Discover Saint-goussaud, Creuse, Limousin: nature and culture

Set off on a lovely walk around the Friaulouse peat bog, a protected area with exceptional and fragile flora, not forgetting the discovery of an ancient heritage. Right from the start, you'll follow a sunken path lined with low walls, just as we love them in Creuse, to an old fishing washhouse at the source of the Rivalier, a tributary of the Gartempe. La Tourbière de Friaulouse: thanks to an audio-guide you can download free of charge onto your Smartphone, this stopover at the Tourbière de Friaulouse is an important one, as we explain what a peat bog is, how it was formed, its history, its environment? Enough to convince you that our environment is precious and must be preserved!

Start from the church. Follow signs for Saint Goussaud (D48) as far as La Ronze. In the village center, turn right, then right again after 200m. Pass the reservoir to join the forest track and turn right. An old track leads to Bossabut. In the village center, go left up the D57 for 1km, then turn right at the summit. Follow the ridge path (pouge) over the village of Volondat and follow the D28a to the right as far as Les Beiges. Descend into the village and, at the exit, follow a pretty paved "chemin creux" to the left (A4): go down the road to take the path on the right 100m after the pumping station. At the bottom of the descent, before the broken bridge, on the right near a large coniferous tree, a path leads to the old oak tree 60m away (detour).

Distance: 13km Duration: 3h15 Level: Medium Source of singular discoveries such as the big oak of Sazeirat or the curious square lodge of Puy de Rio, this walk offers beautiful views of the mountainous and forested landscape of the Eaux-Vives area.

Departure from the church. Follow the direction of Saint Goussaud (D48) until la Ronze. In the centre of the village turn right and then 200m further on take the path on the right. At the next crossroads follow the forest track on the right to Bossabut. In the heart of the village : - the A1 circuit enters Arrènes by the road on the right then at 500m by the path going down on the right.

Departing from Arrènes, come and discover this hearty, rugged gravel route, offering breathtaking views over the Monts d'Ambazac and Monts de Châtelus Le Marcheix landscapes. A cool break along the Thaurion gorges, with its river and lake. Gentle country lanes, small roads and forest paths, travel in the heart of a 100% natural environment. Take care at km 2.8 - 3.9 - 11.9 when crossing departmental roads.

In a small hamlet in the heart of the Monts du Limousin, charming stone cottage recently renovated. First floor: living room, sitting area and fitted kitchen. Upstairs, bedroom (bed 160), shower room with toilet. For hiking enthusiasts, enjoy a stay in the heart of nature, amid rolling, wooded landscapes rich in flora and fauna. Numerous signposted hiking, mountain biking and trail trails, as well as a nearby equestrian center.

The Pré en Bulle gîte is a 32 m² wood-frame building set in an 8,000 m² landscaped garden.

At the end of a wooded path, the Sioux tipi appears in a clearing where only birdsong breaks the silence. Bring a comforter, as nights can be chilly. A room with dry toilets, shower room (with hot water) and equipped living area (microwave oven, coffee maker, kettle, fridge-freezer, hob) is at your disposal

House comprising an open-plan kitchen opening onto the living room. One bedroom, separate toilet and bathroom with shower

In the little hamlet of Grand Vaud in Jabreilles les Bordes, in the heart of the Monts du Limousin, Claudine and Michel will be delighted to offer you a timeless place to rest, relax and stroll in lush natural surroundings. Located on the first floor, accessible via a staircase, this spacious 2-person room with private relaxation area is also available if you wish to telecommute. Your hosts will do their utmost to ensure your comfort and well-being during your stay. (Possibility of sleeping 2 children up to 15 years max., stackable beds, supplementary breakfast). Shelter for motorcycles - bicycles

Enjoy your own pitch in the farthest corner of the 1.5-hectare estate, in one of the charming canvas cabins. There, you can dream in peace and quiet in the middle of the countryside from your private terrace. Both unusual accommodations are well-equipped with real bedrooms for optimum sleeping comfort. The shared bathroom, with shower, toilet and washbasin, is at the rear of the house and can be accessed directly from outside. Access to a shared refrigerator with freezer compartment. Shared outdoor kitchen, for preparing your own meals (a basic kit of pots, pans and crockery is provided). Available from April to September. Breakfast with lots of homemade products included. Book online at => www.lesfilloux.com/ Bed linen and towels included.

In the heart of the pretty village of Maillorat, Lorine and Patrice have renovated this farmhouse with originality and kindness. In love with their village, with hiking and heritage, and with a passion for painting for Lorine and pottery for Patrice, they have created an atypical atmosphere and layout for the Chatelard gîte: small steps, spiral or Japanese staircases, spacious rooms, furniture filled with stories, paintings and memories of their life in Japan.... all with comfort and a contemporary touch! A pleasant walled garden is the perfect place to relax and take part in the friendly village life! Mountain biking: the gîte is at the foot of 3 VTT-FFC 11-14-15 trails and 4km from the La Jonchère Singletrack Bike Park. Enclosed bike shed. Environmentally aware, they provide all the organic products needed for hygiene and maintenance. The gît ...

Old house in a quiet hamlet in the Monts d'Ambazac Beautiful views over rolling countryside

Sylvie and Yann had a dream: to set up a small livestock farm to welcome their guests. They've made it come true on this lovely site in the heart of the Monts d'Ambazac. An ideal place for hiking, fishing and mountain biking. Upstairs and in the attic, 3 adjoining rooms, accessed from one to the other by a few steps, can accommodate up to 10 people, with private sanitary facilities. At their farm inn, they serve farm produce for lunch on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: an invitation to indulge! Open all year round.

Large guest room comprising a double bedroom and a small living room with sofa bed, in the heart of a small village in the Monts du Limousin. Ideally located close to numerous outdoor activities. Your hosts, Nathalie and Erik, will be delighted to share their love of the destination with you, and their advice on how to discover and enjoy it to the full!

Sale of vegetables, milk-fed veal, poultry, rabbit, lamb, cow, beef, eggs. By appointment only.

Dating from the 13th century, the lantern was originally placed in the cemetery near the church. It was moved to the present site in 1811. Measuring 5.5 metres in height, the rectangular lantern is built of well-matched granite ashlar, pyramid-shaped, with a small semi-circular bay on each side of the upper section. The west face features a projecting altar table. The opening through which the lantern, hoisted by the pulley, was inserted, is on the east side. Just a stone's throw away, an orientation table offers a panoramic view of the Limousin and Auvergne mountains. On a clear day, you can see six départements... and the Puy de Sancy!

Known as chabannes or bories, these shelters were used by local shepherds when these hills were grazed moorland. Man had to learn how to build his dry-stone hut, covering it either with branches laden with leaves, moss and clumps of grass, or continuing the stacking with flat stones to finish with a vault. Some thirty bories have now been identified, and efforts are underway to protect them.

The Church of Saint Goussaud features a walled Romanesque portal, a 16th-century chevet, a 12th-century pointed barrel nave, 15th-century ribbed vaults, a 13th-century reliquary and an 18th-century polychrome carved wooden statue of Saint Goussaud, who was venerated as the protector of flocks, with an ox at his feet. Tradition has it that young girls wishing to marry within the year must stick a needle into the animal to have their wish granted.

Classed as a ZNIEFF (zone of floristic, faunal and ecological value) zone because of the presence of rare and protected flora and fauna. The Friaulouse wetlands are the only Monts de St-Goussaud wetland and are rich in species and habitats. The vegetation present is an important element of the landscape. Over the seasons, by their shapes and colours, the peat land plants offer an original physiognomy, of which the best example is that of the Bog Asphodel of the Liliaceae family. The flowers appear in July and completely cover the peat land in yellow. Also recognised by true connoisseurs: intermediate and round–leafed sundew (national protection), mountain and long beech ferns or even the cotton flower.

An orientation table on the summit of the Puy des Roches provides a 180° view of the landscape over a distance of more than 100 km. Located in a natural area, it also features shepherds' lodges and the picnic tables of the "Roche-Guéry".

Shepherd's lodges are temporary dry-stone shelters built by farmers to protect themselves from the elements, and erected on high ground to make it easier to keep an eye on their flocks. At Puy des Roches, at an altitude of 635 m, many such shelters have been built. This exceptional site, where nature and heritage are one and the same, is equipped with an orientation table.

This church, whose patronage belonged to the Abbey of Bénévent, was rebuilt in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The building comprises a rectangular nave with three bays, the last of which forms the choir with its flat chevet. The bays are covered by ribbed cross-beams with circular keystones. Several niches are carved into the walls. The south wall is pierced by a double pool, each of whose geminated openings is molded with a cavet and topped by an accolade inscribed with trefoil decoration. This church had painted interior decorations on the walls and vaults. The north wall of the second bay, as well as the south wall of the choir, feature a background with painted figures.

Alain specializes in the production of perpetual vegetables. These are edible herbaceous perennials. They have fed us for generations. Today, many of the vegetables we grow are the result of numerous selections made from these perpetuals. Artichokes, rhubarb, strawberries and spring onions are the best known. Savory, agastache, hyssop, lovage and Kilimanjaro basil are aromatic or medicinal perennials that we appreciate for their scents and the well-being they bring us. For the gardener, perennials offer many advantages: low maintenance, frost resistance, few diseases, no treatments, easy to propagate. It's easy to see why permaculture has made them its panacea. The range of plants is vast, and Alain adds a few new ones every year.

It was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and is listed as a Monument Historique. Its portal is in the Romanesque style and its bell tower is covered with chestnut shingles. A votive stele of the goddess Epona stands beneath the bell tower-porch. Inside, the church features a Baroque-style carved wooden altarpiece, a 17th-century sculpture of the Virgin of Pity, a carved and painted 17th-century statue of the Virgin and Child, and a 17th-century wooden sculpture of Saint Roch. Porcelain stained-glass windows were created between 1997 and 2004 using lithophanie, a technique used to produce a translucent porcelain plate. The light rays passing through it give an impression of relief.

La Lanterne in Saint Goussaud is a restaurant, grocery store and bar! The restaurant is open for lunch Monday to Sunday (except Wednesdays, which are reserved for workshops), and on Saturday evenings. Here you'll find a grocery store stocked with local produce and bulk goods, a bread depot (please order in advance), a batch of organic bread baked in a wood-fired oven, and a delivery service on Tuesdays and Fridays. The bar will be open from 8:30 a.m. Monday to Sunday (except Wednesday) and on Tuesday and Friday evenings. Reservations recommended on 05 55 64 89 63.

Pizzeria, Creperie From Italy to Brittany ..... A stopover in Creuse ....... Daily specials (8.90 ?uros), eat-in or take-away, organic and seasonal products. Petit Futé 2023!

Yann and Sylvie will introduce you to their local produce with simplicity, quality and finesse. The inn is open every Saturday and Sunday for lunch only, from 12:30 to 1pm, as well as on public holidays. Don't forget to reserve your table, either inside or on the terrace. Groups of up to 40 people welcome on weekdays.

Lunch on reservation.

open-plan lunches and takeaway pizzas to order

Home cooking and Senegalese cuisine to order.

By reservation only, 10 people around the table, all eating the same menu with the chef during the week. Service at 12.15pm or 7pm, Monday to Friday. Starter, main course, dessert or cheese + coffee or herbal tea 22?

Pizzas and Burgers. Freshly made on the spot or to take away. Burger of the month. Bagles.

Pilgrim hostel in the center of Saint Goussaud with kitchen, three bathrooms, one single room, two double rooms and 8 dormitory beds.

Located in Arrènes, Chambre d'hôtes de Puy Faucher offers accommodation with free private parking. The accommodation includes a terrace, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. This bed and breakfast serves a continental breakfast every morning. You can also relax in the garden.

Mrs. and Mr. OELSNER are happy to welcome you all year round in their house with its typical Creusoise architecture, located on one of the paths of Saint Jacques de Compostelle as well as on the Way of Vézelay.

Welcome to Chambres d'Hôtes Labalade! Our farmhouse, set in large, peaceful grounds with views, has 2 bedrooms and 3 trailers, and is surrounded by lakes, rivers, forests and vast rolling countryside. The ideal place for nature lovers and those seeking peace and quiet! There are plenty of opportunities for relaxation in the immediate vicinity: swimming, fishing and cycling. The Santiago de Compostela footpath is just a short distance from the B&B. There are also picturesque villages and towns nearby to visit, including one of the many markets and brocantes. We'll be happy to provide you with all the information you need about the region.

In a small hamlet in the heart of the Monts du Limousin, charming stone cottage recently renovated. First floor: living room, sitting area and fitted kitchen. Upstairs, bedroom (bed 160), shower room with toilet. For hiking enthusiasts, enjoy a stay in the heart of nature, amid rolling, wooded landscapes rich in flora and fauna. Numerous signposted hiking, mountain biking and trail trails, as well as a nearby equestrian center.

The Pré en Bulle gîte is a 32 m² wood-frame building set in an 8,000 m² landscaped garden.

At the end of a wooded path, the Sioux tipi appears in a clearing where only birdsong breaks the silence. Bring a comforter, as nights can be chilly. A room with dry toilets, shower room (with hot water) and equipped living area (microwave oven, coffee maker, kettle, fridge-freezer, hob) is at your disposal

Small house in the countryside, located in a quiet hamlet

House comprising an open-plan kitchen opening onto the living room. One bedroom, separate toilet and bathroom with shower

This little rural district, situated in the green valley of the river Thaurion, has just opened, near the camping site, a vec borne Euro-Relais Junior service area :Chemical Disposal Point, electricity and water hookups. Shops in town with several parking possibility in the village or on the baks of the river Thaurion.