www.MaisonBellachonne.com

Bellac, Haute-Vienne (87), Haute-Vienne, Limousin, France

Altitude 242 m -  6,000 habitants - Paris 380 km - Local railway station - Nearest airport at Limoges-Bellegarde (40km)

Bellac is a small town with around 6,000 inhabitants. The town is situated at the intersection of the Route Nationale (RN)145, the RN 149 and is on the main Paris - Spain route.  Bellac is well-served by the Limoges-Bellegarde International Airport (about 40 km away) and has its own local railways station situated upon the Poitiers and Limoges rail network. The TGV (high-speed train) runs between Paris and Poitiers.

This small picturesque town benefits from a mild climate and has a high proportion of sunshine.

The weather in Bellac today:

The town of Bellac is crossed by the River Vincou – an offshoot of the larger River Gartempe – where salmon and trout can be fished. The town dates from the Middle Ages but it was during the tenth century that Bellac became more important by the building of a fortress-like  chateau by 'Bozon le Vieux'.  Although the chateau is no more, its ramparts can still be seen, looking right across the Vincou valley. The town became bigger over a matter of centuries to become that which we know today.

Situated between the regions of the Limousin, the Charentes, the Poitou and the Berry, as well as having a mild and sunny climate, Bellac benefits from unspoilt surroundings primarily that of verdant rolling countryside and forests crossed by numerous rivers and streams which are excellent for fishing. The town is traversed by one of the most important tributaries: the Vincou, a small river of which its embankments are particularly suited for leisure-time activities.

The Bellachonne region is one of the principal economic centres of the Limousin.  The breeding of Limousin beef holds a particularly important place. The first Thursday in September sees Bellac holding a national fair for cattle farmers. Equally important to Bellac is the leather industry with its own tanneries situated on the embankments of the Vincou in the valley below. As a holiday-maker don't forget to visit the Tannery Museum! Bellac is also the administrative and local government centre of the Haute-Vienne covering eight districts made up of sixty five communes over a total of 55,000 hectares. The municipality offers a diverse range of cultural activities: a new theatre, painting, dancing, pottery and carpet-making. Each year at the end of June and the beginning of July Bellac holds its national festival of theatre, dance and music, some of which is paid as a tribute to Jean Giraudoux, famous dramatist and playwright, and also to Jean de la Fontaine who wrote in Bellac his fable : “Le Coche et la Mouche”.

There are of course lots of other places to visit and activities in which to involve yourself within the Bellachonne region. In particular there is the old stone bridge in the valley below Bellac and the magnificent panoramic view of Victor Bussière. It is interesting to note too that Bellac often stakes a prominent position within France's floral towns competitions and is always noted as a very welcoming holidaymaking town.

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