Limousin Property Guide
Welcome to the Limousin resources area. Before buying in the Limousin, you may want to find out more about the region! The Limousin region is divided into 3 departments called Creuse (yellow area), Correze (red area) and Haute-Vienne (green area).
Limousin is slap in the middle of France (and left a bit). It’s very rural and is the second least populated region after Corsica. It is also the only French region to have given its name to a 20′ car with a jacuzzi in the back. Historians claim the association comes from the very long cloaks worn by Limousin shepherds, though what shepherds were doing driving limos is anyone’s guess.
It is said that more people live in the city of Marseille than in the whole of the region of Limousin. Earlier this year, they put this to the test and the entire populations swapped places. Sure enough, all the Limousins were comfortably housed in Marseille (with apartments to spare,) while many Marseillais were unable to find accommodation in Limousin and ended up sleeping rough on park benches. Point proved, I think.
Limousin is famous for its oak trees, used for wine barrels throughout France. I’m a beer drinker myself, but I do find that the phenols in Limousin oak interact cheekily with the wine to bring out its tea, caramel, smoke and raspberry notes. Another natural resource is kaolin, which gave birth to Limoges porcelain and also has medicinal properties. So if you’re after a nice mug or just have a gyppy tum, Limoges is the place for you.
Limoges is the region’s capital, and the location of the world’s first (and so far only) Gregorian Chant – laundering scam. Adémar de Chabannes, eleventh-century monk and composer put it about that he’d discovered a Mass by Limoges’ patron saint, Martial. The Mass was an instant hit and topped the charts for several years. It wasn’t until 1920 that someone pointed out the uncanny handwriting similarities between the ‘Saint Martial’ Mass and Adémar’s own, earlier hit ‘Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, Gloria in Excelsis.’
Limoges was the birthplace of Astérix the Gaul and Auguste Renoir, the fastest of all the impressionists, who always managed to paint ladies just as they were getting out of the bath. The run-down centre of Limoges was rebuilt in the nineteenth century because it had become a notorious locale for prostitution and chicken-eating contests. It’s tragic how often those two vices seem to run together.
In the department of Haute-Vienne you will find the Château de Rochechouart, built around 1200 by Aymeric VI. While Aymeric was away (presumably massacring heathens,) his lovely wife Alix was accused of adultery by the castle’s evil janitor. Poor Alix was thrown into the lion’s cage (no, I didn’t know they kept pet lions then either) but the lion, sensing her innocence and purity, rolled over and asked to have its tummy tickled. Alix’ innocence thus proven, the janitor was thrown into the cage and the lion, sensing his duplicity and protein-value, ate him.
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring department of Corrèze, you’ll find the Château de Bity. Despite its architectural and historical insignificance, the Château was granted Historic Monument status in April 1969. Coincidentally, it had been bought only a month previously by the then Secretary of State, Jacques Chirac.
© 2008 richardheacock @ mac.com
Limousin Property
This region is growing in popularity and property prices are rising. Property prices are still relatively cheap though! With Budget airlines flying into Limoges, we expect the Limousin region to show continued growth in property prices. The region is well served by an autoroute running approximately North to South across the Limousin. You can travel from Calais to the Limousin completely by autoroute. Travel time 6 to 8 hours.
The most popular areas are within an hour’s drive of the airport. The “wetlands” to the North of the region have around 1000 lakes – many are now getting developed for tourism. Some popular lakes have artificial beaches, sailing and other water sports, fishing, etc.
The British buyers are attracted to rural property or village / hamlet properties in the Limousin. Barns, fermettes, and farmhouses with land are still available.
We are recommending Haute-Vienne properties and Creuse properties.
Limousin Property Selection
Listed below are the departments in the region of Limousin; the number of properties in each department are denoted in brackets - click on a department to see the properties available.All the properties in Limousin by department.
(Number in brackets = number of properties)
Corrèze Property (11)
Creuse Property (267)
Haute Vienne Property (138)