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Gîtes / apartments

Les 4 saisons camping

About Les quatre saisons

Our gîtes/apartments and camping are located in the beautiful peaceful Plateau De Millevaches regional nature reserve, near Bourganeuf, in the Creuse, Limousin. We are on the GR4 national hiking trail and close to the lovely Lac de Vassivière with its sandy beaches and water sports.
This is a friendly relaxed “get away from it all” haven, ideal for nature lovers and quiet family holidays and great for cycling, walking, fishing & painting.

Our apparments are open year round. And the camping is open from April 1st to Sebtember 30th, the perfect place to just unwind, sit still and drink in the fresh air and make yourself at home in deepest France.

QUIET CAMPING

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Les quatre saisons has 28 camping spots with a lot of space around the place. There is an oasis of peace. Besides the sound of some birds and crickets, the silence predominates. The piece of nature on the campsite is dazzlingly beautiful. Our ecological mowing policy means that there are countless butterflies, birds, bees and other insects. The air here is incredibly clean and you will be amazed by the wonderful natural scents that meet you here.

The area

We are situated in the regional National Park of the Plateau de Millevaches, one of France’s main water sources (not 1000 cows but 1000 springs)-a conservation area of outstanding natural beauty-woods, lakes, rivers, and hamlets.

This is the place for you if you want deep countryside and like fishing, walking, cycling or horse riding; the entire region is crisscrossed with paths and bridleways.

BOURGANEUF

Just 4Km away, our local town, was a prosperous town in the 12th – 15th centuries and a base of the Knights Templars. More recently, it achieved fame furnishing the carpets for the luxury liner “Normandie” and the foyer of the Empire State Building. The town was also the third town in France to get an electricity supply in 1886. There is a good market on Wednesday mornings and there are cafés, restaurants, shops & a supermarket where you can get all the essentials plus fuel.
Fifteen kilometres to the north are waterfalls, les Cascades des Jaurrauds, a good spot for a picnic lunch.

THE GÎTES/APPARTMENTS

We have 2 cozy and clean gîtes/apartments that are fully equipped. The gîtes/apartments are very easy to book via our website or via Airbnb and Booking.com. Booking through Airbnb and Booking.com does incur additional costs.

LIMOGES

Is an hour’s drive and well worth a visit. Once renowned for its porcelain, its attractions are now the old quarter with its medieval lanes, arches, and half-timbered houses. There are many good shops and modern stylish cafes in this area of town. There is also a daily covered market. And don’t miss the spectacular gothic cathedral and the train station.

St.LEONARD de NOBLAT

A charming little medieval market town perched on a hill with picturesque old houses and narrow streets. It was a staging post in medieval times for pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostella and has a beautiful Romanesque church. Its most famous resident is Raymond Poulidor, a famous bike racer and considered to be one of the most popular France ever had (he never came first, he was always second).

AUBUSSON

Aubusson tapestry has been famous throughout the world since the 14th Century. Its origins were born with the arrival of weavers from Flanders, who took refuge in Aubusson around 1580. There are regular exhibitions of tapestries from around the World. At the Musée Départemental de la Tapisserie you can see how the styles of the tapestry have changed over the last 600 years.
In Aubusson tapestry still thrives today, preserving a range of traditional skills. There are still working designers, spinners, and dyers, around 20 workshops, and three producers.
The town has many shops and cafes. There is also a clock museum.

BOUSSAC

Is an old fortified town, still complete with an original chвteau. The novelist George Sand stayed here and the town and countryside feature in her novel “Jeanne”.

The chвteau, dating from the 15th century, has guided tours taking about 45 minutes. There is a marked walking trail from Boussac which takes in most of the local sights such as the Commanderie de Lavaufranche and the Toulx Ste Croix. En route are the Pierres Jaumвtres.

Camping plattegrond Les 4 Saisons

Activities in the area

WALKING

With over 150kms of clearly marked walking trails throughout the Creuse region which vary in both length and difficulty, this is a fantastic way to see the spectacular scenery and countryside at your own pace.
There are many guides available at the tourist office in Bourganeuf.

WALKING WITH DONKEYS

You can hire a donkey to take with you which can carry your picnic and belongings. A lovely thing to do especially if you have little children as they can enjoy the ride.
http://paysanecreuse.free.fr

FISHING

Fishing in the Limousin is reckoned to be second to none in France. There are just so many lakes and rivers to choose from. With so little industry and such small-scale farming, the water is clear and unpolluted and you can virtually have a lake or river to yourself.

CLING IN CREUSE

This has to be one of the best areas for cycling, be it just gentle pedaling or more disciplined riding. The lack of traffic, the large number of country lanes, the pure air, and the varied stunning countryside make it hard to beat as a venue for cyclists.

HORSE RIDING

Part of the Limousin region in southwest France, the Creuse département is known as the ‘Green Heart of France’. It’s full of the wide-open spaces that a rider dreams about. With a population of around 125 000 (there are, however, over 400 000 cows!) in an area of 5 563km2 you can ride along the roads for hours and meet only a tractor or a stray cow or two. In the 145 000 hectares of forests you’ll meet, apart from the odd mountain biker or walker, deer, boar, rabbits, birds of prey…. In fact you’ll be an integral part of what makes the Creuse special – Nature.
Whether you prefer open fields or ancient forests, majestic castles or quaint medieval villages, the Creuse has it. And the Creuse Tourist Board has devised a way for riders to explore the département while enjoying the liberty that a horse can give you. They have created 6 circuits that you can follow at your own pace. Each circuit has been carefully planned so that you see the maximum of the département while indicating where you and your horse can stay overnight.

Cycling and walking maps

CYCLING IN THE CREUSE

This has to be one of the best areas for cycling, be it just gentle pedaling or more disciplined road riding or VTT. The lack of traffic, the large number of country lanes, the pure air, and the varied stunning countryside make it hard to beat as a venue for cyclists.

CYCLE RACING

If you are a serious cyclist you will be pleased to know that Raymond Poulidor’s training circuit around Lac de Vassivière is close at hand and it is also possible to join in on some of the events, which are numerous in the summer, or just to go along and experience the atmosphere.

CYCLING ROUTES

Starting from here.
Last summer Martin, one of our camping/cycling guests was kind enough to make 10 routes starting from here and put them on this great website GPSies.com

You can choose from 10 routes. You can upload routes on the navigation system for your bike if you have one. You can also see the length of the route and how many meters you will be climbing. You can click on the route and get a map.
Hope you enjoy it!!
The link:
http://www.gpsies.com/mapUser.do?username=les4saisonscamping

Gueret a local town half an hour away has an excellent tourist website and many routes for cycling follow the link below.
http://www.gueret-tourism.co.uk/What-s-to-do/Activities/Cycle-tourism

MOUNTAIN BIKING ROUTES (VTT)

Gueret also has routes for mountain bikes.
http://www.gueret-tourism.co.uk/What-s-to-do/Activities/Mountain-biking-in-the-Monts-de-Gueret-area

LAC DE VASSIVIERE (Our local tourist hot spot)

A 30 km shore path has been created around the lake for hikers and mountain bike riders.
Don’t worry if you are not a sports enthusiast: there are shorter shore path variants too.

FREE TAXI BOATS operate on the lake every day from April to October. You can go for a walk and use the taxis to shorten your walk.
You can download a booklet, Sentier de Rives, for the full 30K walk.
http://www.lelacdevassiviere.com/pratique/nos-brochures

We do not find the Lac de Vassiviere website easy to negotiate but you can try.
http://www.lelacdevassiviere.com/

However, this is a link for the press PRESS KIT; it gives a good overview and has links for almost everything at the lake.
http://www.lelacdevassiviere.com/attachments/article/265/DP_G

WALKING ROUTES close by.

We have some local walks starting from here and can provide maps. It is possible to walk to Bourganeuf (a beautiful walk ) on the GR4 which traverses the village. Go the other way on the GR4 and you will come to Soubrebost where you can join the Martin Nadaud trail, a waymarked 10K walk with many points of interest, including the mysterious ‘La Pierre aux neuf gradins’- an outcrop of huge boulders with nine steps carved into the granite.

The tourist office in Bourganeuf offers a good selection of maps for walking and VTT. You can pick them up at the tourist office & also download them from their website. They come in different languages, given the distance, time, difficulty, and points of interest. These are way-marked routes and are great.

This is also a link for a 65Km route for walking, VTT, or horse/donkey there are suggestions of places to stay on route so you can take as long as you like. The route comes through Chignat so we can also be a starting point.
Un circuit de 65km accessible а pied, а VTT ou а cheval, entre Bourganeuf et Royère de Vassivière
http://www.ot-bourganeuf.com/index.php/fr/activites/loisirs/randonnees

A link for walking maps from Ahun close by to us.
http://www.ahun-creuse-tourisme.fr/fr/circuits-pedestres-ou-cyclistes-49.htm

Further afield
This is a link for the walking routes from Gueret Tourist office. Guret is half an hour from here.
http://www.gueret-tourism.co.uk/What-s-to-do/Activities/Hiking

This is a good site for all sports.
http://www.vacances-sports-nature.com/

So good luck and happy walking and if you are part of a club then why not bring a group?
No better place to use as a base, with good food, comfy beds, lovely gardens, and sympathetic hosts.

Cycling in France

DAYS OUT IN CREUSE

LAC DE VASSIVIÉRE

This huge 1000-hectare lake, only 20 minutes away, is home to sandy beaches, water sports, various children’s activities, and even a sculpture park and modern art gallery.

www.vassiviere.com

HIGH ROPES COURSE

D’ARBRE en ARBRE – The rope course at Lac de Vassivière could also be a highlight for youngsters.

www.arbreenarbrevassiviere.com

CYCLE RACING

If you are a serious cyclist you will be pleased to know that Raymond Poulidor’s training circuit around Lac de Vassivière is close at hand and it is also possible to join in on some of the events, which are numerous in the summer, or just to go along and experience the atmosphere.

www.ufolep23.com

MARKETS

There are good weekly markets in Bourganeuf, Felletin, Eymoutiers, Aubusson, and Gueret.
http://www.marketsinfrance.com/french-market-day/23-market-day-creuse.php

LOCAL FESTIVALS

There are many different festivals throughout the Summer and Autumn dedicated to an extraordinary range of themes from pumpkins to international folk music. The best site to know what is going on and when.

http://agenda-dynamique.com/

WOLVES

Les Loupes de Chabrières – Just outside Gueret is an interesting conservation site where you can observe wolves in their natural habitat and can also learn something of their history.
www.loups-chabrieres.com

LE LABYRINTHE GÉANT

Gueret – not only a giant maze but a small farm and paint -ball!

http://www.labyrinthe-gueret.fr/

THE VELO-RAIL

A great day out on these pedal-powered carts on disused railways. The Vélo-Rail De La Mine in Bosmoreau Les Minese, is only 15 minutes away. The uphill bits do need some effort!
http://www.veloraildelamine.fr/joomla/fr/

BISON

Elevage de Bisons du Palais – Here is something different – a bison farm very close to Bourganeuf. You can also hire horses here for trips.
florencevalade@aol.com – 05 55 64 15 63

LES PIERRES JAUMВTRES

This is a display of 40 rocks scattered on the top of Mont Barlot. An interesting and unusual formation of granite stone is somewhat of a mystery as nobody is quite sure how they arrived here and why they are such a strange shape. Linked to legends of King Arthur, as well as being a favorite spot with George Sand and Chopin.

ORADOUR SUR GLANE

Centre De La Memoire -This martyred village was destroyed during the Second World War and has been left in its original state as a memorial to the 642 men, women & children massacred there by a German ‘SS Panzer’ division.
The new Centre De Memoir museum was opened in 1999 and is a must for all historians.
Walking around the original village and the memorial is a unique and sobering experience. Everyone should visit this village once during their lifetime. Open throughout the year, visit
www.oradour-sur-glane.fr

STEAM TRAINS

Trains Touristiques а Vapeuren Limousin
www.trainvapeur.com

PAPER MAKING & PRINTING

Moulin du Got is the last remaining vestige of the considerable papermaking industry in the Limousin in the 18th Century. This mill, situated on the Tard river, has seen generations of paper-makers making sheets of rag paper by hand, primarily for printers in Paris.
From 1850, during the Industrial Revolution, the mill was converted to make wrapping paper from straw. After the Second World War the Moulin du Got started to produce rolled cardboard, used to make dolls’ heads, masks or rocking horses.
www.moulindugot.com

CHÉNÉRAILLES

Chвteau de Villemonteix –Medieval civil building in the middle of the Creuse district, furnished, well worth a visit, beautiful tapestries from Flanders and Aubusson.
Open April to October tel: 55623392

TOULX-SAINTE-CROIX

This is well worth a visit, the Roman church is beautiful and the view from the observation tower is elevating. The Les Pierres Jaumвtres are close by and Boussac is not far either. Makes a great day out.
Several Roman remains.
The church and its separate bell tower, dating from the eleventh century.
The ancient stone cross on the square.
Megaliths known as “Les Pierres Jaumвtres”.( listed seperately)
A fifteenth-century chвteau at the hamlet of Maisons.
A fortified manorhouse at Chanon.
The observation tower constructed in 1932 by Abbé Aguillaume.

LES PIERRES JAUMВTRES

This is a display of 40 rocks scattered on the top of Mont Barlot. An interesting and unusual formation of granite stone is somewhat of a mystery as nobody is quite sure how they arrived here and why they are such a strange shape. Linked to legends of King Arthur, as well being a favourite spot with George Sand and Chopin.

CROZANT

The ruins of the citadel cover a large part of the spur, with several successive ramparts, a square 15th-century donjon, and two 13th-century towers plus a chapel and a “tour de l’eau’’ from where water could be raised from the river whilst covered and safe from attack.
The ruins were acquired a few years ago by the commune. A major reconstruction program was undertaken, with funding from the state, regional and local councils, resulting in the reopening of the site to the public.
From the nineteenth century, the area around Crozant inspired many painters. Perhaps the first was Paul Castans (1823–1892), who inspired Armand Guillaumin (1841–1927), to choose Crozant as his residence of choice. They give birth to the Crozant School (in French, L’Ecole de Crozant).

SEDALL

The Arboretum de la Sédelle (10 hectares) is a private arboretum located in Villejoint, Crozant, Creuse, Limousin, France. It is open FROM 1st May to 31 Oct 14 h00 to 18 h 00
an admission fee is charged. Its a beautiful place and well worth a vist and very clost to Crozant so a nice day out to encompass both.

The arboretum was established in 1980 by Nell and Philippe Wanty on wooded lands along the Sédelle river valley. Maples were the first plantings. Today the arboretum has grown to contain more than 370 taxa of woody plants, including major collections of Acer (130 taxa including 90 species and subspecies, with the remainder cultivars), Viburnum (27 taxa), Quercus (27), Cornus (23), Euonymus (15), Rhus (10), Tilia (9), and Liquidambar (4).

https://www.arboretumsedelle.com/

BAZINETTE

A living memory of the past, it is a rural complex dating from the 15th and 17th centuries. It is unique in the Limousin area, and represents a typical large old farm and the rural activity of centuries past.
www.banizette.com

Contact Les Quatre Saisons, Chignat 23250 Soubrebost Nr Bourganeuf Creuse Limousin FRANCE Tel: +33 (0)778 28 20 42 /

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