GUÉRET

Guéret is the capitol of the Creuse and the centre of commerce for the region. Originally developed from a monastery on the site it was later awarded a Franchise charter in 1406 and the Hotel des Monneyroux was built. This is now the home of the Conseil General.

Guéret became the capitol of the area in 1791. With just 15000 inhabitants it retains a quaint homely feel whilst still maintaining its authority over the area.

THE MUSEUM OF ART AND ARCHEOLOGY

Enables visitors to view the local history from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages and includes a collection of paintings and sculptors from the 17th century including works by Rodin and the Creuse Valley impressionist painter, Guillaumin. There is also a fascinating collection of Limousin enamels and Asian art.

The museum is open every day except Tuesdays and bank holidays from 10am-noon and 2-6pm June – September and from 2-6pm from November to April. The first Sunday of every month is free. Telephone 05 55 52 07 20

MARKET DAYS

Visit the bustling market at La Place Bonnyaud selling fruit and vegetables, cheese, olives etc. plus jewellery and clothes and some furniture. Takes place every Thursday and Saturday and there is also a thriving antique market every third Sunday of the month between October and June.

THE COURTILLE LEISURE PARK

A superb lake with bathing and sports facilities and only a short distance from the town centre. The twenty-hectare lake is popular with tourists and locals alike and you can enjoy all water sports here or relax on the sandy beach all around. The three star campsite makes it an inexpensive holiday location. Open from the beginning of June until the end of September it is advisable to book in advance. Telephone 05 55 81 92 24

LES MONTS DE GUÉRET

Les loups de Chabrieres

www.loups-chabrieres.com

Just south of Guéret is the Chabrieres forest, home to several packs of grey, black, and white wolves in five specially built enclosures. In 1882 a law was passed allowing the mass slaughter of the species and within fifty years canis lupus virtually vanished from the French countryside. This park was created to allow the observation of these beautiful animals without further threat to themselves or to human beings and it has become a natural environment and a sanctuary for those in need of help and care. For more information contact the Office de Tourisme des Monts de Guéret tel. 05 55 52 14 29

Observatoire Planétarium

www.astronomie-creuse.com

Set in the heart of the Chabrieres Park, the observatory with its 450mm telescope is an important centre for French astronomical research as well as the general public. For more information on the Monts de Guéret contact the Office de Tourisme des Monts de Guéret tel. 05 55 52 14 29

HOTELS IN THE GUÉRET AREA

Hotel Restaurant Auclair

19 Avenue de la Sénatorerie – 23000 Guéret
Telephone 0033(0) 555 41 22 00
Good average hotel

Open all year the Auclair is situated in the centre of Guéret and is ideal for using as a base for sightseeing or house hunting. There are thirty-one bedrooms all with telephone and TV, a swimming pool and parking and they are English speaking. Prices start at around 50 euros.

Hotel Resturant Le Campanile

4 Avenue René Cassin – 23000 Guéret
Telephone 0033 (0) 555 51 54 00
Good average hotel

Open all year and situated on the outskirts of Guéret this comfortable hotel has 49 bedrooms with TV and telephone starting from around 54 euros. The restaurant caters for all ages with a very good lunchtime buffet, prices starting from 12,50 euros and 5,95 euros for children.

Hotel Le Globe

40, Grande rue – 23000 Guéret
Telephone 0033 (0) 555 52 02 00
Plain but comfortable

Closed on Sundays except in season and brocante days. With 10 bedrooms complete with TV and telephone and prices starting from 30 euros, this hotel is a little more intimate than the larger hotels mentioned and prices start from around 30 euros.

AUBUSSON

Most of you will have heard of Aubusson because of its exquisite tapestries and weaving, still flourishing today. The tapestry museum has permanent and temporary exhibitions tracing their history from the fifteenth century to the present day. Aubusson is a charming town, the sub prefecture of the department, with 5000 inhabitants, and with interesting architectural features from the middle Ages, carved windows, turrets, and little doorways. Spend a day wandering the little back streets away from the bustling tourist areas and soak up the ambiance of days gone by. The old bridge, Le Pont de la Terrade, leading to the weavers’ quarters on the opposite bank of the Creuse is worth a visit as is the ruined fortified chateau, and then leisurely make your way back to the town for lunch.

HOTELS AND GITES IN THE AUBUSSON AREA

Hotel Restaurant du lion d'or

Place d’Espagne – 23200 Aubusson
Telephone 0033 (0) 555 66 13 88
Good average hotel
Eleven bedrooms with TV and telephone priced from 45 euros to 55 euros
Menu from 15 euros to 40 euros
Car parking
Pets allowed
Closed Sunday evening and Monday out of season

Hotel Restaurant < Le France >

6, rue des Déportés – 23200 Aubusson
Telephone 0033 (0) 555 66 10 22
Good average hotel
23 bedrooms with TV and telephone priced from 55 euros to 100 euros
Menu from 15 euros
Pets allowed
Open all year

Hotel Le Chapitre
53-55 Grande Rue – 23200 Aubusson
Telephone 0033 (0) 555 66 18 54
Good average hotel
12 bedrooms with TV and telephone priced from 30 euros to 40 euros
No restaurant
Pets allowed
Open all year except the first fifteen days of January

Hotel Restaurant de la Seigliére

Vallée du Leonardet – 23200 Aubusson
Telephone 0033 (0) 555 66 37 22
Good average hotel
38 bedrooms with TV and telephone priced from 45 euros
Garden and terrace
Park of 23 hectares
Tennis court and swimming pool
Bar/ lounge
Car parking
Pets allowed
English spoken
Open all year

AUZANCES

Hotel Restaurant Le Relais Fleuri

1, Avenue Georges Clemenceau 23700 Auzances
Telephone 0033(0) 555 67 00 46
Fourteen bedrooms from 20 euros
Menu from 10 euros
Closed Friday and Sunday evenings

BELLEGARDE EN MARCHE

Hotel des Voyageurs

23190 Bellegarde en Marche
Unclassified hotel
Seven bedrooms from 16 euros
Open all year

FELLETIN

Hotel Restaurant "Au Barbichet"

5, Place Courtaud 23500 Felletin
Telephone 0033(0) 555 66 40 22

Eleven bedrooms from 25 euros
Menu from 10 euros
Closed Sunday evening – mid December to mid January and last week of June and first week of July

GITES AND BED AND BREAKFAST

Aubusson Riverside Holidays

A selection of beautiful self-catering cottages in a delightful riverside setting. Bed and breakfast and evening meals are available in a relaxed atmosphere. This is a small family run business in the heart of Aubusson.

For more details visit www.aubussonriversideholidays.com or telephone the delightful owners Nick and Liz Rodwell on 0033(0) 555 66 22 92

MENAT

Le Couret

Fabulous self-catering complex one hour from Aubusson in the mountains of the Auvergne and only a short drive from Clermont Ferrand airport. This modern property is available to rent throughout the year and comes complete with indoor pool, spa, sauna, games room, living room with open log fire, six large bedrooms all with en-suite and private patio, alpine style dining room, tennis courts and gym.

For more information: Telephone 0033(0) 473 85 58 72 or visit www.lecouret.com

A beautiful privately owned house near La Souterraine with lovely gardens and situated on the edge of a tiny village.

For more information contact the owner Louise Kennedy on 01625 501422 or visit the website www.paradisefrancais.co.uk

BOURGANEUF

Situated 30 kilometres south of Guéret, Bourganeuf is a beautiful medieval town dating from the 12th Century and was one of the first towns in France to have electricity. There is a population of 3500 inhabitants and with plenty of hotels, gites and camping areas it is a very popular area for tourists all year round. Places to visit include the church of Saint-Jean dating from the 12th century, the museum of electrification and the church of Soubrebost. There are also many cycling and walking circuits, which can be found at the information office in the town and don’t miss the July 14th celebrations and the medieval spectacular on the first weekend of August.

The town has many historical sites including the archaeological museum and the L’eglise Saint-Jacques, which is the oldest ancient monument in the area. It was constructed in the thirteenth century but the tower, mounted on four pillars, dates from the fifteenth century and was almost totally renewed in 1857.

Auzances has a wide variety of shops, bars and restaurants and a bustling market every Tuesday. If you are planning to spend some time in the area there are several hotels and restaurants to choose from including:

HOTEL RESTAURANT

Le Relais Fleuri

1, avenue Georges Clémenceau
23700 Auzances
Telephone 0033(0) 555 67 00 46

The restaurant is open from Monday to Thursday lunchtime and Saturday. Prices from 10 euros. There are fourteen bedrooms from 20 euros.

La Bonne Auberge

Bar-Tabac-Restaurant
23700 Rougnat
Telephone 0033(0) 555 83 93 31
Menus from 10 euros
Large dining room available for parties

Au p’tit Creusois

23700 Le Compas
Telephone 0033(0) 555 83 93 46
Typical regional cuisine of quality served

L’Auberge de Charron

23700 Charron
Telephone 0033(0) 672 56 56 18

Christelle and Fernand offer you traditional cuisine, the plate of the day or the menu of the day will be specialities of the Alsace. Open Monday and Tuesday from 10am to 2.30, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 11pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to midnight and Sundays from 10am to 11pm

For more information about gites in the area contact gites.de.france.creuse@wanadoo.fr

CAMPING

Situated just one kilometre from the town ” Les Vergnes” has everything for the camper including stunning views over the lake. There are tennis courts, an equestrian centre, and plenty of walks and fishing at your leisure. It is less than three euros per day for campers and children under seven years of age are half price. For more information contact the Mayor of Auzances, telephone 0033(0) 555 67 00 17

Le Domaine de Coux is a perfect place to relax and unwind. This area is the remains of a gallo- roman villa whose owners established a health spa some 2000 years ago. Now, the site is perfect for fishing (permits can be bought in Auzances) and horse riding (telephone 0033(0) 555 83 92 22 for more information)

Boussac, with a population of 1700, is a market town situated thirty minutes north east of Guéret. Dominated by the chateau dating back to the fifteenth century, the town, on first impressions, is austere and drab. However, behind it’s external appearance it has much to offer and if you wander down any of the little back streets you will discover the real town with its well kept terraced houses and little balconies full of sweet smelling geraniums, cobbled pathways and wrought iron staircases. The chateau from where the celebrated author George Sand based her first novel, Jeanne, is open to the public throughout the year with an exhibition of tapestries on display. There is the twelfth century Eglise Sainte Anne and the Eglises Jumelles at Boussac Bourg.

Today, Boussac has a good variety of shops including supermarkets, chemists, banks, bakers, and cafes and the weekly market on a Thursday morning sees the town spring to life with the colourful flowers and vegetables for sale as well as chickens and ducks. The town also has a very popular campsite, the Chateau de Poinsouze, just to the north, which is open from the middle of May to the middle of September. The site includes mobile homes, chalets and gites and also has an outdoor swimming pool and lots of activities for the children pus a bar for the adults. For more information visit their website www.camping-de.poinsouze.com  or telephone 0033(0) 555 65 02 21.

Another campsite of interest in the town is Le Cheix, a naturist camp on the road to Bétete, which is open from the first of May to the thirtieth of September and has two swimming pools, sauna, lake, barbecue area and games for the children. For more information call 0033(0) 555 65 18 01 or visit their website www.creuse-nature@wanadoo.fr 

Nouzerines
Telephone 0033(0) 555 82 01 18
labonneauberge@aol.com

Situated in the centre of the village of Nouzerines twelve kilometres from Boussac. Five bedrooms and superb restaurant. Booking essential

Some twenty minutes north of Gueret lies Moutier Malcard with a population of 500 in and around the outlying villages. The towns’ name was derived from the Lord Willelmus Malachara who lived in the monastery on the site at the end of the 12th century. In the 14th century the name of the town became monasterio Malecare then Moustier Mallecare in 1571. The church St Martin de Tours dates from the 12th century and was probably built on the site of the old monastery. Today, Moutier has a village store, post office, bar-tabac and primary school. It is a region for the breeding of limousine and charolais cattle and there is also a donkey breeder in the village.

Finally, the village hosts many fetes and competitions throughout the year including the very popular 12 hour solex race when the main roads are closed to traffic and whole village turns out to celebrate.If you are interested in history whilst you are in the area pass by the viaduct on the D990 between Moutier and Genouillac. Before the cutbacks to the railway this was the main line between Aigurande and Guéret.

Heading towards Moutier on the same road you will pass Le Jardin de Sauveterre with more than 100 species of wild flower. The gardens are open to the public from June until mid August but you can purchase seeds and catalogues all year round. For more information contact Jacques and Colette Girardeau, telephone 0033(0) 555 80 60 24