets a fair few visitors in summer.
During the winter Montrol-Sénard is a quiet little village. There is a pretty church and village houses built of pale stone with painted wooden shutters. Next to the church you can see a small covered halle and on the other side of this a pretty lavoir which was once the communal village wash area.
However, from the 2nd of April to the 2nd of November the sleepy village comes alive and volunteers open up many of the buildings to provide a view of traditional village life in the late 19th and early 20th century. The whole village becomes an ecomusée.
As you explore Montrol-Senard you will see the classrooms of the village school, houses, barns, and bread ovens as well as a cobblers, a blacksmiths and a forge. There is also a 'grandmothers garden' laid out as it would have been to feed a family.
Start your visit in the village school where you can pick up a free guide and be sure of entering the houses that are part of the eco-tour and not the villagers homes! The visit is free and self-guiding though larger groups can arrange a guided tour.
As you walk around Montrol-Senard the villagers are happy to show you the items on display and are very welcoming.
Inside the barn there are local products for sale and there is an art gallery. It really is a very pleasant way to pass a morning or afternoon. The whole tour is free but you can make a donation if you wish: there is a donations box in the schoolroom.
This whole project was the idea of the mayor and the president of the Montrol-Sénard tourist office who were disappointed that visitors came to the village to see the art exhibition and then left with barely a look around. With the help of volunteers and donations they gradually developed 17 sites of interest in the village which is now thriving and very interesting.
Montrol-Sénard has been awarded 3 flowers for its excellent floral displays and really does look very pretty in the spring to autumn period.
Places to Visit Nearby
Just down the road you sould visit the village of Mortemart. Mortemart is classified as one of the "most beautiful villages of France" and the only one in the Haute-Vienne department with the classification, and so is a popular trip out. Indeed the combination of a visit to Mortemart with a visit to Montrol-Sénard makes for a lovely day out.
The surrounding countryside of the Monts de Blond is very pretty and adds to the charm of the area. As well as the hills, fields and forests you will notice a number of dolmens and menhirs in the area.
You can find more travel ideas in the Haute-Vienne guide and the Limousin guide.
Photos of Montrol-Senard
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Map of Montrol-Senard and places nearby
Visit near Montrol-Senard with France This Way reviews
Mortemart
Now listed among the 'most beautiful villages in France', Mortemart is a very pleasant village to pass an hour or two exploring
Mortemart guide
Brigueuil
Here in Brigueuil it is the roman style church that is the most interesting highlight for visitors
Brigueuil guide
Bellac
The small market town of Bellac has some medieval houses of interest, and a picturesque bridge across the river
Bellac guide
Oradour-sur-Glane
The village of Oradour-sur-Glane is a memorial town, now maintained in the condition it was left in by the retreating Nazis in 1944. Very moving experience.
Oradour-sur-Glane guide
Saint-Junien
After exploring Saint-Junien and the Collegiale Church of Saint-Junien be sure to also visit the valley of the Glane river
Saint-Junien guide
Saint-Germain-de-Confolens
In the village of Saint-Germain-de-Confolens you can see the substantial ruins of an ancient castle
Saint-Germain-de-Confolens guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Haute-Vienne
Address: Montrol-Sénard, Mézières-sur-Issoire, Bellac, Limousin, 87330, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 46.0317, longitude 0.9594
Plan your visit to Montrol-Senard, Haute-Vienne
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Bellac: village d'etape (12 km)
- Abbatiale de Saint Pierre (Lesterps): religious monument (14 km)
- Site Corot: site of natural beauty (16 km)
- Abbaye de Saint-Amand (Saint-Junien): religious monument (17 km)
- Confolens: town of art and history (22 km)
- Lac de Saint-Pardoux: site of natural beauty (25 km)
- Jardin de Liliane: remarkable garden (29 km)
- Limoges: town of art and history (32 km)
- Aquarium du Limousin: aquarium (32 km)
- Bessines-sur-Gartempe: village d'etape (33 km)
- Réserve naturelle régionale Étang de la Monnerie: site of natural beauty (36 km)
- Abbaye de la Réau (Saint-Martin-l'Ars): religious monument (36 km)
The French version of this page is at Montrol-Senard (Francais)