Saint-Robert, Corrèze, Limousin

Description:

Geography and Transport Links

Saint-Robert is a small village in the south-west of Corrèze, situated close to the border with Aquitaine (Dordogne).  The A89 autoroute passes by to the south carrying traffic between Bordeaux and Brive-la-Gaillard.  Rail services are a short distance away at Objat, where the line runs between Limoges and Brive.  The nearest airport is Limoges-Bellegarde, offering a range of year-round flight options to the UK.

Climate

Characterised by short temperate winters and warm summers, average temperatures in summer here reach on average 24C to 27C (12C to 14C low).  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 February is the driest with 3.33cm.  Saint Robert is part of a zone which receives between 1750 and 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Tourism

Set out around a Benedictine monastery, the village was once the scene of violent religious clashes.  Set in the hilly countryside, the village affords 360 degree views over the Corrèze-Dordogne border.  The Sainte Marie church is a fine example of a fortified 12c Romanesque church, and it is surrounded by narrow streets and stone houses.  There are small number of shops and restaurants, and the village hosts a summer music festival usually in July.

Economy

Saint Robert 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

Saint Robert has some facilities including a baker, restaurants and a hairdresser.  The closest open air swimming pool is in Juillac (11km), which opens during July and August.  For year-round swimming there is a large pool in Brive (28km)

Education

The nearest state nursery/primary school is in Ayen (4km), and secondary school (college) is in Objat (14km).  For college (lycee) the nearest one is in Terrasson Lavilledieu (20km).

Key Stats

Of the properties in Saint Robert, 65.8% are classed as primary residences, with 26.7% being classed as second homes.  There are more males than females resident here (50.9% vs 49.1%), and there are more people aged 60 or over than the national average (37.8% vs 21.3%). The number of retired people is also more (33.5% vs 18.2%).  The percentage of people below the age of 19 is lower than the national average (18.9% vs 24.6%)

Key Facilities and Services: