Tour of the Waterfalls, Heathlands, and Peat Bogs (Creuse)

Starting from the medieval town of Bourganeuf, a former Hospitaller commandery, this trail first crosses the Chadoulénas and Chignat moors, offering landscapes of heather and gorse typical of the Limousin region. Heading towards Morterolles, walkers discover unspoiled nature where peat bogs, veritable natural sponges, shelter rare and fragile flora. The highlight is Saint-Martin-Château with its spectacular waterfall cascading from the heart of a forest of centuries-old beech and oak trees. The built heritage is revealed in the hamlets of L'Age and Montayaud, where granite houses and old stone bridges bear witness to a centuries-old rural life. Between rocky outcrops and steep-sided valleys, the route follows the murmur of the Maulde's clear waters, offering constant coolness beneath the leafy canopy.

The Land of Waterfalls, Moors, and Peat Bogs, located in the south of the Creuse department, is a wild territory where water and granite shape landscapes of raw poetry. This plateau in the Limousin mountains, a land of legend, is home to exceptional natural sites such as the Jarrauds Waterfall, whose hydroelectric power enabled the early electrification of the village of Saint-Martin-Château as early as the 19th century. The peat bogs, veritable living climate archives, stretch between the heathlands, offering a precious refuge to rare flora such as the sundew. The built heritage, marked by the renowned stonemasons of the Creuse, is revealed through austere granite churches and charming villages with slate roofs. The history here is that of a tenacious peasantry, etched in the dry-stone walls that delineate the pastures.