Some things to do and see

The Creuse is a beautiful rustic area characterised by woodland, pastures and water - a land of lakes, streams and rivers, dotted with small herds of cattle - the traditional brown Limousin, and the creamy Charolais and Blonde d'Aquitaine. 'Our' part is known as La Marche.

These curious young 'blondes' line up to inspect their evening visitor

One of the many tranquil lakes near Chénérailles

Storybook castles are there for the finding, too, if you stray off the main routes, many of them now occupied by private individuals, though others are open to the public. A few minutes away by car, you will find the sympathetically-restored Château de Villemonteix, full of ancient Aubusson tapestries, which is open daily. More information about many the chateaux is available on the Creuse Tourism website.

Our bedrooms take their names from these four Creusois castles: Villemonteix, Mazeau, Ste-Feyre and Arfeuille.

Château de Villemonteix - beautifully restored and open to the public from Easter to the end of October.	Château de Mazeau - some of these stones date back to Roman times. Open from July 1 - Aug 31, plus other days in Sept; otherwise by appointment
Château de Ste-Feyre - built in the classical style around 1760 on the site of an older castle. It's open to the public from June 15 to Sept 15.	Château d'Arfeuille has been in the same family since the 15th century. It's open from 1st July to 31st August 2007 from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Mornings by appointment.

Chénérailles was important in Roman times and the area is criss-crossed with ancient roads and pathways that beckon you off the straight and narrow if you enjoy walking. They are often rather overgrown and can be muddy in wet weather, so you'll probably need boots and a stick. However, the feeling of turning back the clock a century or two is well worth the effort.

This Roman road can be traced on a map

The Rue des Morts was used to carry the dead to their funerals

Look out for signs of the past in the multitude of stone wayside crosses, some of which re-use materials dating back to Roman or medieval times. Old wells and 'fontaines' are picturesque too.

This hidden cross has strange carvings

This beautifully-kept well also has a trough for animals

This cross has a Roman domestic altar as its base

Chénérailles has a large forest where there is a holiday village, tennis courts, a fishing lake and a large area of water with a beach, set aside for public swimming. There are many paths in the forest, including a health trail where wooden 'gymnastic' equipment is placed at intervals for the more athletic walkers to enjoy. The forest is commercial as well as a public amenity and the conifer sections are felled at regular intervals.

Trees from the forest are cropped for timber

The beach and pool in springtime

Not all the forest is filled with pine trees

The Creuse is famous for the skill of its masons, who spent most of the year working away from home creating the most beautiful buildings in France, like the Louvre and the Panthéon in Paris. They built their own granite homes with the same mastery, so even the most simple country homes are constructed to a very high standard. The village of Masgot is a monument to the eccentric mason François Michaud who sculpted highly original and naive subjects on walls and houses. And thinking of strange stones, the Pierres Jaumâtres take fantastic shapes, like sleepy dinosaurs, in their hilltop eyrie near to Boussac and Toulx-Ste-Croix.

Built by the masons of the Creuse

Some of Michaud's strange creatures

Balancing act...

Chénérailles is well-known for its colourful twice-yearly horse fair which attracts thousands of people to the town for a day out. The streets and market place are filled with stalls selling goods of all sorts including plants, live poultry, clothes, hats, bags, pinafores, household linen, cheese, tools, beds, boots, clogs and bottles of wine. In the large arena dedicated to the Foire aux Chevaux you will find scores of equines from Shetland ponies and donkeys to Percherons waiting for a buyer, as well as traders selling everything you might need for your horse.

A proud spotted stallion	Two pals waiting for a buyer	I'm only little...
A mule follows reluctantly	One of the streets filled with stalls	Shoppers out for a bargain

The town also stages a fortnight of carriage driving events during May (including a timed obstacle event in the forest) and other equestrian competitions. Watching a carriage powered by a team of four heavy horses negotiating an obstacle course at speed and feeling the ground shake under their hooves is an experience not to be missed!

Carriage driving in the forest

Mare and foal

Lots of horsepower...

A pleasant cycle ride or car drive away is the lovely village of Moutier d'Ahun, where a 12th century bridge bestrides the calm waters of the River Creuse and the former abbey contains 17th century carved woodwork of exquisite quality. Also, close to the bridge is an extensive museum of old tools from a multitude of crafts.

The 12th century bridge at Moutier d'Ahun with the abbey in the background

Yokes for oxen in the tool museum

Aubusson is a fascinating town, steeped in the tradition of tapestry-making. In the last 50 years the art has been revitalised and many strikingly beautiful modern works are now made using the old methods. You could easily spend a day wandering round the museums, exhibitions, workshops and shops - but you'd probably need to take out a second mortgage to actually buy a tapestry...

The heart of Aubusson

A highly-skilled weaver at the Maison du Vieux Tappissier

Felletin is equally proud of its tapestry and there is a excellent display in the old church which has now been modernised with stunning stained glass windows.

The centre of Felletin

Modern stained glass window

A humbler church, but impressive in its own right, is that of St Dizier and St Blaise in the hamlet of St Dizier (in the commune of St Dizier la Tour), a couple of kilometres from Chénérailles. The unusual 17th century paintings on the ceiling have earned it a place in the list of national mouments. The keys are held at the former auberge opposite.

Church of St Dizier & St Blaise

One of the many C17 paintings on the wooden ceiling

C17 painting on wooden ceiling

If you come to Chénérailles any time from May to October you will be sure to find a brocante taking place each weekend somewhere in the area. A cross between an antiques fair and a car-boot sale, these annual brocantes and vides greniers are organised by many communities and usually result in a tempting array of stalls taking up most of the town or village centre. Often there are added attractions like a local band, traditional country dancing or even a visit from an old-fashioned threshing machine. To discover what's on where, have a look at Brocantes France.

Country dancing in traditional costume	Threshing machine harks back to the old farming methods
A colourful band entertains shoppers at a brocante	Stalls fill Gouzon town centre