In terms of chocolate box pretty villages, Corrèze has an abundance of them, richly centred with architectural features to satisfy any visitor.

Collonges la Rouge is listed as one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. Sandstone houses with red and blue roofs, turreted manor houses surrounded by chestnut trees and finished off with a romanesque church.

Snapping at its heels in the looks department is Uzerche. The combination of being encircled by a bend in the Vézère river and its massive ramparts made it unassailable during the various religious wars. Charles V dubbed it “Uzerche the Maid,” and the town’s motto “never sullied” echoes the sentiment.

The romanesque Eglise St Pierre sports a typical Limousin feature, a belfry, square at the bottom, octagonal on the top. Many of the houses resemble mini-castles with their turrets and towers and it’s easy to idle away a few hours in the Place des Vignerons, after doing the best short walking route through the streets from the Place Marie-Colin to the church.

The town of Arnac-Pompadour around 20 kilometres west of Uzerche provides a break from village hopping. The town’s château is home to one of France’s best known stud farm created by Louis XV in 1761.

	Turenne

Only the terraces of the château are open to the public but there are free guided tours to the Puy-Marmont stables where the Anglo-Arab breed of stallions are kept, and to La Jumenterie about four kilometres away to see the mares.

From May to October open days and race meetings are a fun detour. It is not essential to be a confirmed horse lover to have a good time - the races have a faded charm all of their own and the awe in which the horses are held simply rubs off.

Brive-la-Gaillarde probably makes the best base to reach most of the département’s key sites including the crescent shaped medieval town of Turenne and the spectacular Gimel-les-Cascades, where the river Montane tumbles over a series of waterfalls dropping some 130 metres.

Ussel is a good base for exploring the Plateau des Millevaches. The name has nothing to do with the number of cows in the area, but comes from the Celtic for many rivers. This is an austere region of the Massif Central, best enjoyed in the late spring and summer. The old town is worth a visit for its 11th century Eglise St Martin.

One of the “most beautiful villages in France”, Treignac, despite being razed by Louis de Pompadour, has retained its 12th century bridge and old houses decorated with a scallop shell - the sign of the pilgrims’ route to St Jean de Compostella. It is renowned for its pâtisserie. Chocoholics should head for the Comptoir au Chocolat in Avenue Léon Vacher. From the town you can drive up the Suc au May, one of the highest peaks for a good view of the surrounding area.

	Collonges la Rouge

Tulle is an industrial town with an old centre, grouped around the 16th century cathedral. The boutique du poinct de Tulle reflects the lace making history of the town. No visit would be complete without touring the Maugein accordion factory, one of four factories in production in Corrèze. Most of the highly skilled workers also play and will show visitors around. The accordion festival, Les Nuits de Nacre, takes place in the middle of September.

Despite the ravages of the Wars of Religion, the Eglise St Pierre in Beaulieu sur Dordogne is still one of the best examples of romanesque style. The carving depicting the Last Judgement on the grey sandstone facade is superb. Unfortunately, for security reasons, the treasure, housed in the south transept, remains locked away most of the time.

Those interested in vins de pays should visit the caves de Branceilles and sample the local red and rosé “Vin des Mille et Une Pierres”, rarely seen outside the region. The visit ends with the traditional dégustation.

Argentat was the old capital of the bargees who transported goods along the river Dordogne in the 16th and 17th centuries. The prosperity the trade brought is reflected in the well-to-do houses, with their turrets and balconies, in the old town and river port which date from this time. The old fortress les Tours de Merle hosts a number of medieval festivals, firework displays and son et lumières throughout the summer.