Uzerche is a pretty, fortified town in the commune in the Corrèze department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Its origins date back to pre-Roman times. Today the town is vibrant and architecturally glorious. With its many towers, vaulted passageways and old houses adorned with carved door and a magnificent octagonal bell tower, typical of the Limousin Romanesque style it’s known as “the pearl of the Limousin.”
Less than an hour away, Limoges airport has regular flights to the UK including Manchester, Southampton, Liverpool, Bristol, Bradford/Leeds and London Stansted and Gatwick.
We talk to Dutch expat Jet de Heer, a local property agent for award winning Leggett Immobilier about life and property in Uzerche and its surrounds.
Can you tell us a little about you and where you are from?
We lived close to Amsterdam and though we were fortunate enough to be in the countryside. But Holland is pretty overcrowded and our little village of around 100 habitants was very touristic, which drove us away on the weekends. And with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol close by, often there were planes flying over, day and night. It came to a point where we needed space, tranquillity and fresh air. That is what we found in the Corrèze. Lots of it! We moved to France in 2013.
What inspired you to move to Limousin?
We stumbled on the Corrèze almost by accident! The Dordogne was our first choice (as with so many people) but the prices were rather steep and – most important – we couldn’t find what we were looking for. One of our key requirements was a large barn for my husband who works as a joiner. He needs room for his machines, he is a one-man factory.
We found exactly what we were looking for in the Corrèze. A beautiful house and 9 hectares of fields and woodland and a very big barn. Our house is a former Mairie built in 1722. The village is no longer here, they ‘relocated’ it nearly 200 years ago to be nearer to the main road connecting the villages around. The Mairie, the presbytère and a huge Maison Bourgeoise were left behind in the rolling countryside. We are still renovating, but we could live in it straight away.
What do you love most about the Correze?
It’s green and hilly, with lots of streams and lakes, the countryside is rural and basically unspoiled. And there is so much variation in the landscape.
This beautiful region offers lots of possibilities for recreation: fishing, hiking, mountain biking, parasailing, canoeing, horseback-riding and donkey walking! There are plenty of lakes for swimming, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine. The numerous flea-markets (vide-greniers) are famous and we always enjoy the harvest fairs and exhibitions of old cars and working agricultural machines.
The Corrèze is becoming a well-known area for “the good life” and it’s very cultural as well as plenty of sports activities.
What is there to do in and around Uzerche?
There’s lots to do in the nearby town of Uzerche and the fabulous Friday evening farmers markets run through July and August. There, you can buy the ingredients for supper and you are invited to prepare it on the barbeques that are provided and dine together in a pleasant atmosphere. Tip: bring your own plates, tablecloth etc for a colourful evening meal.
Uzerche has restaurants, a cinema, an art gallery, a small gym and the former boys-lycée provides room for karate-classes and other activities. In winter there’s a lovely Christmas-market in the renovated paper mill, called the Papetterie. These beautifully restored buildings are also used for sports, exhibitions and concerts.
Close by, Tulle and Brive-la-Gaillarde are busy towns with great shopping facilities, around half an hour’s drive from Uzerche. Limoges, capital of the Limousin, is less than one hour away. Last but not least- the countryside. The Corrèze is rural in the best sense of the word: practically unspoiled.
The train service from Uzerche connects you to Paris and bigger cities such as Toulouse.
Le Plateau de Millevaches, a Parc Régional, is close by in the mountain-range Les Monédières, a land of wild life and flowers. Mont Dore, beautiful in summer for hiking and in winter (up until about March) for excellent skiing is less than two hours away.
There’s a lot to love about this place!
Property guide to the area around Uzerche
On the outskirts of Uzerche you find yourself surrounded by a mix of woodland, pastures and fields of corn. A countryside crossed by gentle streams and peppered with ponds, dotted with pretty villages and hamlets.
Where should home buyers look for property in the area around Uzerche
There are loads of pretty villages which offer a great ambiance, multi-culti community-spirit, space and liveliness. Villages such as Le Lonzac, Chamberet, Treignac, Masseret, Chamboulive, Seilhac, Lagraulière and Vigeois deserve a look.
Ségur-le-Château, Treignac, Rocamadour and Colonge-la-Rouge and all impossibly pretty and so they lure tourists which makes them a little busier in peak summer months. But with the countryside all around, you get the best of both worlds here.
Are there typical types of property in the area, traditional property styles?
What you see most are traditional style houses and farms, made in solid natural stone with thick walls and slate roofs. And there are occasional architect-designed houses and more modern villas. The Corrèze also has a good number of chateaux, mansions, Maisons de Maître and strongholds. So, a good variation of property at very good prices (lots of bargains) and in a stunning location. Both in the town of Uzerche and around.
See Jet’s property portfolio in Uzerche and around: www.frenchestateagents.com
