Discover the Creuse (23)

The Creuse is named after the Creuse river which runs through the department. 

Officialy the department is part of the new Nouvelle-Aquitaine region since the territorial reorganisation of  1st January, 2016, but the old region ‘Limousin’ is still commonly used.  The Creuse department is made up of four “Pays”; the Pays de Guéret in the north, Pays Creuse Ouest in the west, Pays Sud Vreusois in the south and Pays Combraille en Marche in the east.

The landscape is dominated by woods with lots of hiking trails, fields and meadows with glossy brown Limousin cows, lakes, ponds, winding rivers, rolling hills, picturesque valleys and the rough plains of Millevaches. The most important rivers are the Creuse (often the subject of Monet's paintings), Gartempe, Thaurion en Tardes.  The largest lake is Lac Vassivière where several water sports can be enjoyed.

The biggest city is Guéret, the capital of the department.  Of interest here is a wonderful art-history museum, an immense labyrinth and a nearby wolves' park.  Other cities are Aubusson, world-renowned for its tapestries, Felletin with its  famous gobelin industry and the international feltfestival, Bourganeuf with its Zizimtower and its Knights Templar history and the medieval city of La Souterraine. You should also consider a visit to the ‘Village sculptée Masgot’, the painted church of Sous Parsat, the Abby of Moutier d’Auhun, the roman church of Chambon sur Voueize, the valley of painters, the ruins of Crozant, Chéniers  which has a beautifully restored ‘lavoir’and of course the thermal town of Evaux-les-Bains which you can find out about in our Bien Etre pages.   Don't leave the Creuse without tasting a slice of the local specialty “Le Creusois”, a typical pastry that can only be made by a small number of select bakeries.

Popular festivals are

El Clandestino, LeZArt Vert, Rock en Marche
Forrest Follies green nature festival and La Dejantee 'dress up crazy' race
 
Tourism hasn't developed much which is why you will also be able to enjoy peace and quiet, wide open spaces and beautiful nature to the fullest.

Bon voyage!

More info: www.tourisme-creuse.com