The Limousin is an upland region. Increasingly wild and rugged the further south and east one travels. Much of the country is covered with dark forests and water: deep river gorges and lakes. It is a region which has always attracted and inspired artists.



In the south-west, near the town of Brive La Gaillarde, is the Vezere river. It was along this heavily wooded valley that man first made his artistic mark in France. Most notably in cave paintings of the 'Grotte de Lascaux' (24) which is, for reasons of conservation, no longer open to the general public.







Much later, amid the chaos and confusion of war in the middle-ages - or so the legend has it - Saracens brought the fine art of tapestry to the Limousin. The renowned Aubusson tapestry is still thriving in the region today.







Although a region with few towns of any size, Limousin is not without significant urban sites. Limoges, the home of world famous porcelain, is the capital of the region.



Limoges itself is a city with a history of over 2000 years. But the famous Porcelain has only been made here since the late C18th when a very pure form of Kaolin was discovered in 1765. (Kaolin being the main ingredient of Porcelain). It is, of course, still manufactured here today and pieces can be readily bought in numerous shops in the city.







The deep rocky valleys of Crozant and Fresselines, in the north of the region, gave their name to a school of painting which also still flourishes today.



The Crozant school was set up here by a group of Impressionists in the late 19th century, and artists such Claude Monet made the area their home here for many years. The school still exists today and attracts artists from all over the world. The light in the area - as well as the scenery - is of specific interest to this style of painter.







Today, contemporary art has it's place in the Limousin. The region still attracts artists such as Geoff Bunn, the British Conceptual Artist, and there are famous centres for modern art at both Rochechouart and - situated on an island in the middle of the lake - at Vassiviere. (The Vassivière Contemporary Art Centre and Sculpture Park was designed by the architects Aldo Rossi and Xavier Fabre. It has exhibitions throughout the year).