A beautiful region
The Monts du Limousin
The evocation of the “Pays de l’Occitane” and the Monts d’Ambazac encourages the discovery of its monumental rocks, its innumerable dry stone walls, the sleeping waters of its fountains and the running waters of the Taurion River, harmony that prevails will encourage you to go through the many marked paths.
A lookout of greenery, the smell of an undergrowth in the early morning or a freshly plucked cèpe … How to make you experience this feeling of tranquility during these long strolls with wild character, changing over the seasons inviting you to discover the many paths of small hikes, the trails of the base mountain bike of the Mounts of Ambazac (practicable on foot) or the “Rando Zen” of 93 km. Walks to do with family, friends or by yourself, to discover the rich heritage of the region.
To get more information
Visit the Monts du Limousin Tourist Offices website
La Jonchère Saint-Maurice
The birthplace of the Limousine cows race, La Jonchère Saint-Maurice also experienced the great adventure of the very precious porcelain clay called “white gold”. Its generous mountain also offers many panoramas and testimonies of its rich past as the church of the 19th century. The Arboretum, the “Pierre Branlante” are emblematic natural environments of the municipality where outdoor activities have found their place.
The western massif of the Massif Central, the Monts d’Ambazac culminate at 700 m altitude. They are made up of granites and leucogranites, magmatic rocks widespread in Limousin region. These reliefs offer many remarkable views on mainly forested landscapes, made up of hardwoods (chestnut, oak and beech) and softwoods. Located northeast of Limoges, the Ambazac Mountains offer a variety of trails exceptional for their diversity. Hollow paths laid out by the monks of the abbey of Grandmont, single-tracks on the granite rock that rises everywhere, paths most often in the shade of the chestnut trees.
There are many possibilities for walks on the trails around La Jonchère, whether on foot or by bike: the panorama of the “Pierre Branlante”, the ancient kaolin mines (“white gold” or porcelain clay), villages, The arboretum, chestnuts or mushrooms spots…
A fabulous heritage…
La Jonchère Saint-Maurice is a town with history, and not the least! Before being a town, La Jonchere was an important city.
Here and there, some buildings, sometimes tiny clues, come to remind the wandering walker. It is exhilarating to discover the history of a place behind a stone or to imagine the daily life of previous generations around buildings that today give charm to our place of life:
The church, the scales, the fountains, the old wash-houses, the chapel, the statue, the cross, the wells, the remarkable houses, the bread ovens…
A territory of transition between the Massif Central and the Marche, the “Pays de l’Occitane” and the Monts d’Ambazac offer a diversity of hilly landscapes (highest point in Sauvagnac: 701 m) dotted with a rich and unique heritage.
To get more information:
The arboretum
A work of two unusual characters, the arboretum of La Jonchère Saint-Maurice knew since its creation, at the end of the 19th, a notoriety that exceeded the Limousin Region borders.
This recognition of its outstanding pedagogical and aesthetic value enabled it to overcome many obstacles. The determination shown by the associations, the communities and the Public Authorities to preserve, improve and transmit it from generation to generation is remarkable in this respect.
Their efforts have not been in vain and now make it possible to offer to the public several collections of very high quality.
Beyond its beauty, it brings, as its creators wanted, valuable lessons on the tree species that tomorrow will contribute to the development of our regions.
The Jonchère arboretum is an exceptional heritage:
- A historical testimony of the intensive reforestation work of the late 19th century in Limousin Region. Former nurseries, it was the support of the acclimatization tests of reforestation species and allowed to observe their behavior in the long term, the production of seedlings in this framework and for the development of landscaped parks.
- A botanical interest: numerous collections, unique species in Europe.
- A landscaped interest: varied atmospheres and elements of small technical heritage.
- A tourist and pedagogical interest: site open to the public all year long, constituting a good pedagogical support. It is considered today as one of the very first in France.
To get more information go to the website of
Limoges and the Haute-Vienne Region
