La Souterraine, Creuse, Limousin

Description:

Geography and Transport Links

La Souterraine is a small town situated in the far north west of Creuse, close to the border with Haute Vienne to the west, and Indre in the north.  The town is in close proximity to the RN145 to the south, and the A20 autoroute which gives easy access to both Limoges in the south, and north to Chateauroux and Vierzon.  It is linked to the TER rail network, on a line that links Limoges with Chateauroux.  The nearest airport is Limoges-Bellegarde, with an increasing number of flight options to UK destinations.  The commune of La Souterraine has an area of 37.07km²

Climate

Being at an altitude of between 284m to 456m, the commune of La Souterraine receives slightly more rainfall than more westerly towns such as Bellac.  The wettest month is November with 10.85cm, and the driest is September with an average precipitation of 5.77cm.  Average summer temperatures range from 23C to 24C (13C to 15C low), and in winter this drops to 6C to 7C (2C to 3C low).  La Souterraine is part of a zone which receives between 1750 and 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Tourism

La Souterraine is a medieval town with a superb eleventh and twelfth century church l'eglise Notre Dame, which was restored in 1850.  Formerly a fortified town, the thirteenth century Porte St Jean is one of the old gates into the town, standing 20m high and flanked by two smaller towers, the building was classified as a historic monument in 1920, and affords excellent views over the town from the third floor.  Situated between the planes of Berrichonne and the mountains of Limousin, the surrounding area is ideal for cycling, horse-riding and walking, and both the Gartempe and Sédelle rivers offer great fishing.  There are numerous lakes nearby, but both the Etangs of Chaume and Gazine are some of the most important in Creuse, attracting rare species of birds, including migratory birds.  These lakes also offer good carp fishing.  On the western bank of the Gazine is the Arboretum de la Fôt, offering two hectares and 80 species of leafy and coniferous trees.

Economy

La Souterraine and the surrounding area is an axis for cattle farming, with a strong agricultural presence.  Major industry in the area is provided by Wagon, producer of car parts for Renault and Peugeot, who employ around 400 people.  Other major employers include the AEM transport company, and SA Picoty stockist and distributor of Avia fuels.  La Souterraine is part of the economic zone of Guéret, which has an unemployment rate of 6.4%, compared against the regional rate of 7.2% and the national rate of 9.1% (INSEE 2006).

Facilities

The town has ample commerce available, with both Champion (now Carrefour) and Leclerc supermarkets both present here, as well as budget stores like Netto.  There a number of  restaurants and cafes, and La Souterraine also has its own indoor pool and cinema.  There is a 6 hectare swimming and Fishing lake (Etang du Cheix)on the outskirts of the town.  

Education

There are four state nurseries/primary schools in the town, and one state secondary school (College).  There is also a state college (lycee) here.

Key Stats

Of the properties in La Souterraine 82.7% are classed as primary residences, with 6.8% being classed as second homes.  There are more females than males resident here (53.3% vs 46.7%), and there are more people aged 60 or over than the national average (32% vs 21.3%). The number of retired people is also more (27.9% vs 18.2%).  The percentage of people below the age of 19 is lower than the national average (18.5% vs 24.6%)

Key Facilities and Services: