A Guide 2 Limousin

Description:

Geography

Situated centrally between the Atlantic coast and the mountains of Auvergne, Limousin occupies the foothills of the Massif Central, and represents a hilly partition between north and south.  It is bordered by the Poitou-Charentes region to the west, the Centre region to the north, Auvergne to the east, Midi-Pyrenees to the south, and Aquitaine to the south west.  Limousin is roughly the same size as East Anglia in terms of land area, but only has around 19% of the population of the English region.  There are fewer people living in Limousin than there are in the southern city of Marseille, and it is the second least populated place in France after Corsica.  The region is divided into three departments, Creuse, Haute Vienne and Corrèze.

Transport

Until relatively recently, the region was fairly inaccessible, but development of both the A20 autoroute (north/south), and the A89 (west/east) has made the key towns quicker to reach.  At present the TGV does operate between Paris and Brive-la-Gaillard, but the track it uses is not classified as high-speed, and therefore whilst fewer connections are required to reach the capital, the journey times are not greatly improved.  There are some 89 places linked to the TER rail network across the region, although some of these will be via a dedicated bus route.  The regional capital Limoges has an airport at Bellegarde, which has developed much over recent years, and hosts a good range of flight options to UK destinations through its new terminal building.  Development is ongoing on a new airport at Brive-Souillac, which is expected to come into service from 2010, making access easier for more southerly parts of the region.

Climate

The hilly nature of this region means that the climate is generally wetter and cooler than lowland neighbours.  The flatter western side of the region is generally warmer and drier, much like that of Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes.  The climate changes further eastwards towards the semi-mountainous Millevaches Natural Park and the mountains of Auvergne, with increased rainfall and snow quite common sometimes into spring.  In summer, hot temperatures are often interrupted by sudden storms.  All of Limousin falls within a zone that receives between 1750 and 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Summary

Often referred to as the Lake District of France, the many rivers, mountains and lakes make Limousin a favourite destination for lovers of the outdoors.  The semi-mountainous terrain means there is plenty of challenging and not-so-challenging walking and cycling to be had, as well as all manner of watersports.  At the centre of all this is the colossal Lac de Vassiviere, straddling the border between Haute-Vienne and Creuse, this 1000ha lake is actually a man-made reservoir and hydroelectric station, built after WWII.  It offers beaches, swimming, watersports and it is encircled by walking paths.  Being an integral part of the Millevaches Natural Park, it is also a nature reserve. Off the main motorways, the roads in Limousin are normally deserted, making driving in the region a real pleasure.  Those bemoaning the lack of more direct transport links would be entirely missing the point, as the winding roads offer a chance to witness first-hand just how beautiful and unspoilt this region has remained.  For visitors who prefer the town to the country, the regional capital Limoges offers plenty of museums and galleries, with a focus on porcelain, this being the area where the fine white putty 'kaolin' was discovered in the 18c, and where a thriving industry still remains today.  The St Etienne cathedral is a must see, mainly Gothic in architecture it took six centuries to complete. Brive is another large town, where visitors to the Labenche museum can see items like Debussy's piano, and along at Tulle the accordion museum is testament to the town's long history in the manufacture of the most French of French instruments.  Close to Guéret is Les Loups de Chabrières, a reserve for European and Canadian wolves, where you can see the much feared animals in a semi-free environment, with a visitor centre in the middle of the huge forested enclosure.  Not far from Limoges is Oradour sur Glane, the village where in June 1944, Nazi troops massacred the entire population, without explanation.  The village rests as it did on that fateful day, and a visitor centre tells the story not just of how the tragedy unfolded, but also of pre and post war France.

Culinary Heritage

Russet-coloured cattle are emblematic of this region, and are recognised the world over as providing arguably some of the finest beef available, classified in France as Red Label.  The Limousin is also renowned for production of other produce, such as apples, strawberries, walnuts, chestnuts, lamb and the Cul Noir (black bottomed pig) of St-Yrieix-la-Perche.  The Denoix distillery in Brive-la-Gaillard is famous for its walnut liqueur, and for producing the special purple mustard, made with grapes.  Special recipes include le clafoutis, a dessert of black cherries in batter, and gâteau creusois, a butter and almond cake.

Economy

As is to be expected for such a sparsely populated and rural environment, agriculture is the mainstay of the economy in Limousin, mainly in the form of cattle and sheep breeding as the land is generally not suitable for crop farming.  Industry is made up of numerous small and medium sized firms, although the big companies are Legrand (electrical manufacture) and Madrange (food production), both present in Limoges.  Whilst some of the biggest employers are the large hospitals in Limoges and Brive-la-Gaillard, the economic picture is completed by themes such as mechanical engineering, metallurgy, porcelain and ceramics, woodworking and graphics.

Keys Stats

In terms of population, the number of arrivals in the region are exceeding departures, with the population having risen by 15,500 in just 8 years.  The region is fifteenth in France for population growth, attracting people from the Ile de France, Pas de Calais, Rhone Alps, as well as a strong British representation, with some 8,000 people having migrated here from the UK since the 1990s.  Some 25% of the Limousin population live in and around Limoges, and another 10% of people live in or around Brive-la-Gaillard.

The Limousin region has a bigger proportion of older people (16% of the population is under 20 years, and 31% is over 60 years).  There are more women than men here (51% vs 49%), and this is in line with the national picture.  13% of homes here are classed as second homes (higher than the national average 10.1%).

Department Comparison