The Great Outdoors - Limousin

Share | Print | +

Delicious

Digg

Facebook

Google

Propeller

reddit

StumbleUpon

Twitter

Yahoo!

The Great Outdoors - Limousin

• The Limousin region has over 7,700 Km of marked paths for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding
• With it's 23 rivers, Limousin boasts over 800 Km of waterways for all types of white water sports
• Limousin has 39 dams open to rowing, water-skiing and sailing in calm waters
• There are over 12,000 hectares of water and 11,700 Km of river open to fishing

The Limousin region offers a wide variety of outdoor activities including hiking, horse riding, cycling, windsurfing, canoeing, water-skiing and sailing. A few of the most popular are listed below:

• Most tourist offices have information brochures in English and several have websites with details on activities in each area

Cycling and Mountain Biking

The Corrèze département has many cycling routes suitable for all ages and levels. For more experienced cyclists there are seventeen routes (including two circuits) that are of a similar level of difficulty to time trial sections of the Tour de France and Bol d'Or des Monédières.

There are nine mountain bike centres in the Corrèze offering departure points for a number of different trails.

The département of the Creuse has over 473 Km of marked trails for mountain biking with eight departure points.

Many tourist offices sell cycling itineraries compiled by local cycling clubs.

Contacts

• Comité du Limousin du Cyclisme
  At: 3 impasse du Mas Neuf, 87100 Limoges
  Tel: 05 55 35 16 26
  Fax: 055 55 35 14 75
  e-mail
  Website
• The Vélo19 website is dedicated to cycling in the Limousin and gives details on future cycling races in the area
  e-mail

Horse Riding

Limousin is ideal for horse riders: the region has approximately 19 horses per 1,000 inhabitants, well above the French national average. It is a region of horse breeders and home to the Anglo Arab horses, originating in Pompadour in the 19th century where there is now a national stud ffarm. With over 120 equestrian centres spread out the region (42 percent in Corrèze, 31 percent in Haute-Vienne and 27 percent in the Creuse), Limousin is an ideal place for riding.

The département of the Creuse has over 360 Km of transcorréziennes riding trails suitable to both beginners and experienced riders.

Contacts

• For information on horse riding in Limousin see the Limousin horse-riding website Limousin à Cheval (in French)
• Comité Régional d'Equitation du Limousin
  At: Tour n° 4 – Le Château, 19230 Arnac Pompadour
  Tel: 05 55 73 60 99
  Fax: 05 55 98 57 65
  e-mail

Hiking in Limousin

The region is home to a wide number of hiking trails for all levels of ability. A popular area is the Plateau de Millevaches, a regional park with many hills, rivers and slopes that are perfect for hiking.

The Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (FFRP) is the overseeing body for all marked and maintained walking routes in France. It provides information and guide books (most in French) for walkers in the Limousin area.

Top 25 hiking maps issued by the Institut Géographique National (IGN) are available from newsagents (presse) and bookshops.

All nationally recognised trails are categorised as follows:

• GR (Grand Randonée): Registered hiking trails that often run across the entire country.
• GRP (Sentiers de Grande Randonée de Pays): Registered regional trails that will take you around a particular region for several days.
• PR (Sentiers de Promenade): Walking and hiking trails for short circuits, lasting several hours.

Clear explanations of the waymarks, or blazes (balises), of the French route marking system: Click here

Contacts

• Comité Départementale de Randonnée Pedestre de la Corrèze
  At: Chassagnite, Mestes, 19200 Corrèze
  Tel: 05 55 72 53 90
  Fax: 05 55 72 53 90
  e-mail
  Website
• Comité Départementale de Randonnée Pedestre de la Creuse
  At: Blanderette, 23200 Bosroger
  Tel: 05 55 67 34 69
• Comité Départementale de Randonnée Pedestre de la Haute-Vienne
  Tel: 05 55 10 93 87
  e-mail
• Fédération Française de Randonnée Pedestre (French walking federation)
  At: 29 rue Puy Las Rodas, 87000 Limoges
  Tel: 05 55 01 29 61
• The Maison de Vassivière has a website with a list of hiking trails in the Creuse and Haute-Vienne: Click here

Watersports in Limousin

The many lakes and rivers in Limousin make it an ideal place for a number of water sports such as canoeing, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and fishing. The Corrèze, Dordogne and Vézère rivers are ideal for canoeing and kayaking.

• During the spring and the autumn, rafting is possible on the Corrèze and the Vézère
• Aqua-hiking is allowed in the Gorges de la Dordogne and Gorges de la Corrèze
• The many recreational parks and lakes are open for fishing, swimming, water-skiing, rowing, sailing and windsurfing. Local tourist offices will have details

Contacts

• Comité Régional de Canoë-Kayak Limousin
  The website of the Comité Régional de Canoë-Kayak Limousin provides information on canoeing and kayaking spots in Limousin as well as a list of all the different clubs in the area: Click here (in French)
• Fédération Française de Canoë-Kayak
  Tel: 02 48 89 39 89
  Website
• Limousin Nautical Club
  At: Vauveix, 23460 Royère de Vassivière
  Tel: 05 55 64 78 02
  Website
• The Maison de Vassivière has a website with information on watersports in the Haute Vienne and the Creuse: Click here

Fishing in Limousin

The region has many areas for fishing including the Lac de Saint-Pardoux, Lac de Champsanglard, Lac des Chézelles, Lac de l'Age, Lac d'Eguzon and Lac de Vassivière. Fish available include pike and carp, sander, perch and tanches.

Trout can be fished in La Gartempe (where has many other fish as well).

The Vallée de la Vienne has both rapid torrents and calm waters, the species of fish vary along the river.

Regional and national fishing competitions are often held on the Vienne river and experienced fishermen can catch bream, barbell and trout.

The Parc Naturel Périgord-Limousin offers many lakes that are suitable for all levels and has an abundance of fish.

Contacts

• Fédération de la Creuse pour la Pêche et la Protection du Milieu Aquatique (Creuse Fishing Association)
  At: 60 avenue Louis Laroche, 23000 Guéret
  Tel: 05 55 52 24 70
  Fax: 05 55 52 40 15
  Website