Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Corrèze, Limousin

Description:

Geography and Transport Links

Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne is a village situated in the south of Corrèze, close to the border between Limousin and Midi-Pyrénées.  The D940 runs through it, and connects it with Tulle in the north and Bretenoux (Midi-Pyrénées) in the south.  The D41 is the main route east, whilst the D12 connects with Argentat in the north.  The village has no rail link, and the closest is at Tulle around 40 minutes away.  The nearest airport is actually Rodez-Marcillac (105km), but this only offers flights to the UK during the summer.  Limoges-Bellegarde therefore is the nearest for year-round services to the UK.

Climate

The climate here is temperate, with warm summers and short, and not excessively cold winters.  Average summer temperatures range between 24C to 27C (12C to 14C low), and in winter this drops to 9C to 10C (2C to 3C low).  The wettest month on average is April with 6.04cm of precipitation, whilst the driest is February with 3.33cm.  Beaulieu-sur-dordogne is part of a zone which receives between 1750 and 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Tourism

Situated on the Dordogne River, Beaulieu is a picturesque village within close proximity of the many outdoor activities this area has to offer.  Visitors can take a trip on a traditional 'gabare' flat-bottomed river boat, for a guided tour that explains the story of the important part these boats played in the past.  There are many walking routes mapped out in the surrounding countryside, and the tourist board offers a guide of nine circular routes around the village that are not too challenging, although there are many more difficult routes in the pays de la Dordogne Corrèzienne.  The local leisure centre offers an open-air heated swimming pool during July and August, as well as facilities for tennis, boules, canoe hire and river bathing.  The company Aventures Dordogne Nature offers all sorts of outdoor activities, with canoeing, climbing, cycling, archery and fishing to name but a few.  It is possible to try out panning for gold in the river here, with half day courses on offer.  Lovers of architecture will be drawn to the 12c Abbatiale St Pierre, the 12c Chapelle des Pénitents and a little further away at Astaillac is the Château d'Estresses, of 14c to 16c construction.  Beaulieu has a busy programme of events throughout the year, including a variety of markets and fairs.  The key event is the Strawberry Fair, which takes place on the second Sunday in May, and has done since 1990.

Economy

Engineering firm Seroma are the largest business based in this area.  Beaulieu-sur-dordogne is part of the Brive economic zone, 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

Beaulieu has most facilities you would expect to find in a village, including a supermarket, restaurants and a cinema.  There is an open air swimming pool open in July and August, for year round swimming there is a large pool in Tulle (38km).

Education

There is a state nursery/primary school and a state Secondary School (College).  For college (lycee) the nearest one is in Saint Céré (16km) or for more choice Tulle (38km) or Brive (40km) are both options.

Key Stats

Of the properties in Beaulieu-sur-dordogne, 62.4% are classed as primary residences, with 26.1% being classed as second homes.  There are more females than males resident here (56.3% vs 43.7%), and there are more people aged 60 or over than the national average (43.8% vs 21.3%). The number of retired people is also more (35.4% vs 18.2%).  The percentage of people below the age of 19 is lower than the national average (13.9% vs 24.6%)

Key Facilities and Services: