Corrèze is a département in the center of France, named after the Corrèze River .  The département is part of the current region of Limousin . It is surrounded by the départements of Creuse, Haute-Vienne, Cantal, Puy-de-Dôme, Lot, and Dordogne.

The Correze has the harshest landscape of all the departments in the Limousin . It is plentiful with rivers, lakes, gorges and waterfalls; a paradise for canoeists, boaters, windsurfers and, water-skiers alike. For those that prefer gentler activity there is an abundance of quality fishing and safe bathing.

HISTORY

Corrèze was one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790.  It includes part of the former province of Limousin.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

The Corrèze is geared up to give you one of the most action packed holidays of a lifetime. From mountain biking to canoeing, horse riding to hang-gliding, and from fishing to ballooning, there really is something for everyone in the Corrèze.

The Corrèze has more than 40 man made lakes, 6 of which have a surface area of more than 100 hectares, and 4 water-sports centres which can be found in Argentat, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Objat and Tulle. In the Corrèze, holidaymakers are spoilt for choice with a wide range of activities available, such as swimming, sailing, windsurfing, speed boating water-skiing, jet skiing, rowing, canoeing and kayaking.

The Corrèze is home to 5000 km of streams and rivers and more than 4000 hectares of reservoirs and man-made water recreation areas.  The waters are populated with high numbers of Carp, Bream, Barbel, Bleak, Roach, Gudgeon, Minnow, Tench, Dace & Chub. There are also high populations of carnivorous fish such as Pike and Perch. Brown trout and the common grayling varieties can be found in the departments many rivers. The department has 8-second category night carp fishing locations.

In the department you can try hang-gliding, Kite-Flying, Winched Flights, Micro light Flying, and Paragliding and hot air ballooning, a great way to see the sights.

Brive-la-Gaillarde probably makes the best base to reach most of the département’s key sites including the crescent shaped medieval town of Turenne and the spectacular Gimel-les-Cascades, where the river Montane tumbles over a series of waterfalls dropping some 130 metres.

Argentat was the old capital of the bargees who transported goods along the river Dordogne in the 16th and 17th centuries. The prosperity the trade brought is reflected in the well-to-do houses, with their turrets and balconies, in the old town and river port which date from this time. The old fortress les Tours de Merle hosts a number of medieval festivals, firework displays and son et lumières throughout the summer.

The romanesque Eglise St Pierre sports a typical Limousin feature, a belfry, square at the bottom, octagonal on the top. Many of the houses resemble mini-castles with their turrets and towers and it’s easy to idle away a few hours in the Place des Vignerons, after doing the best short walking route through the streets from the Place Marie-Colin to the church.