Chemin des platanes

Platanes âgés de plus de 250 ans, ifs de plus de 500 ans au site de Peyrassoulat, sources de la Charente, chemin de partage des eaux entre le Bassin de la Loire et celui de la Charente.

Forge ayant fonctionné au Moyen-Age au milieu du XIXe siècle. Elle fournissait de l'acier à la marine de Ruelle en Charente.

Le site est connu pour sa flore typique : nombreuses espèces de fougères (Osmonde Royale), tapis de pervenches, noisettes de terre, millepertuis sauvage... Au bord de la Tardoire, on découvre deux platanes de plus de 250 ans dont un est classé (40m d'envergure - 6m de circonférence) et des ifs de plus de 500 ans.

Behind the Lavaud dam lies a huge lake, downstream from the source of the Charente. Its shores and beaches are ideal for hiking and swimming. Children?s games, a picnic area and pedal-boat hire are available for family fun. A restaurant and self-catering cottages are also available for a waterside stay. Swimming is supervised from July 8 to August 27, from 1:30 pm to 7 pm. Unsupervised beach on Tuesdays.

Overlooking the Graine and Vayres valleys, the Château de Rochechouart has been home to the Musée d'art contemporain de la Haute-Vienne since 1985. Landscape, history and the imaginary are the three main themes behind the creation of this institution by the Conseil départemental de la Haute-Vienne. In a remarkable 15th-century building, the dialogue between heritage and contemporary creation has led to the creation of an international contemporary art collection, as well as the production of works more specific to the site. In 1989, with the creation of the Raoul Hausmann collection (comprising 600 works and numerous archives), the Museum found its tutelary figure in the famous Dadaist.

[Visitor restrictions, barrier in place for works] Les Salles-Lavauguyon church and priory, dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, are under the protection of Saint-Eutrope, the first bishop of Saintes. The portal is representative of Saintongeois Romanesque art. On the reverse of the façade, 4 bands illustrate the Old Testament: on the right, the nave walls depict Temptation, with Adam and Eve driven from Paradise; on the side walls, the martyrdoms of Saint Valérie and Saint Agathe; on the left, symmetrically, the massacre of the Holy Innocents, and the martyrdoms of Saint Laurent and Saint Christophe. A rich décor of foliage and animals adorns the nave?s historiated scenes. At the entrance to the choir, 2 frescoes depict Boso de Rochechouart and his successor Barnard at the head of the priory. Sixteenth-century frescoes complete the decor.