Bell tents near Limoges with wifi provided

Hidden between show-stoppers like Loire Valley and the Dordogne, it’s perhaps understandable that France’s Haute-Vienne department and its capital, Limoges, don’t get much love from travellers. But for campers who like to escape the beaten track, that’s all the more reason to swing by! Tucked away in the agricultural plains of western France, Limoges’ claim to fame is its fine porcelain, which it’s produced for more than two centuries, but the city also makes a strategic base to explore three Regional Natural Parks. Check into a municipal campsite, family campsite, or Hipcamp, and go exploring.

East of Limoges, the Millevaches en Limousin Natural Regional Park sits in the foothills of the Massif Central mountain range, spilling over into the departments of Corrèze and Creuse. This is classic hiking turf, where trails take you over wildflower meadows, windswept moorlands, and peat bogs, and you’ll never be far from a campsite, gite, or roadside aire (motorhome park).

With temperatures averaging 25°C, summer is the most popular time of year to visit Limoges, when the city hosts several open-air festivals and events. As in the rest of France, camping season runs from April through October, although some motorhome aires and private campsites may stay open year-round.