Limousin – Haute-Vienne – Nouvelle-Aquitaine France
All about Limousin, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Limousin, in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is commonly accepted to be the heart of rural France. I simply love it! The old region known as Limousin has been amalgamated with Aquitaine and Poitou-Charentes to become the largest region of France called Nouvelle Aquitaine. However, it’s hard not to keep using the old name of Limousin so I will use this name to refer to the three departments of old Limousin, Haute Vienne, Creuse and Correze. Haute Vienne adjoins Charente and Vienne and is the most westerly of the departments, Correze adjoins Dordogne and Creuse, the most rural of the departments, is close to the Central Massif.
The capital of Limousin, Limoges, is in Haute Vienne and it is Limoges airport which provides such easy access to this area from so many U.K. airports making it a favourite destination for British property buyers. Limoges is also famous for its delicate porcelain which is used in royal palaces and stately homes all over the world. It’s a little strange that a region famous for being so rural should sport not only world famous porcelain but also world famous tapestries from Aubusson, in Creuse, which grace the walls of royal palaces and grand houses throughout the world.
When you arrive in Limousin you enter a world of rivers, huge lakes, meadows full of wild flowers and forest clad hills as far as the eye can see. Beautiful French stone farmhouses and tiny French hamlets are interspersed with grand chateaux and small market towns but the overriding impression of Limousin is ‘the land where time stood still’. Lovely Limousin, so accessible, so inexpensive, so delightful…..if you want to be in France because you love everything French then it’s hard to surpass the joys of Limousin in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
- The French Lake District – Limousin and Haute-Charente
- Living and buying property in Limousin Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Life in Limousin Nouvelle-Aquitaine
With rural French property being such amazing value it is not surprising that Limousin has, for many years, been attracting British property buyers looking to enjoy country life in Limousin. For anyone wanting to return to a lifestyle that we have long forgotten in the U.K. Limousin is a very attractive choice. You will certainly find that rural Limousin deserves its name of ‘the land where time has stood still’. Delightful swimming in the numerous lakes and rivers, walks and treks through beautiful countryside, quiet lanes for cycling, fields of sunflowers to take the breath away, bustling little markets, friendly neighbours and a climate that is easy to live in, this is what makes Limousin in Nouvelle-Aquitaine so special. Added to all of this, because of its rural nature, house prices are amongst the lowest in all of France. There is very little industry in the region and limited opportunities for work so many French people have moved away to the cities. Some still keep a holiday home in the area which is particularly fun as they greet the newly arrived folk from outside France as similar to themselves…there because it’s the very best place to holiday if life makes it impossible for you to live there all the time.
Lovely Limousin, so accessible, so inexpensive, so delightful…..if you want to be in France because you love everything French then it’s hard to surpass the joys of Limousin.
Limoges, a city to discover
Limoges’s daily covered market is a joy to behold and eating with the locals on the scrubbed tables and pine benches of the market cafe is a pleasure to be relished. In fact there are numerous really good rural restaurants in the Limousin where eating local produce with local people at local prices is a real privilege, but if you feel in need of some sophistication from time to time there are also several Michelin starred restaurants to enjoy, many of them based in the numerous chateaux of the area. The quality of the local produce attracts some very special chefs to this area. Limoges may not be the most sophisticated of French cities but it boasts good cinemas, theatre, a concert hall and many festivals throughout the year. It also has an amazing museum showcasing some of the best world famous Limoges enamel work. Next to this museum is the fascinating Museum of the Resistance which will keep you occupied for hours. Both museums are situated in the Botanical gardens where all indigenous plants are growing, with their names – so helpful if you are planning a garden in Limousin!
The best architecture in Limoges is to be found in the old medieval centre, with its market and famous Rue de la Bucherie and the amazing Art Nouveau station and the Cathedral are also well worth a visit. The river flows through Limoges and down by the old medieval bridge you enter another delightful part of the city with riverside restaurants and walks. For me, it is the countryside of Limousin that makes this area so special but when I lived there I was happy to also enjoy the pleasures of city life in Limoges too. Owning a property in Limousin allows you to enjoy a blissful rural lifestyle whilst knowing that city sophistication is not far away.
Quick Links
- Why is Property so Cheap in Limousin France
- French Property for Sale Under £100k
- French Property for Sale Under £200k
- Should I buy Property in France?
