If you are looking for somewhere off the beaten track yet with its own particular beauty - rolling wooded landscapes interspersed with streams and rivers and numerous lakes - and the Haute-Vienne department could be just the destination for you

The principal industry is porcelain, most of which is manufactured in the famous medieval porcelain town of Limoges which has produced fine enamel work and porcelain since the 12th century.

The department has a number of natural and man-made lakes, such as the Lac de Vassivière and the Lac de St Mathieu, many of which come complete with beaches, fishing, boating and watersports.

The department has a wealth of places for people to visit including the attractive town ofSaint-Leonard-de-Noblat and the poignant village of Oradour-sur Glane, destroyed in WWII by the German army, and maintained in the same condition in tribute to those who lost their lives there.

Going west you can see the castle (and meteorite site) at Rochechouart and on to theRegional Natural Parc of Perigord-Limousin, and the transition to the landscapes of the northern Dordogne.

The character of the department changes again towards the north, with the Massif Central starting to take shape in the form of the Monts d'Ambazac and the Monts de Blond, and the fine views that they offer. Highlights include the historic town of Le Dorat, where you will find the famous Collégiale Saint-Pierre dating from the 11th century amd the town of Bellac which was recently awarded etape status.