"A land of chivalry
is the name Ariane gave to our beautiful department.In fact, it seems to have worked its charms, as our two travelers left conquered!
Ariane invites “lovers of castles, preserved heritage, romantic fortresses and eccentric curiosities” to come to Haute Vienne. Our département, which is criss-crossed by the Richard the Lionheart Route, boasts an incredible number of “medieval nuggets”.
Of our many Limousin castles, they have only visited two in Haute-Vienne: the Château de Châlus-Chabrol and the Château de Bonneval, both of which they describe as marvels!
Château de Châlus-Chabrol - Itinera-Magica
Chapelle de Châlus-Chabrol - Itinera-MagicaChâlus-Chabrol
final resting place of King Richard the LionheartIt was here that “this great king of England, hero of the Crusades and of the romantic mythology nourished by Robin Hood and the chivalric imagination” died.
It was within these walls that the “last battle of the famous King of England’s death took place.” The story goes that it was in 1199 that he received a crossbow bolt from Pierre Basile. “He then breathed his last in the arms of his mother , Eleanor of Aquitaine. Part of his body, described as impure (his entrails), rests in the “poetic chapel in ruins”. The other parts of her body (heart and body) reside in Rouen Cathedral and Fontevraud Abbey.
The keep, which towers over the town of Châlus, is now 25 m high and offers “a breathtaking panorama of the southern Limousin“.
Here’s the collected reaction of this princess for a day: “I loved the atmosphere of this castle, the wonderfully reconstructed 12th-century dwelling, the views from the two towers, the statues echoing the battle – you can see me trying to stop the regicide’s arrow!”
Haute-Vienne in the great green
Riding their bikes, they were able to practice the Voie Verte between Châlus and Oradour sur Vayre. Following “the route of an old railroad line“. She says: “The route is delightfully bucolic: little flowers, no cars, a forest setting, and the charm of old disused railway stations.” They describe it as an “oxygenating and soothing” greenway.
Other service providers also offer this service. Cycle tourism is very well developed in our region. Come and discover them!
Source : Blog Itinera-Magica
Full article “Perles du Limousin : la beauté de Limoges et de la Haute-Vienne”, published on July 5, 2022
Vois-Verte des Hauts de Tardoire - Chalus - Itinera-Magica
