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Corrèze
Tucked in between the well-known Dordogne on the
west and the rugged Auvergne on the east, and bordered by the Midi-Pyrénées
to the south and the rest of the Limousin (of which it is a part) to the
north, the Corrèze is absolutely beautiful and offers visitors
a wealth of delights.
The Corrèze is one of three départements comprising the
Limousin region. Its major cities are Tulle and Brive-la-Gaillarde, and
its villages and towns are filled with charm and fascination. You may
even be familiar with Collonges-la-Rouge, Argentat, Turenne, Uzerche and
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. Its landscape is lush, its scenic drives abundant,
and the two rivers it shares with its neighbors, the Dordogne and the
Vézère, are dramatic and compelling. Its very own River
Corrèze has a brief life between Brive and Tulle, and following
its scenic course along the N89 is worth your time.
Lovers of the out-of-doors and nature will appreciate the Corrèze's
eastern boundary with the Auvergne where they'll discover the Gorges de
Dordogne and the Gorges du Chavanon. On the wild Vézère
south of Vigeois in the northwest is the Gorges du Saillant, and the Gorges
de la Cère is at the département's most southern point.
Dozens of small rivers traverse the area, and it is a green and hilly
region of France with several large lakes. The many scenic routes invite
exploration by car.
Argentat is a personal favorite despite the existence of a nearby hydro-electric
power station on the upper Dordogne. The town with less than 4000 inhabitants,
straddles the Dordogne River along the D12/D18 just southwest of the Gorges
de Dordogne. This part of the Corrèze is one scenic drive after
another and shouldn't be missed! Argentat, known for its distinctive schist
roof tiles (a crystalline rock easily split into layers) was, in centuries
past, a major supplier of wood for barrel making. Today, it is simply
a lovely town to visit and remember.
The Corrèze boasts six Most Beautiful Villages. . . now numbering
144 throughout France. . . Collonges-la-Rouge (the very first), Turenne,
Curemonte, Saint-Robert, Ségur-le-Château and Treignac.
All
text has been kindly provided by
FRANCE
On Your Own
copyrighted
2005 by Cold Spring Press - All Rights Reserved
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