Population - 354,000   (1,067,000)

Area - 5,520 km²   (1,663)

Population density - 64   (642)

(comparative figs - Surrey UK)

Towns with over 3,000 people

Aix-sur-Vienne   5,466

Ambazac   4,836

Bellac   4.576

Condat-sur-Vienne   4,249

Couzeix   6.635

Feytiat   5,299

Isle   7,691

Limoges   133,968

Le Palais-sur-Vienne   5,726

Panazol   9,731

Rilhac-Rancon   3,652

Rochechouart   3,667

Saint-Junien   10,666

Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat   4,764

Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche   7,251

Verneuil-sur-Vienne   3188

Main town

Limoges

425 miles - 6 hours - from Calais

What is it really like for holidays in the Haute-Vienne

The Haute-Vienne is one of the most gentle and pretty departments

The river Vienne as it passes through Limoges and Aix-sur-Vienne is a beautiful sight

Bags of space - bags of cattle - pretty brown cattle - open pasture - gentle woodland

All this then the land rising through oak forests as you move up towards the uplands of the Auvergne and the Massif Central

As good as you get without high density tourism - a must for unspoiled countryside

Must visit places

Limoges - a must for porelain - also enamel and faience work

Oradour-sur-Glane - emotionally difficult - as it was left in 1944

Chalus - the ruined chateau where Richard coeur-de-lion died 1199

Haute-Vienne Holidays - b&b

Haute-Vienne Holidays - cottages

Haute-Vienne Holidays - tourist info