La Grange is set in a delightful rural valley in wooded countryside. Although this is the sleepy part of the Haute Vienne, and the perfect hideaway, there is much to explore in this wonderfully unspoiled area. You will probably fly into Limoges and then have only a 40 minute drive to our little hamlet of Dompierres Les Eglises. Your nearest town is the bustling market town of Magnac Laval with its old quarter (dating back to the 14th Century) and riverside setting. The newly opened Café de la Gare has plenty of outdoor seating with a menu that changes throughout the seasons.  There is a good butcher and baker – you can use one of our complimentary bikes to cycle down the road to stock up on your morning pain aux raisins.

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Limoges with the fabulous “Les Halles Centralles” is definitely worth a day trip. The market hall was built between 1885 and 1889 and is a remarkable example of 19th Century architecture. There are two busy restaurants inside the market where guests (both local and visitors) sit side by side. The “quartier de la Boucherie” has some wonderful old buildings and the Cathedrale St-Etienne.  

https://leshallescentraleslimoges.fr/

Famous for it’s porcelain since the 18th Century, the name “Limoges” evokes the art of porcelain. The Museum in the town is fascinating https://www.musee-adriendubouche.fr/en/limoges-porcelain/

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Pretty Bellac is only a short drive away. The town developed it’s castle in the 10th Century and traces of the town’s history can still be seen in it’s hilltop houses and picturesque side streets. There are a couple of good restaurants and some quirky food shops selling anything from local honey to vegan specialities.

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La Souterraine is an undiscovered gem with an impressive town square which is the heart of this medieval town. Entering through the 13th Century Porte Saint-Jean you feel part of it’s history.

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Every small market town has it’s own market day but there will be a copy of the local English newsletter at the house which will show which day for which town.

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Lac de Saint-Pardoux is around 40 minutes away (25 kms to the north of Limoges) and is one of the most visited destinations in this region.  There are a huge amount of outdoor activities – from quiet walks around the edges of the lake, to boating on the water and from sunbathing on the sandy beaches to the (for the young at heart) acrobatic tree adventure parks.

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A little further away but worth visiting on your way to or from the airport is Oradour-sur-Glane. Before the second world war, this was a quiet rural community which was left in ruins in 1944 when the German SS massacred all the inhabitants. The village was left as it was as a testament to the brutality of the Nazis

https://www.oradour.info/