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| Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park | |
|---|---|
| Name | Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park |
| Location | Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France |
| Area | 180,000 ha |
| Established | 1998 |
| Governing body | Parc naturel régional du Périgord Limousin |
Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park Périgord Limousin Regional Natural Park lies in south-western France spanning parts of the Dordogne (department) and Haute-Vienne departments in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. The park links landscapes of the Périgord and Limousin historic provinces and includes rivers, woodlands, bocage, and plateaus near towns such as Thiviers, Nontron, and Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche. Created to reconcile conservation with local development, the park engages communes, associations, and institutions including the Conseil régional de Nouvelle-Aquitaine and departmental councils.
The park occupies territory across parts of Dordogne (department) and Haute-Vienne, bordering the landscapes of Périgord Noir, Périgord Vert, and the Massif Central foothills; major hydrographic features include the Isle (river), Auvézère, and tributaries of the Dronne. Elevation ranges from plateaus near Limoges outskirts to valleys approaching Rochechouart and the Plateau de Millevaches margin; notable communes within its perimeter include Excideuil, Châlus, and Nabirat. Boundaries were defined to encompass mosaic habitats—meadows, hedgerows, oak and chestnut forests—linking Natura 2000 sites and regional nature reserves such as Réserve naturelle du Pinail and corridors toward the Parc naturel régional Périgord-Limousin buffer zones managed with intercommunal authorities.
Initiatives for protection emerged from municipal councils of Thiviers, Nontron, and rural communes reacting to land-use change and quarry expansion near Lascaux-era landscapes and medieval patrimony. Technical studies by regional laboratories linked to CNRS teams and the Office national des forêts informed a 1990s application culminating in designation in 1998 by the Ministry of Ecology, supported by the Conseil régional de Nouvelle-Aquitaine and departmental councils of Dordogne (department) and Haute-Vienne. The park’s charter drew on precedents from Parc naturel régional Périgord-Limousin frameworks, integrating heritage plans similar to those used at Aubusson and management models seen in Parc naturel régional des Causses du Quercy.
The park conserves Atlantic and continental biogeographic elements with habitats supporting species protected under Natura 2000 directives and French environmental statutes; flora includes ancient sessile oak stands and corridors of sweet chestnut near Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche while fauna lists include populations of European otter, black kite, and bat species monitored by teams from Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, LPO (France), and local naturalist associations. Wetlands along the Auvézère host amphibians surveyed in inventories conducted with Office français de la biodiversité collaboration; bocage hedgerows provide connectivity for mammals recorded by researchers affiliated with Université de Limoges and the INRAE networks. Invasive species control and agroecology measures were implemented following recommendations from conservation NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund and regional partners.
The park contains prehistoric and medieval heritage including dolmens and churches linked to the Camino de Santiago routes and Romanesque architecture in communes like Thiviers and Excideuil. Châteaux such as those near Château de Jumilhac and fortified sites around Nontron reflect feudal history tied to the Hundred Years' War corridors and to families documented in departmental archives housed with the Archives départementales de la Dordogne. Artisanal traditions persist through workshops associated with the Ville de Nontron cutlery heritage and porcelain connections reflecting trade networks to Limoges; museums and heritage trusts collaborate with the Conseil général and cultural ministries to preserve vernacular architecture and listed monuments.
Local economies combine agriculture, artisanal production, and small-scale industry: dairy and meat from mixed farms, chestnut production, and truffle cultivation marketed through cooperatives interacting with Chambre d'agriculture de la Dordogne and agri-food SME networks. Sustainable forestry practices follow guidelines from the Office national des forêts and certification bodies such as PEFC for timber and non-timber products; rural development funds from the European Union and regional investment via Conseil régional de Nouvelle-Aquitaine support projects in renewable energy, eco-construction, and farm diversification. Initiatives link producers to gastronomy circuits promoted alongside events at regional capitals like Périgueux and Limoges.
The park is managed under a multi-stakeholder charter led by an executive board composed of elected representatives from member communes, departmental councils of Dordogne (department) and Haute-Vienne, and technical partners including the Office français de la biodiversité, Agence de l'eau Adour-Garonne, and regional services. Management plans align with French Parc naturel régional legislation and are periodically reviewed with scientific committees drawing experts from Université de Bordeaux, Université de Limoges, and national research institutes. Funding combines local taxes, grants from the Ministry of Ecological Transition (France), European structural funds, and private sponsorship.
Tourism emphasizes low-impact activities: hiking on GR and local trails linking sites such as medieval towns, canoeing on the Dronne and Isle (river), cycling routes promoted with regional tourism offices in Périgueux and Brantôme, and heritage trails tied to museums and artisan workshops. Eco-tourism offers guided birdwatching with LPO (France) volunteers and interpretive centers coordinated with the Conseil départemental de la Dordogne; accommodation ranges from chambres d'hôtes to eco-lodges developed with sustainable standards promoted by regional tourism agencies and the Agence de développement touristique.