Limousin France

Travelled: 138km

Visited: Fontgombault Abbaye, Gargilesse Dampierre, Barrage d’Eguzon, St.Benoit du Sault

Stay: La Souterraine, Lake Cheix- free parking beside lake, toilets, picnic area. N46.2443 E1.50389

We began the day with a stop at Fontgombault Abbey which is a Benedictine monastery built in Romanesque architectural style founded in the 11th C.

We then made our way to charming Gargilesse Dampierre, one of France’s “Most Beautiful Villages”, which has always been a favourite for artists. Due to the narrow roads we parked in the outskirts of the village.

Named after the artist.

We admired the Chateau and we’re amazed at the crypt in the Notre Dame church. The magnificent frescoes date back to the 13 and 16th centuries, and the wooden Virgin is from the 12thC. 

Local sculpture.

We saw one of these buildings to later find out it was a pigeon coop!

After our stroll around the quaint village we stopped for lunch at the Barrage d’Eguzon. When it was built in 1926 it was the largest dam in Europe and sent its electricity all the way to Paris.

Not far away was another of France’s ‘Most Beautiful Villages’, St.Benoit de Sault, which has a medieval centre founded by the Benedictine monks perched on a rocky butte overlooking the Portefeuille River. 

As we walked around we admired the houses which mostly date back to the 15th-16th C although the fortified gate built as part of the defensive fortifications was built in the 14th C. The Church St Jean Baptiste is one of the earliest examples of Roman style architecture to be found in France.

As our gas supply was getting low we drove to the nearest station and after filling up decided to head towards La Souterraine and park up at the lake. We spent the rest of the afternoon resetting Bluey’s alarm and then strolled around the lake after dinner.