Surroundings

The goldmuseum
La galerie de l'or
The castle route
La route Richard Coeur de Lion
Discovery trip by velo-rail
Decouvrez le velo-rail de bussiere-galant
The castle of Jumilhac
Château de Jumilhac
The caves of Villars
Grotte de Villars
The castle route
La route Richard Coeur de Lion
In the middle ages the county of Limoges was pretected on the southside by castles, churches and fortresses. This south border was regularly threatened by the count of Aquitaine. The remains of this defence line are well to be found in the neighbourhood of Jumilhac-le-Grand.

Richard Lionheart was murdered in the year 1199 just north of Jumilhac-le-Grand near the castle of Chalus. The castle route of "Richard Coeur de Lion" leads through the green hills of the Limousin and the Dordogne past the magnificent inheritances of this age. Because of the beauty of nature in this region as well as the impressive castles, roman churches and fortresses, this region received in 1999 the status of "Parc Naturel Regional".

The gold museum
La galerie de l'or
The gold museum is situated at the impressive castle square of Jumilhac-le-Grand. The history of gold digging in this area is explained in this museum. Already 250 years before Christ a goldmine was run here.

Nowadays there's a goldmine just north of Jumilhac-le-Grand which produces 2000 kilo's of pure gold each year. In the gold museum you'll find out everything there is to know about the processing of gold into jewelry, as decoration on the porcelain of Limoges and coins.

Discovery tour by velo-rail
Decouvrez le velo-rail de bussiere-galant
A unique and original discovery tour through the land of the "Feuillardiers". A childsdream is being fullfilled, you are the master of the machine, you can go on absolute forbidden territory of the old days, because you travel... on an old railway. Kdong, kdong...nice and easy the velo-rail starts to move and runs right across meadows and fields, alongside hills grown with chestnut thicket that is being used for hoops around wooden wine barrels, the so-called feuillards.

The velo-rail follows the windings at the beginning of the Dronne valley and leads you over a length of 6 kilometers through a beautiful protected region.

The caves of Villars
Grotte de Villars
The cave of Villars was discovered in 1953 by the speleologistic society from Perigueux. It's the largest underground system in the Dordogne, more than 13 km has been discovered up till now. The underground river has eroded enormous, by corridors connected rooms. The water has created a magnificent natural scenery. During a tour you can admire impressive kaciet layers, "holy water fonts", translucent "curtains" and numerous stalagmites and stalagtites.


The castle of Jumilhac-le-Grand
Château de Jumilhac
The castle is the "soul" of Jumilhac-le-Grand. Many generations of the "Counts of Jumilhac" have lived here.

Under the in renaissance style built roofs and turrets lies a midieval "knights" castle. The oldest parts date from the 12th century. Until way in the 17th century additions and changes have been made. The pearl of the Perigord-vert, as the castle is also called, can be visited daily in July and August. You will be guided around, amongst others, the authentic kitchen, the room of the spinning lady (legend) and the grand drawing room, that is known for its special wooden chimneys. Behind the castle lie the typical "French styled" gardens.