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The large east facing balcony overlooks our small hamlet to the beautiful Limousin countryside beyond and you can take advantage of this as we provide each room with a bistro style table and chairs for use on the balcony. Access to the rooms is from the patio and an outside staircase . . . we feel that this access does not lend the accomodation as being suitable for very young children or the disabled.
The whole of our property is non smoking.
Guests can have their breakfast or evening meals on the terrace or under the large shady pergola in our garden. In season this is decorated with climbing plants, planters and hanging baskets and has a pond, stocked with goldfish and is home to a few frogs (sometimes noisy) and dragon flies. It is the ideal place to take aperitifs before an evening's excursions.
How to travel:
This is a rural area and the best way to travel here is by car, either from the ports or using a hire car from the airports or train stations. Once here you can travel by foot, bike or even horse! The best ferry ports for direct travel are Calais and Caen and the ones in between . . . it takes about 7 hours by road. By air, we have Limoges airport 45 minutes drive, Poitiers and Bergerac airports, 2 hours drive and Bordeaux less than 3 hours drive. Air carriers, Air France, British Airways, Ryan Air, Flybee and BMI Baby all fly into France, some at really cheap rates. By train, Eurostar goes by TGV to Angouleme and SNCF to Limoges. Eurolines buses travel from London to Limoges. Hire cars are available from all of the airports and near to train stations.
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Attractions Mouriol is situated in a managed forest of conifers and native deciduous trees about 350metres (approx. 1100ft) above sea level. Our property is surrounded by nearly 40 hectares of wooded land and fields with access to many walking trails, which guests are free to use at will.
Wildlife is varied and depending on season the visitor can hear or the eagle-eyed can spot deer, wild boar, hares, foxes, polecats, red squirrels, dormice, badgers, bats, owls, herons, cranes, buzzards, golden oriole, hoopoe, nightingales, nightjars, marbled newt, mole crickets, frogs and toads, amongst others. In autumn, visitors can try their luck at hunting for ceps. There is an extensive range of 'old fashioned' wild flowers and trees. Each of the 4 seasons is defined by climate and each brings its own charms.
In the SW corner of Haute-Vienne, the countryside comprises rolling, wooded hills and forests, interspersed with fields, lakes and small villages. The area is famous for its beautiful Limousin beef cattle , sweet chestnut woods, pine forests, walnut and apples trees, porcelain and enamel ware. Neglected by the tourist until recently, it is now part of the Perigord-Limousin Parc Naturel, established for the protection of the environment and wildlife and to encourage tourism.
Lakes, Beaches, Site Seeing, Activities
The area abounds with picturesque and historic places to visit, art exhibitions, chateaux, panoramic views, caves and grottoes, local fetes, community meals and 'meshuis', traditional restaurants, bars, markets, agricultural and country fairs, concerts and music festivals, international motorcycle hill climbs, and go-karting.
The area is generally known as the Lake District of France, and of the many attractions are the leisure lakes with their man made beaches open for public use. In the immediate area is the Lake at St Mathieu and also at Rochechouart, St Saud Lacaussiere and Bussiere Gallant. A little further away are the lakes at St Estephe and St Pardoux. In season, the keen fisherman can obtain day and weekly licences.
The local countryside can be explored on foot, using the many marked walkways and footpaths or by joining in the organised 'randonnees', usually followed by a communal meal. Cycles are available for hire in St Mathieu and there are horse riding centres close by. Local restaurants offer a chance to taste traditional Perigourdian or Limousine fare ranging from easy on the pocket to satisfyingly expensive, we are happy to advise on restaurants to suit and to book tables for you.
We are just about equi-distant from the 3 main centres of Limoges, Angouleme and Perigueux, where there are a variety of attractions, from shopping, cinemas, theatre, zoos, aquarium and parks. A favourite day out is a trip to the Cognac area and a chance to visit the factories and purchase direct. Just 30 minutes away, boat trips on the river can be enjoyed at beautiful Brantome; with its historic town centre and troglodyte caves and museum. You can also follow the path of King Richard the Lionheart as he travelled through the area, visiting various chateaux before being slain at Chalus just 15 minutes away. Or visit the exhibition of contemporary art at Rochechouart or its museum which shows the history of the meteorite that hit this area and helped to shape it's landscape.
A 'must do' trip while in the area is a visit to one of the many porcelain factories and shops. There is a small factory and shop outlet in St Mathieu, a large one in Aixe sur Vienne (30 minutes) and the famous De Havilland plant in Limoges with it's shop; this is where porcelain manufacture began. All of the larger towns have outlet shops for seconds and quality porcelain and enamelware shops. When you have had sufficient of culture, activities and food, why not indulge yourself at one of the many Institutes of Beauty in the area, where you will find a range of treatments on offer from simple facials and manicures to full body wraps and slimming treatments.
Our welcome file contains information about the locality and places of interest.
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Francais 
