Circuit from : (yellow) 1681) giving life to animals or fantastic first completely metallic railway viaduct built Abbey’s, Knight Templars and characters. The village has retained traces in . To export the coal from the Parishioners of the nave which is missing today: mines of Lavaveix-les-Mines, it was numerous objects have been re-used and necessary to cross the (hollow) As the central element of the town or the mark the village houses which spread out to valley, which carries its name well ! And so village, the church maybe an Abbey, the bridge. Named wrongly "Romain", the the viaduct of 337 metres long and 56 templière, or fortified commanderie, or even Romanesque bridge allows us to cross the metres high was born. It was not Gustave underground... that is Romanesque, Gothic sometimes fast flowing river Creuse and Eiffel, but two French engineers, Llyold and or Baroque, it remains, the major building of discover a beautiful panoramic view of the Nordling, who managed the construction our heritage. Let us go and discover some village. site from January, 1864 until 1865. of these buildings which mark out our Each year on the 16th August, a procession countryside. is organised to celebrate the day of « Saint – C1 Roch », the statue is carried from the abbey The small village of Mazeirat is a Ahun – D2 to the river where the feet are placed on a welcoming place for numerous varieties of The crypt was the first church of Ahun and stone in the river, with the belief that when plants : rose bushes in front of the church over the course of time has become the weather is very dry it will help to and even the «chemin des Brandes» is underground, It is now one building , and produce rain. bordered with local or imported species of today is protecting a typically baroque altar. Visit freely, either by guided tour or with plants and shrubs. On the outside walls and A remarkable pieta(1) of five people has audio tapes in French or English. floor of the Church, unexplained sculptured retained it‟s colours and charm of the 15th stones are reused. Opening hours for the church: century. nd th To understand better the rich history of the - from March 22 until June 13 from 10:00 Saint-Hilaire-la-Plaine – C3 am until 12:00 am and from 2:00 pm until 5:00 town, the garden of Jacques Lagrange The Norman church of the village has pm. th gives us a fabulous voyage across time ! retained important elements of it‟s 14 and Closed on Tuesdays except holidays. 15th century fortifications. In the angles of To Chantemille: a small chateau, - From June 14th until September 14th every dominating the Creuse, the footbridge and day from 10:00 am until 12:30 am and 2:00 the chevet, the two turrets start at ground the village. Open on Tuesdays in summer. pm until 7:00 pm. level. The rectangular bell tower is flanked (1) A statue or picture representing the Virgin From September 15th until November 11th. by over-hanging turrets . Machicolations(2) Mary with the dead body of Jesus Christ Holidays and school holidays of All Saints' with a circular pathway allowed the church accross her knees Day, from 10:00 am until 12:00 am and from to be defended. Some Gallo-Romans 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Closed on Tuesdays artifacts are still visible around the church. Moutier d'Ahun – D2 except bank holidays. (2) a balcony at the top the defensive walls or th st The name of this commune means, in old - From November 12 until December 31 , towers of fortified castles. French "monastery of Ahun". Benedictines from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Closed on Monks lived on this site from 997 up to the Monday and Tuesdays, except bank holidays. St-Yrieix-les-Bois – C2 revolution. The church preserves different Pretty flowered Creusois village with granite th parts from different periods: Gothic porch Busseau-sur-creuse (commune d'Ahun) houses. The 12 century church with it‟s and Romanic choir in which there is an – D1 kind of sculptured roof, is the central point, exceptional woodwork carving (1673 - The viaduct of Busseau-sur-Creuse is the near the fountain which dominates the square. Numerous granite stones, 16 ha is reserved for fishermen. in Cameroun, and put in place the "method surrounded by legends, are to be Jamot". A museographic place has been discovered in the woods surrounding the Saint-Martial-Le-Mont dedicated to the life of the Doctor Jamot. village : flat stones, big stones and a fairy‟s Dominating the valley of the Creuse, the table. ancient fortified church keeps watch. At the – D3 front of its door a gallo-roman column can Until the revolution, the name of the village Lépinas – C2 be found. The houses of Saint-Martial-Le- was "Saint-Sulpice-Le-Donzeil". Two roman The church was rebuilt in the centre of the Mont are typical village houses and worthy milestones gives witness to the Gallo- village in the 14th century. The Gartempe of the stone masons of the Creuse : cut Roman period : The Pierre du Marteau, passes through Lépinas, fed by several stones, cornices and ledges... In the village which can be found near the old road, and brooks coming from . of Chantaud, a chapel dedicated to Marie a re-used milestone, to commemorate the Madeleine and gallo-roman artifacts centenary and the bicentenary of the – C2 "pierre des mesures", an ancient funeral revolution in the court yard of the former Maisonnisses was an ancient chest. In the church, we can find a leather school. The verdant setting of the «étang commanderie. A funeral statue of a antependium of the 18th century, Italian du Moulin» is open to fishermen. recumbent effigy was found in a field by a made. ploughman. It was taken back to its original Sous-Parsat - C2 place in the 13th century church. A visit of Return to Ahun The church reconstructed in 1868 shelters the crypt is imperative, it is necessary to go paintings and stained glass windows past the church and to cross the courtyard. Circuit from Saint-Sulpice-Les-Champs : created by Gabriel Chabrat from 1986 until Watch out for the bats that shelter there! (blue) Characters, legends and unusual 1995. He has represented the old and the In the woods of Thouraud there is a villages (61km) new testaments by using vivid primary commemorative monument of the first colours and exaggerated forms. Besides creusois resistance movement, it depicts Upon meeting the men who marked our the religious subjects, the human behavior, the more recent and painful history of the land and history, by shaping, cutting, the passions, the exodus of the people, the second world war. It is there that 7 young discovering and creating... Who could persecutions are addressed. A visitors resistance fighters were massacred, the 7th imagine that a creusois doctor fought the book is available at the Auberge de Camille of September 1943. illness of insomnia or that contemporary and at the tourist office in Ahun. The artists paintings in primary colours would adorn studio is open in season. Gallo-Roman – D2 the walls of a very classic church ! artifacts : two tombstones at the entrance of This ancient commanderie has preserved a the Church and a funeral chest in the remarkable Church of which the vaults are Saint-Sulpice-Les-Champs – D3 village. th of ribbed construction in oak (18 century). This administrative centre of the canton is At the lower part of the village there are Some artifacts have been re-used in the associated with the memory of Doctor interesting features, a fountain, the walls of the building: sundials and Jamot. washhouse and a drinking trough. In keystones etc. Born in La Borie, Eugène Jamot dedicated December (Christmas time), the village On the road to Saint-Sulpice-Les-Champs, a part of his life to work out a method of becomes the home of Father Christmas, the magnificent lake in a verdant setting of fighting against the illness of " insomnia " decorated in fairy tale style.

Mareilles (Commune de Sous-Parsat) – Saint-Avit-Le-Pauvre – D3 C2 Small traditional and picturesque village. – C4 This ancient parish is one of villages in the In the church, a restored old Romanesque Commune of Sous-Parsat and whose La Borne (Commune de St-Michel-De- building, there is a remarkable group of chapel is in ruin. An attractive cylindrical Veisse) – D3 limestone statues. It represents Saint Anne, fountain waits for the visitor by the The Chapel Notre-Dame de la Borne is her three daughters and her grand children. roadside. dedicated to the worship of the Virgin Mary The representation of the "Sainte Parenté" who helped Charles d' Aubusson, Seignor is a subject little used in French sculpture. Masgot (commune de Fransèches) – D3 de la Borne, to get out of a swamp. The The wooden altar piece with pillars is The picturesque village is completely flamboyent gothic structure was finished in typically baroque. dedicated to stone. In the 19th century, 1524. It is decorated with an exeptionnel François Michaud, an inhabitant of the stained glass window called "the Tree of Return to Saint-Sulpice-les-Champs. village, created numerous characteristic Jessé” (1522), genealogy of Jesus. There is sculptures of popular art to embellish his also in the village a 14th century cross and a Circuit from : (green) the properties. He was inspired by his wishing well. water and the stone in the country of the environment, to conceive a personal world, macons of the Creuse (82km) where there is an eagle, a dog, a badger, a Saint-Michel-De-Veisse – D3 An opportunity to discover the two essential crusader, a mermaid, Marianne and even a In the village of Chasselines, the “la elements of our countryside, that has picture puzzle... maison du geste et de l„outil» gives always been used by man. Random granite A small road leads to the stone appreciation to the rural world. In an old stones, dolmens, stone houses , fast «Tournadouère» passing by a very special agricultural building, there are numerous flowing rivers, and unspoilt lakes are alter of repose and some dry stone works. tools on display, allowing us to retrace the present along our roads and paths. Let us In the summer, the furnished house of steps of our ancestors. Numerous original go and discover them... François Michaud is open. Free visits all animations are offered for children year long. Visits commented from May until (labyrinth H²O, toddlers workshop and the Pontarion – B3 September by "des amis de la pierre" (The garden of the optical illusions). Open in July In a leafy setting and below the 15th century Friends of stone). Visits by audio guide in and August, and also during small castle, l‟Espace Pêche and Nature (4 ha) French and English. vacations. offers good walks along the banks of the river Thaurion ; there is an arboretum with Fransèches - D3 – D4 local apple tree‟s, ponds and wells... In this A Marianne in granite, work of the sculptor Situated at the confluence of the rivers country of fishermen, we are invited to of Masgot, rests in front of the village Thaurion and Banize, the village possesses settle down on a pontoon bridge situated Mairie. At the bottom of the village, there is a Prussian cannon sited on the village along the river. small Wash-house directly over the brook green, it was given by President Exhibitions and fishing activities take place and the fountain of Saint Denis allowed Doumergue ! in the summer. easy use of the water and protects it. The church of "austere" type (simple plan) In the church, 32 gravestones form a tiled possesses some internal paintings. floor and are decorated as a cross, set squares, hammers, signs of Lords, knights, large stones ; stones around 1938. There are numerous masons or stone-cutters. - at the site of the medieval bridge of "Puy piles present in the large forest of One kilometre away, the funeral chests of Chalard", which is a copy of the bridge Péri Chabrières. the necropolis of “les Sagnes”, reveal the at St-Hilaire-le-Château. ancient funeral customs. - at the village of Nouallaguet, there is a Saint-Eloi – B2 natural and unspoilt environment with an Here, only the bell tower of the church is – C4 imposing lime tree called "Sully". classified ! Near the village of Drouilles The classified church shelters decorative there is a mound, the remains to an ancient paintings from the 15th century and depict La Chapelle Saint-Martial – C3 castle. small characters, of which one is sticking The granite lion in front of the church is the out it‟s tongue. Under the roof, the twin of that at Saint-Georges-La-Pouge. – A2 sculptured and varied modillons The Commune was given its name by the Jean-Baptist de Vauselle, better known representing faces, animals or objects first bishop of who evangelized the under the name of Tristan L' Hermite was seem to support the granite ledge. In the Limousin. The Church was rebuilt in the 12th born in the village of Souliers in 1601. This lower part of the village, the brook century. poet left important work. "Moulinier" allowed a number mills to work. There is a beautiful lake of 50 hectares, The monument consisted of granite statues established in 1319. of Combeauvert (crossroads D10 and Saint-Hilaire-le-Château – C3 D940A), a reminder of the massacre of The village church touches a cross and the – B2 June 9th, 1944 by the SS Division "Das fountain of Saint-Gervais. The Commune is By the church, the name of Sardent is Reich" of 31 young resistance fighters. situated at the confluence of the rivers displayed in letters from local granite. Thaurion and Gosne. The latter one is Behind, there is an inscription dedicated to – B3 crossed by a Bridge of Gallo-Roman the doctor of the poor men, Doctor Vincent. The village is at the top of a hill more than construction and is known as "The Bridge of The 12th century church has some 480 metres in altitude, the church being 525 the fairies "... sculptured modillons under the ledges. metres. Saint Pardoux was born in Mont and he The «chapeau des Anglais» (the English – C3 was the founder of Guéret. He lived as a hat), situated behind the church, is a The name indicates its distant origins, recluse on the site which carries his name monument in three parts, the oldest of stemming from an old crest. and which is decorated with unusual which date back to Gallo-Roman times. The The 12th century church is the former barn statues. There is a chapel (built in 1870) legend says that it was erected by the of the commanderie of Chamberaud. which is dedicated to him. English at the end of the One hundred in the village of Mont there are granite years war. Saint-Georges-La-Pouge – C3 stones called "les pierre boutelines". There are beautiful walks along the gorges In front of the church, the Gallo-Roman of the river Thaurion. medieval artifacts and the granite lion watch Peyrabout – C2 over the village. There are pleasant walks The name of the Commune signifies Return to Pontarion. around Commune : "upright stones", in the village centre there - the dolmen of Ponsat, supported by 7 was a granite stone which was cut in paving Office de tourisme - 12 Place A. Defumade 23150 AHUN Tél. : 05 55 62 55 93 www.ahun-creuse-tourisme.com I.P.N.S.