Vast forests, swimming lakes, unspoilt villages, quiet roads… The Haute-Vienne (87) is one of the last great natural areas in central France, within reach of a city of 130,000 people. Ideal for those who want to live differently.
The Haute-Vienne is one of the least densely populated departments in France — around 60 inhabitants per km². This apparent emptiness is in fact a richness: forests, moors, valleys, ponds, unspoilt villages. Nature is everywhere, accessible, and still wild in places.
Unlike other rural areas, the Haute-Vienne has a capital — Limoges — that offers all the services of a large city (teaching hospital, universities, transport, shops, culture) within an hour of most of the department's towns.
It's this unique mix — deep countryside plus an accessible city — that has been drawing remote workers, families and professionals in recent years, keen to find space without becoming isolated.
In the Haute-Vienne, the forest isn't just scenery — it's an industry, a living heritage, and the region's foremost green lung.
The Haute-Vienne is France's leading department for Douglas fir. This strong, durable construction timber is highly prized in the building sector. Thousands of hectares of production forest sit alongside natural forests of oak, chestnut and beech across the department.
The forestry and timber industry is a quiet economic pillar: foresters, logging operators, sawmills, carpenters, joiners — a local, rooted chain accounting for hundreds of direct jobs in the Haute-Vienne.
For residents, the forest is also a place to walk, forage (mushrooms, chestnuts, blueberries) and recharge. The hiking trails of the Millevaches Regional Nature Park cross part of the department and offer routes of every difficulty.
Wood-burning for heating is still widespread. Many houses in the Haute-Vienne have stoves or fireplaces fed locally — a real energy advantage against the Limousin winters.
From great lakes to medieval villages, the Haute-Vienne offers landscapes and sites that leave a lasting impression on those who settle there.
45 km from Limoges, Lake Vassivière is the largest man-made lake in the Massif Central. Beaches, sailing, kayaking, a 45 km cycle route around the lake, and at its heart an island home to the International Centre of Art and Landscape — an unexpected cultural venue in the heart of the Limousin forest.
25 km from Limoges, the village of Oradour-sur-Glane is one of the most important sites of remembrance in Europe. Destroyed on 10 June 1944 by the SS Das Reich division, it has been preserved as it was. The new village and the memorial centre welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The Monts de Blond form a range of moor and forest dotted with megaliths (dolmens, menhirs) and remarkable viewpoints. One of the wildest, most unspoilt areas of the Haute-Vienne, ideal for hiking and contemplation.
This medieval town 20 km from Limoges is one of the finest in the Haute-Vienne. Its listed Romanesque church, its granite lanes, its weekly market and its proximity to the Classique du Limousin cycle race (a UCI event) make it a favourite with locals and tourists alike.
Châlus is famous for its castle, where Richard the Lionheart met his death in 1199. The town and its surroundings are full of medieval castles, fortified sites and the green landscapes typical of the Périgord-Limousin. A historic area on the edge of the Dordogne.
A sub-prefecture of the Haute-Vienne, Bellac is a lively town in the north of the department. The writer Jean Giraudoux was born there. A busy market, local shops, a railway station and a rich community life make it an anchor point for families wanting the countryside without giving everything up.
Since the huge growth of remote working, the Haute-Vienne has been attracting new profiles. Working couples leaving Paris or Bordeaux to find a spacious home, a garden, a different pace of life — while staying connected to their employer by fibre and high-speed rail.
The Haute-Vienne has rolled out fibre-optic broadband widely across its towns. 4G/5G coverage improves every year. Working remotely from Nantiat, Compreignac or Bellac is now entirely realistic.
Begip manages flats and houses in these 6 towns. Contact us for current availability.
Contact usHiking, fishing, cycling, food, heritage, cross-country skiing in winter… the Haute-Vienne has something for every season.
Hundreds of kilometres of waymarked paths cross the Haute-Vienne. The GR 4 and GR 46 long-distance trails pass through the department. Hiking is the most popular outdoor activity, open to all levels.
The gentle relief of the Limousin is perfect for cycling. Waymarked mountain-bike routes around Vassivière, greenways and the region's cycling tradition (Classique du Limousin, races starting from Limoges) make it ideal terrain.
The Haute-Vienne has hundreds of ponds and fish-rich rivers. Fishing for trout, pike and carp is practised everywhere. Many rural properties have their own pond.
Mushrooms (ceps, chanterelles, black trumpets), chestnuts, blueberries, walnuts — the forests of the Haute-Vienne are generous. Foraging is a common and sociable pastime for locals, especially in autumn.
The Millevaches plateau, on the edge of the department, offers cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing when the winters are snowy. A surprise for many newcomers.
Potters, ceramicists, organic growers, livestock farmers… the markets of the Haute-Vienne are lively and authentic. Saint-Junien (glove-making), Rochechouart (outsider art) and Saint-Yrieix (kaolin) round out a rich cultural and craft circuit.
Limoges, Nantiat, Bellac, Compreignac, Chamboret, Chapelet — 6 towns, flats and houses available to rent. An agency rooted locally for 30 years.