The Parc naturel régional Périgord Limousin (or Regional Natural Park Périgord Limousin) was created March 9, 1998. It consists of 78 communes situated in the Dordogne and Haute Vienne départements. The park has a surface area of 1800 square kilometers and is inhabited by 49 661 people.
Associated with the 78 founding communes are six other communes, that serve as access points to the park:
The two artificial lakes Lac de Lavaud and Lac de Mas Chaban belong to the Charente département, but they are also associated with the park.
The park administration is housed in an ancient smithy in the hamlet of La Barde (commune of La Coquille), whereas the visitor center is established in Pageas.
Landscapes
Elevations in the park start at 85 meters along the Nizonne river near La Rochebeaucourt-et-Argentine and reach 556 meters near Courbefy southeast of Bussière-Galant. Due to these differences in elevation the park possesses several different natural habitats like moors near Champagnac-la-Rivière, bocage, meadows near water courses and forests consisting of chestnut and oak. South of Mareuil one encounters heathland and dry grassland. There are also lots of little pools and lakes. Many brooks and smaller rivers like for example the Arthonnet, the Bandiat, the Charente, the Côle, the Dronne, the Gorre, the Grêne, the Nizonne and the Tardoire drain the parkland. Of all these water courses the Isle is the only river that has its source outside the park’s perimeter.
The water courses belong to one of the three drainage basins:
Climate
The climate in the park is temperate, but can show quite pronounced local variations. In the northeast the climate is generally continental, whereas in the southwest it is maritime. Certain protected south-facing slopes can even possess a submediterranean climate. The following climatic diagram shows data averaged over the last five years (2004–2008) from a private weather station (354 meters above sea level) near Milhaguet in the Haute Vienne.[1]
