• Introduction
• Reports (5)
• Useful information

  Know before you go

  Sport and leisure activities

• History and culture

  Nature

  History

  Art and Culture

  The Region Today

• Accrobranche
• Bicycling
• Canoe-kayaking
• Caves and abysses
• Cross-country skiing
• Foie gras
• Hiking
• Horse trekking
• Potholing
• River cruises
• Wine

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Accrobranche

Accrobranche can be loosely translated as “tree acrobatics”, which involves moving from tree to tree in safety.

Acrobois – At Bussière-Galant- t 05 55 78 12 61 - www.lesacrobois.com.

D’arbre en Arbre – At Vassivière Lake - t 05 55 67 94 23 - www.arbreenarbrevassiviere.com.

Mayaventure – At Aubazines - t 05 55 27 21 10.

Val Aventure – At Bort-les-Orgues - t 04 71 40 34 14 - www.lajourneeaval.com.

Tarz en Arbre – At Limoges-Uzurat - t 06 33 17 87 38.

Accro Tronc – At St-Pardoux - t 06 85 12 72 17.

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Bicycling

French Federation of Cyclotourism – t 01 56 20 88 88 - www.ffct.org

French Federation of Cycling – t 01 49 35 69 24 - www.ffc.fr

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Canoe-kayaking

French Federation of Canoe-kayaking – t 01 45 11 08 50 - www.ffcanoe.asso.fr. In conjunction with IGN, the federation publishes a map of all of France’s navigable waterways Les Rivières de France.

In the Berry

This sport takes place on the Cher at St-Florent-sur-Cher and Châteauneuf-sur-Cher, on the Loire at Sancerre, on the Yèvre at Mehun-sur-Yèvre, on the Indre at Châteauroux, on the Creuse at Blanc (the club also organises descents of the Anglin).

Val de Loire-Centre Regional Canoe-kayaking League – t 02 38 49 88 80 - www.canoe-regioncentre.org (in English)

In the Limousin

This sport takes place on the Creuse at Aubusson, on the Vienne at Aixe-sur-Vienne, Limoges, Eymoutiers, St-Victurnien, on the Vassivière Lake, on the Corrèze at Tulle, on the Dordogne at Argentat and Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, on the Vézère at Uzerche and Saillant.

Limousin Regional Canoe-kayaking League – t 05 55 79 34 65 - www.canoe-limousin.com

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Caves and abysses

A choice of exceptional prehistoric drawings and sculptures (Le Cap Blanc, Les Combarelles, Font-de-Gaume, Lascaux and Pech-Merle, etc.) and natural formations (Foissac, Le Grand Roc, Lacave, Maxange, Padirac, etc.), sometimes equipped with spectacular sound and light effects (Proumeyssac, Villars).

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Cross-country skiing

The Millevaches plateau in the vicinity of Meymac (alt. 976m) has four trails from 2 to 12km that leave from Mont Bessou.

At St-Setiers (alt. 850-950m), 5 trails from 3 to 20km leaving from the “Croix de la Mission”. Information: t 05 55 95 62 43.

Another cross-country skiing site is located in Upper Corrèze, to the west of Meymac, at the summit of the town of Bonnefond (alt. 920m). Here you will find 3 trails from 3 to 11km, leaving from “Chadebec” hostel. Information: t 05 55 95 44 58 - www.bonnefond-decouverte.com/ski.html

Further north, in the Limousin mountains, the skiing domains of Gentioux-Pigerolles, Féniers, Peyrelevade (alt. 900m) boasts 90km of trails. Information: t 05 55 67 92 04 - pigerolleski.free.fr

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Foie gras

Two- and 3-day foie gras preparation courses generally take place from October to March.

Loisirs-Accueil Lot –t 05 65 53 20 90 - www.reservation-lot.com

Loisirs-Accueil Dordogne-­Périgord – t 05 53 35 50 00 - www.perigord-reservation.com (in English)

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Hiking

French Federation of Hiking – t 01 44 89 93 93 - www.ffrp.asso.fr

Grande randonnée Trails

GR 6 – The Périgord Quercy trail from Monbazillac to Figeac, via Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil.

GR 36 – Through the Périgord and Dordogne from Mareuil to Monbazillac (departs from Puymoyen), and the Lot from Castillonnès to Cahors.

GR 46 – Tour of the gorges of Aveyron in the Lot from Cahors to Beauregard, then Tarn-et-Garonne and from Tarn de Loze to Penne (via Mazamet).

GR 65 – Saint James’ Way cuts through the southeast of Quercy, from Montredon to Cahors (departs from Conques) ; then the southwest, from Cahors to Moissac (via Roncevaux).

In the Indre – There are 2 GR (GR 46 and GR 654) and 5 regional GR (GRP of Valençay, GRP of the Maîtres sonneurs, GRP of the Mille étangs, GRP of the valleys of the Creuse and Anglin and the GRP of the Creuse and its lakes).

In the Creuse – The Creuse département tourist board has developed 16 hiking trails which can be consulted online: www.tourisme-creuse.com

In Upper Vienne – The GR 4 cuts through the département from east to west. There are 2 regional GR: tour of the monts d’Ambazac and the tour of the monts de Blond.

In Corrèze – The département is home to 238km of GR, the GR 440 “Le Grand Tour de la montagne limousine”) and the GR 480; and 420km of regional GR: causse corrézien, gorges de la Vézère, les ­Monédières, northern Xaintrie, southern Xaintrie, Millevaches, Les Gabarriers, Dordogne-Ventadour. Other major trails: the transcorrézien and the Pays de Brive paths.

Aquitaine Regional Hiking Board – t 05 56 00 99 26 - www.ffrandocd33.com

Midi-Pyrénées Regional Hiking Board – t 05 62 24 18 77 - www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees.com

Green paths and towpaths

Dordogne is home to four green paths (www.voiesvertes.com). In the Lot, the towpath between Bouziès and St-Cirq-Lapopie is equally pleasant.

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Horse trekking

National Board of Equestrian Tourism – t 02 54 94 46 21 - www.ffe.com. The board publishes an annual brochure, Cheval nature, l’officiel du tourisme équestre, which lists equestrian leisure activities and provides details of accommodation suitable for riders and horses.

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Potholing

Most of the sites are beneath the Quercy causses (at Rocamadour, Thémines, Caniac-du-Causse, Gramat and Le Bastit in particular).

Midi-Pyrénées Regional Potholing Board – t 05 61 11 71 60 - www.comite-speleo-midipy.com

French Federation of Potholing – t 04 72 56 09 63 - www.ffspeleo.fr

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River cruises

Live aboard boats

Live aboard craft are fitted out for 2 to 12 people. Boats are hired without captains and do not require a permit. They provide an unusual vision of the countryside, particularly on the Lot, with 75km of navigable waterways between Luzech and Cénevières.

BabouMarine –t 05 65 30 08 99 - www.baboulene-jean.fr (in English)

Crown Blue Line –t 05 65 20 08 79 - www.crownblueline.com (in English)

Lot Navigation Nicols – t 02 41 56 46 56 (central booking) - www.nicols.com (in English)

Nautic – t 05 65 22 21 91 - www.nautic.fr/lot/lot.htm (in English)

Gabarre excursions

A gabarre is the name of the old vessels that used to go up and down the region’s rivers and waterways, although today’s craft only offer 60-90min excursions. Particularly impressive at Beynac and La Roque-Gageac.

Périgord Gabarres – At Bergerac - t 05 53 24 58 80 - www.gabarres.fr

Gabarres de Beynac – At Beynac - t 05 53 28 51 15 - www.gabarre-beynac.com

Promenade en gabarre – At Terrasson-Lavilledieu - t 05 53 50 37 56 (tourist office) - www.ot-terrasson.com (in English)

Gabares les Caminades – At La Roque-Gageac - t 05 53 29 40 95.

Gabares Norbert – At La Roque-Gageac - t 05 53 29 40 44 - www.gabarres.com (in English)

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Wine

Central France Wine Route – t 02 48 78 51 07 - www.vins-centre-loire.com (in English). This170km-itinerary is primarily located in the Cher, stretching from the Sancerre hillsides to the Boischaut.