Limoges cycle route Saint-Pardoux Bénévent-l’Abbaye

A gentle start from Limoges, a city of art and history with a rich heritage. Before embarking on the route, take time to discover some of the highlights.

Take a stroll along the flower-lined paths of the Jardin de l’Évêché, a green setting in the heart of the city, offering an uninterrupted view of the Vienne and a great introduction to the flora of Limousin.

Not far from there, the cathedral of Saint-Étienne will impress you with its slender Gothic architecture, its stained glass windows and its remarkable rood screen. A jewel that has stood the test of time.

If you want to immerse yourself in local know-how, take a look at the Casseaux kiln museum, which bears witness to the industrial history of porcelain, with its impressive brick kiln listed as a historic monument.

A little further north, stop off at Bonnac-la-Côte. You’re sure to enjoy a short diversions to the Raymond Poulidor velodrome. 🚴

Or try your hand at a cycling treasure hunt on the Terra Aventura“Cyclistes ont la Côte!” trail.

The peaceful Etang de Mortemare is ideal for a relaxing break or a picnic by the water. 💦

The stage finishes at the Saint-Pardoux lake, a vast leisure area nestling in the heart of a natural setting. 💚

With its landscaped beaches, wide range of outdoor activities and sunset views, this is the perfect place to recharge your batteries or take a dip. 🌅

The calm of the site, far from any hustle and bustle, makes it an ideal place to savour the tranquillity of Limousin rural at dusk. When the sun sets, the peaceful shores of the lake light up with golden reflections, inviting you to relax. 👀

In the morning, the lake at Saint-Pardoux comes back to life in the soft light of dawn. This vast 330-hectare lake, still misty at dawn, becomes an ideal playground for nature lovers. 🍃

For the more sporty, you can hire mountain bikes or all-terrain scooters to explore the wooded paths. And for a good dose of thrills, the Adventure Park awaits you with its zip lines across the lake. 🚴

A few pedal strokes further on, make a stopover in the charming village of Saint-Pardoux-le-Lac, where you’ll discover its listed church, picturesque market halls and peaceful atmosphere!

Continuing on your way, you’ll reach Bessines-sur-Gartempe, a dynamic commune set in verdant surroundings. 🍃

The Sagnat lake, classified as a natural area of ecological interest, is perfect for a relaxing break. With its shady lawns, it’s the perfect place to take a breather in the shade of the trees. 💦

The town also pays tribute to Suzanne Valadon, the famous artist born in the region. Its museum, housed in the old courthouse, traces her youth at Limousin and the influence of her origins on her work.

For something a little out of the ordinary, head to URÊKA, the uranium museum. Housed in a former mine, this site offers a unique immersive experience based on the region’s mining and scientific history. It’s a visit as original as it is instructive, and not to be missed!

Last stop of the day, Bersac-sur-Rivalier welcomes you to the heart of the Monts d’Ambazac. 🌿

This peaceful village boasts a rich and discreet heritage: its listed church with its typical chestnut shingle bell tower is a fine example of local architecture. ⛪️

If you’re visiting during the season, don’t miss the Michel Humair gallery, where you can discover works of lyrical abstraction in an intimate setting! The panorama of the surrounding mountains is breathtaking, especially at sunset. 🌅

Finally, take the time to discover the local producers. At the Escargots de Jade farm, you can find out more about this amazing organic farm, with guided tours and tastings in summer. And for fans of artisanal sweets, the Rucher de la Courcelle opens its doors to you with its honeys, syrups and nougats made with passion. 🐌🍯

You leave Bersac-sur-Rivalier, this charming village nestling in the Monts d’Ambazac, to embark on a more sporting stage with varied landscapes. 🌿

The first few climbs are gentle, punctuated by forests, meadows and the occasional low stone wall typical of the area. 🚴🏻

Take the time to take one last look at the chestnut bell towers of Bersac, emblems of this discreet and authentic rural heritage. The road then winds its way through the Monts d’Ambazac, the natural jewels of the north of Limousin.

You climb gently towards wooded panoramas with an almost mountainous appearance. The silence, punctuated only by birds and the wind in the pines, envelops you in an atmosphere of absolute tranquillity! This moment out of time is a real breather very conducive to contemplation. 👀

Halfway along the route, stop off at Laurière, a small village with a 13th-century Gothic church. ⛪️

In the nearby village square, you can take a break around the picnic tables or opt for the comfort of Le Galopin restaurant! 😋

Continuing on, you cross the natural border between the Haute-Vienne and the even more hilly Creuse. The scenery offers uninterrupted views of the surrounding hills. 👀

Arrival at Bénévent-l’Abbaye, with its Petite Cité de Caractère® label, marks the end of your day. This medieval village, on the route to Santiago de Compostela, is a real jewel in the crown of the Creuse’s heritage.

Let yourself be seduced by the 12th-century Romanesque abbey church, majestic with its octagonal bell tower and sculpted capitals. You can stroll along the cobbled streets and admire the granite houses. 👀

This third day takes you from the cool woodland of the Monts d’Ambazac to the landscapes of the Creuse. Enjoy your evening in Bénévent-l’Abbaye, and see you tomorrow for the rest of the adventure! 🌿

Before you hit the road again, be sure not to miss Scenovision, an immersive, multi-sensory historical journey-spectacle. 👀

Through 5 rooms and careful staging, it transports you into the lives of Marion the peasant, Paul the distiller and René the pilgrim in the early 20th century.

A captivating experience that combines culture and emotion for an original immersion in the village’s memory.

A few kilometres further on, you reach Mourioux-Vieilleville, a small village full of charm. The church of Saint-Rémi, a listed historic monument, stands proudly in the centre of the village. ⛪️

Tables have been set up in the village, so why not take advantage of the opportunity to take a picnic break? 😋

A few steps away, at a place called Four des Fades, is a dolmen. According to legend, it was home to the fades, the fierce spirits of nature, invisible during the day, who only came out at nightfall. A place to let your imagination run riot.

The Villedaris fountain and the Saint-Rémi fountain, whose water has been reputed to have therapeutic properties since the 3rd century, are also treasures of the village. Although these fountains were once essential to rural life, today they remain peaceful places steeped in history and legend. ⛲️

Your day’s stage ends at Châtelus-le-Marcheix, set in a small wooded valley through which Le Taurion flows. 🌿

In the heart of the village, the Church of the Assumption welcomes you for a silent, meditative visit. But the place to be is the sandy beach below the bridge. 🏖️

In the shade of century-old trees, enjoy a well-deserved break with your feet in the water or out of the sun. In summer, swimming is supervised and you can hire a canoe or paddle for a leisurely paddle on the lake! 🩱🩳

A gentle start from the beach at Châtelus-le-Marcheix, below the bridge, the perfect spot for a last swim. 💦

Before leaving, you can take the time to look around you from the Art Deco bridge at Châtelus: built in the 1930s, it offers a superb view of the surrounding relief. 👀

Sometimes, when the waters are low in summer, another bridge emerges from the depths: these are the remains of the old sunken passage!

The route continues through rolling countryside to Châtenet-en-Dognon, a rural village with discreet charm. 🌿

The church at Châtenet, recognisable by its bulbous bell tower topped by a slate lantern, is a blend of sobriety and elegance. Dating from the 15th century, it preserves traces of an earlier past, dating back to the 11th century. ⛪️

Nearby, a picnic table invites you to take a break, while a small washhouse dating from the 1950s can provide shelter in case of rain. 😋

Le Châtenet-en-Dognon is also an ideal stop-off for lovers of local flavours. At De la Terr’au Miel, Sylvie offers a whole range of products from the beehive: honey, spreads, sweets, gingerbread… everything is produced and processed locally, from beehives in the surrounding area. Visits are possible in summer, to discover the work of this beekeeper. 🍯

A little further afield, the Verger de Chabaud welcomes you in season, by appointment, to pick your own red fruit: strawberries, blueberries, redcurrants, raspberries… Grown organically since 2019, these sun-drenched berries can be enjoyed on the premises or taken away. 🍓

Your day ends in one of Limousin ‘s most emblematic towns: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its majestic Romanesque collegiate church, dedicated to Saint Léonard. 🤩

Stroll through its medieval heart, between cobbled streets, old houses and craft stalls. It’s impossible to miss Raymond Poulidor, the emblematic figure of French cycling, of whom the town is proud. 🚴🏻

An unmarked circuit was even designed with him in mind in 2014, retracing his training routes through the Maulde valley. It’s a fitting tribute to the man nicknamed “the eternal runner-up”.

In the morning, before you leave the medieval town, take the time to discover another side of it: a livelier, more active side.

A visit to the Moulin du Got, the Mecca of traditional papermaking, is an opportunity to immerse yourself in an ancestral know-how that is still very much alive and kicking. 📜

A stone’s throw away, the enthusiastic volunteers at the HistoRail® railway museum reveal all the secrets of the railway world. 🚊

And to complete this immersion in the skills of yesteryear, you can push open the doors of the Bastin tannery, where leather takes shape using methods handed down for generations. A rich town, far beyond its stones!

Saint-Priest-Taurion is a more discreet village, but well worth a visit.

Built on the banks of the Vienne, this peaceful village boasts a small church, an old wash-house and an impressive viaduct, testimony to the valley’s railway past. ⛪️

Le Relais du Taurion, a well-known local restaurant, offers a gourmet break with a view of the surrounding countryside, in a simple and warm atmosphere. 😋

It’s no coincidence that this village attracts the world’s greatest press cartoonists every autumn. 🍂✍🏼

It’s here, in an unexpected setting, that you’ll find the Centre International de la Caricature, du Dessin de Presse et d’Humour, a mecca for graphic satire and freedom of expression.

All year round, the centre hosts exhibitions, artist residencies and cultural events, making this village a unique anchor point for committed art. 🎨

A town on the outskirts of Limoges, Panazol offers a number of popular places to relax, including the Golf de la Porcelaine and its restaurant for golf enthusiasts, or the Parc de la Beausserie for a shady stroll or a quiet break. 😋 ⛳️

If you’re visiting on a Sunday morning, don’t miss the department’s biggest market!

Back in Limoges, the stage ends with a few nuggets yet to be discovered.

The Adrien Dubouché national museum, which has been awarded the “Accueil Vélo” label, offers an exceptional panorama of porcelain, from the earliest ancient objects to contemporary masterpieces. A fluid and luminous journey through a building designed to sublimate this emblematic tradition of the region.

Nearby, the Musée de la Résistance, housed in a former convent, retraces the key events of the Second World War in Georges Guingouin’s region. It’s a powerful place to remember.

Take a stroll through the Boucherie district, one of the best preserved in the town, and you’ll see timber-framed houses, craft shops and, in October, the lively Frairie des Petits Ventres!

Finally, to round off your tour on a fun note, the Limoges aquarium takes young and old on an aquatic journey through the five continents, accompanied by the site’s guides.

It’s an original way to bring this loop between nature, culture and memory to a close.