Superb walks along the riverbanks of the Vienne

The Limousin remains one of the most unspoilt regions in France with an abundance of truly beautiful countryside, rolling hills, winding rivers, vast lakes, trickling waterfalls, colourful and peaceful woodland that stretch as far as the eye can see, all buzzing with creatures great and small. For those who enjoy walking and discovering nature, the Limousin countryside is most definitely worth exploring.

There are so many different footpaths and planned routes within the Limousin that you will easily stumble across one of them, although it is likely you will become so mesmerized by the scenery that you will end up following the views and not the signs. It is however important to remember that during the winter months, the weekends are hunting days and therefore it is wise to stick to the footpaths or at least avoid areas with the red and white sign ‘Chasse gardée’, meaning hunting is allowed.

The ten kilometers that are protected and regularly looked after alongside the River Vienne make an extremely superb country walk and now that the work on the new bridge is complete, it is also an opportunity to admire the modern architecture standing tall across the river.

“A piece of heaven”

The ten-kilometre area around the Vienne is ideal for walkers, runners, cyclists and fishermen who are all able to find their little patch of heaven by the river. “People are not really aware of all the beautiful and varied footpaths that exist in the Limousin. There is a beautiful path under the A20 that leads you you to “Le bois des Biches” at Panazol” states Aline Biradeaud, deputy Mayor who is in charge of protecting the countryside surorunding the river. “Nature lovers can benefit from a completely unspoilt and natural environment where they will no doubt spot different species of wildlife, it is truly a little piece of heaven.”

7 km along the Vienne River

There are fantastic walks on both sides of the Viennes riverbanks. On the left bank, the footpath leads you through Condat (the Moulin de la Garde) to Soudanas (Panazol). It is here that walkers can discover the new bridge that crosses the Vienne and the older bridges, ‘le pont de la Revolution, le pont Saint-Martial, Le Pont-Neuf and Le pont Saint-Etienne’. On the right riverbank, which is the side of the Cathedral, the footpath is similar to the left bank until you reach the new bridge. The main difference between the two footpaths is that on the right riverbank the footpath leads the walker away from the river for a short distance before rejoining it alongside the bridges.

Both of these footpaths have been created so that walkers and cyclists can benefit from them.