La Creuse: Spring

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La Creuse: Spring
I remember as a child hearing an aunt say every March, “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the XXX is?” The problem is that now I can’t for the life of me recall that missing word. Was it birds? Or summer? Or maybe flowers? Hopefully, someone will one day let me know and put me out of my misery. Meanwhile, as I look out of my office window (I work at home) I realise that the missing word isn’t terribly important. Because living in the Creuse means that for most of the time I have all that. The birds are busily chirping away, the flowers and the grass are most certainly ‘riz’  (unfortunately for my husband, as he’s the one who does the mowing), and there’s definitely a hint of summer in the breeze that passes through the budding trees. I sigh and again think how lucky I am to be here. BUT not everyone has my good fortune (and I really shouldn’t gloat) and it’s not polite to rub it in. However, all these unfortunate people CAN come and experience the Creuse for a holiday or weekend break. Having made the decision to come, you jump into your car and head south (or north if you’re coming from Toulouse, for example). Driving south on the A20 and once past Châteauroux, you’ll notice the smoky blue horizon rounding into hills. The car dips into a shallow valley dotted with small fields and leafy copses; it passes into another deeper valley and crests a hill. Suddenly the vista is before you:  the blue hills seem so much closer, the fields are full of the famous russet Limousin beef cow, small country roads wend their way through stone-built villages, and everywhere there’s water– streams, rivers, lakes, ponds. Doubt then assails you–where to first? La Souterraine, with its medieval gatehouse, magnificent church and crypt? Crozant, with its 13th century ruins and links to the impressionists? Bénévent l’Abbaye’s spectacular 600 year-old church, where choirs come from far and near to sing because the acoustics are so good? Bourganeuf and its Zizm tower named after the Middle-Eastern prince who was its first prisoner? The wolf park at Guéret, the bison farm at Palais, or the reindeer park at Azat-Châtenet? Or perhaps a gentle swim in one of the lakes, a relaxing day at the thermal spa in Evaux les Bains, followed by a flutter in the casino or a visit to one of the many museums and galleries? You have, I hope, organised your accommodation before your arrival, as deciding where you want to stay could be a problem. Do you want to stay in one of the many picturesque gîtes offering typical Creuse hospitality? Or do you prefer to be closer to nature and stay in a campsite?  But which one; in a mobile home on or near a farm, a caravan near a lake, or in a tent amongst the trees? Maybe something a little more sophisticated tempts you–a weekend in a romantic château or being pampered in an exquisitely decorated hotel that has its own gourmet restaurant. Who wants to wash dishes on holiday anyway? Perhaps you’re really lucky and have family or friends who live here. Then the day’s over and the next decision is what to do in the evening. Rock concerts, piano recitals, international choirs, comedy shows, story-telling, outdoor cinema, firework displays… there are hundreds of activities to chose from. And if your French isn’t good enough for a play, then let music be your interpreter. Let your eyes do the talking and watch the stars, follow a torch-lit processionm or listen to the night noises of owls and other nocturnal animals. Or simply spend the evening watching the world go while sipping chilled white wine seated in front of a local café or bar. All in all, your biggest problem will be finding enough time to do all those things that you’ve circled in Le Guide and L’Agenda d’Eté (The Summer Diary), the two most important books that you need on any holiday in the Creuse. And please one last thing… when you get back home, try not to tell EVERYONE what a great time you had. I mean when something’s this good, you really want to keep it all for yourself, don’t you? For accommodation and holiday ideas consult: www.tourisme-creuse.com For anything else consult:Le Comité Départmental du Tourisme de la Creuse43, place Bonnyaud BP 24323005 Guéret Cedex France Telephone: 0033(0) 5 55 51 93 23Fax: 0033(0) 5 55 51 05 20 e-mail: [email protected] www.cg23.fr
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