Vassiviere - the lake, island and contemporary art
 |
| Andy Goldsworthy sculpture International Art Centre |
 |
| the lighthouse staircase International Art Centre |
 |
| the view from the top of the lighthouse International Art Centre |
 |
| International Art Centre |
Bonjour
and bienvenue. We moved to the Limousin region of
France just a few months ago, but had been regular Summer visitors
for some years in our trusty camper van. One of the main reasons for
our permanent move from the UK was the expanse of natural, unspoilt
countryside and protected national park. We live in the Millevaches regional natural park – an area that combines lush green pine
forests and rushing rivers; and at its heart - the Lac deVassiviere.
The Lac de Vassiviere is one of France's largest man-made lakes with a
shoreline of 45km. It was built after WW2 and has been developed to
provide both an area of natural beauty, tourism and also a source of
hydro-electricity for the region. Every Summer there is also a big international festival (Destination Ailleurs) of performing and contemporary arts and nature, guided walks and a variety of cultural and educational events.
Around
the perimeter are several supervised swimming beaches and during the
Summer months you can enjoy a variety of water sports and activities
in and around the lac. There are also a range of bars and
restaurants to enjoy if you are feeling less active!
One of
our favourite places to visit is the International Art Centre on the
Ile de Vassiviere. The contemporary art gallery and sculpture wood
are open all year and we are so lucky to be able to visit whenever we
like. You can walk around the wood for miles, away from the sound of
any hustle and bustle – with just the sound of birds twittering and
the occasional braying donkey! The fresh air fills your lungs and
invigorates your soul and I have lost many a happy hour walking with
our new addition Eric le chien.
 |
| Thomas Houseago 2011 International Art Centre |
 |
| International Art Centre |
 |
| Thomas Houseago 2011 exhibition at the International Art Centre |
After a
long walk around the Lac I can highly recommend stopping to watch the
sunset and beautiful light across the water; a nice chilled glass of
wine and maybe some bread and cheese – well it would be rude not
to, we are in France after all...
 |
| sunset on Lac de Vassiviere |
So
cheers, or santé as they say en France and I do hope you get the
chance to visit this beautiful area soon. I look forward to letting
you know more about our discoveries and top places to visit in the
Limousin soon.
Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to your comments.
A
bientot :-)
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for stopping by. Your comments are always appreciated.