La Chapelle Saint Martin and the Haute-Vienne

Parkland, Porcelain History, and a Vanished World

For those arriving by air, La Chapelle Saint Martin serves as a sublime pastoral gateway to southwest France. Located just minutes from Limoges airport, this elegant 19th-century manor house was originally built as the country retreat for a wealthy porcelain manufacturer. Today, it offers a completely different flavour of rural charm, trade-marking the expansive, rolling parklands of the Haute-Vienne.

The house sits within a forty-acre estate populated by ancient cedars, sprawling lawns, and a series of quiet, small lakes. Walking through the grounds feels like stepping directly into a 19th-century landscape painting—a beautifully manicured wilderness that provides a deeply peaceful environmental palate cleanser.

The owners, Gilles Dudognon and Aude Bourliataux, have built an impressive local heritage empire under the Collection Saint Martin banner. Chef Gilles, who celebrates 40 years of holding a Michelin star, has extended his culinary vision into the heart of Limoges.

His ventures include La Table du Couvent—an atmospheric restaurant in a 12th-century monastery canteen specialising in open-hearth Limousin beef—and Le 27, a stylish contemporary bistro and art gallery.

They even run La Maison du Fromage, one of the oldest cheese shops in the region, featuring a remarkable three-level maturing cellar.

For guests wishing to explore the wider countryside, they offer a vintage vehicle rental service called LocaPassion, keeping a fleet of classic Citroën 2CVs and Land Rovers on hand.

During our stay, we took a short drive north into the Monts de Blond, a range of forested, granite-strewn hills, to visit the fascinating village of Montrol-Sénard.

Here, time was effectively frozen in the year 1900. It operates as a poignant, open-air "village-musée" where you can wander entirely freely through a perfectly preserved schoolhouse, a cobbler’s workshop, and traditional farm cottages without any tickets or payments.

The quiet, vanished nostalgia of the place captures the Limousin before the rush of the modern world. In many ways, its stillness and deep rural character reminded me of the West Country of my youth—a beautiful, silent space that time has almost forgotten.

Travel Planner's Note

Getting There & Staying Smart: The highly rural, unspoilt landscapes of central south-western France offer a perfect "staycation-style" getaway that is easily accessible. While flying into Limoges is incredibly efficient, these destinations are no more than a day's drive from the ferry terminal at Roscoff, making a classic road trip an exceptional option.

When organising travel logistics, utilising Holiday Extras for airport parking, hotels, and lounges can significantly cut costs—with travellers saving an average of £200 per trip by booking their parking arrangements well in advance. Find out more at HolidayExtras.com or via 0800 316 5678.