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The Limousin, the green heart of France

The capital of the Limousin is Limoges. The Limousin consists of three departments, Creuze, Correze and Haute-Vienne. Rochechouart is situated in the Haute-Vienne in the Natural Regional Park Périgord/Limousin, about 40 kilometres West of Limoges. This small town stands amidst a verdant and unspoiled landscape with woods, rivers and lakes where you can fish, swim, and take a walk along marked routes. The lakes in the surrounding areas often have facilities like a swimming section especially for children, playground, picnic places and a restaurant. One can also generally make use of a canoe, water bicycle or enjoy windsurfing.


Rochechouart, land of the meteorite

In Rochechouart and the surrounding villages there are traces of a giant meteorite, 1500 metres in diametre, weighing over 6000 tons, which struck the earth about 200 million years ago. A 20 km-wide crater remained. A lot of ancient buildings in Rochechouart are built with these specific stones (called ‘Breche’) from the meteorite, like La Roseraie. You can visit the meteorite museum in Rochechouart.


Richard Lionheart Route

There are a lot of castles in the region built in the period of Richard Lionheart. Many vestiges remain as a symbol of the incessant struggle between the Dukes of Aquitaine, who in fact became the Kings of England, and the Kings of France. Each wished to extend his influence through the viscounts of Limoges, who were vassals of the one but strongly attracted by the other. Richard Lionheart died in 1199 from an infection in the shoulder, during the siege of the castle Châlus-Chabrol.

The southern border of the Viscounty of Limoges was protected by a fortified barricade formed by the castles of Rochechouart, La Vauguyon, Montbrun, Châlus and others. These and several other castles make up the Richard Lionheart historical route. Nowadays most of the castles have a function as a museum.

The castle of Rochechouart is situated on a granite rock. The present castle dates back to the 15th century, the dungeon to the 13th century. The fortress was owned by the viscounts of Limoges and was once visited by Richard Lionheart. Today it functions as a museum of modern art.