The Gîtes de France label has grown and developed over the years and is now the largest guest-house network in Europe. In 2005, Gîtes de France celebrated its 50th birthday.
Its objectives:

• promote comfortable, friendly holiday stays,
• meet the special needs of holidaymakers seeking authentic, convivial holidays in natural settings, peace and quiet, novelty and wide open spaces,
• help to preserve and promote the French countryside and its special cultural heritage,
• participate in local development and bring stability to the rural population by providing additional resources through tourism.

Click on the photos to the left to see information about more of the châteaux in the Creuse (you may need to click on "Châteaux et demeures historiques" to get the page to load completely). By returning to the Creuse Tourisme home page you can access a mine of tourist information about the Creuse. There is an English version available by clicking on the Union Jack icon on the right at the top of the page, but it contains different information from the French version.
If you are planning to visit more than one attraction, don't forget to collect a free passport during the first visit. After paying the full admission fees at the first partner site, you will get a reduced price for admission to another 19 of the most interesting sites in the Creuse. A list of the participating sites is available at Passeport Inter-Sites

Only 2.5 km from Chénérailles, you will find the sympathetically-restored 15th century Château de Villemonteix, full of ancient tapestries. It is usually open daily from Easter to the end of October but check its website by clicking on the photo.

Thinking it might be nice to have a holiday home or live in France? Léonie Press has published books by people who have done just that in many regions of France.
The "St Paradis" trilogy by Anne Loader -"A Bull by the Back Door","The Duck with the Dirty Laugh" and "The Bells of St Paradis" - is set close to Chénérailles and "Bon Courage, Mes Amis" by Sheila Wright about half an hour's drive away. Click on the Léonie Press logo or a book cover for more information.

Set in 120 ha of open countryside alongside the N145 at Gouzon, and accessed from the Boussac road, the Golf-Club de La Jonchère's main course has 18 holes (5960 m) and is rated par 72. It also has a 9 hole pitch and putt course and a training area. Fishing is also catered for on site.

Pont Noir is a non-commercial English language website serving the Creuse, part of the Limousin region of Central France. It features a Business Directory, Features, Forums, News and Information for residents and visitors.

franceinenglish.com is a directory of businesses that embraces all aspects of life in France including buying & maintaining property, finance, the law, services, and tourism for English-speakers living in or visiting France. The guide to service providers for residents, property buyers and tourists lists contacts to resolve your everyday problems.

They don't have a website but they do have a yummy selection of crépes, galettes and ice cream concoctions. The créperie is at 9 Grand Rue, Ahun and the telephone number is 05 55 62 58 70. Why not time your visit to Moutier d'Ahun or Ahun itself to have lunch or an evening meal there? There is plenty of parking by the church.

Brocantes France (www.brocantesfrance.com) is an English language website dedicated to listing all the Brocantes, Vide-greniers, Flea markets and Bric a Bracs they can find. They are also attempting to produce a list of local antiques shops, antiques centres, trocs or depot vents as well as food markets, night markets, festivals and village fetes. A massive task but an invaluable reference for everyone who wants to know "Where can we go this weekend?"