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FrançaisAvailles Limouzine - The Local Area
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History
Availles Limouzine lies on the border between langue d'oc and d'oil, between the limestone and the granite and was on the border between Vichy and occupied France. It originally asked to be included in Charente as the closest large town was Confolens but this was refused and it was attached to Civray and now with Mauprevoir and St. Martin l'Ars forms the smallest canton in the department of La Vienne.
It can trace its history back to Availya, the King of Aquitaine in 418. But, its first appearance on a map is 1420 when it was called Availhe Limosine with an "S" not the "Z" as now.
The area has been inhabited since Gaulo-Roman times and there remain many dolmens as evidence. Up until 1350 it was occupied by the "English" and it was during this period that the first bridge across the Vienna was destroyed. This is still marked by the Porte sur la Vienne and the huddle of streets which mark the site of the old Chateau.
Les Fonts Salées
These springs rich in mineral deposits have been known since at least 1615 when King Louis XIII took them for his health. In 1850 a Pharmacist from Civray compared them to other sources and concluded that they equal or superior to the mineral water from Baden in Germany. There is talk of developing them again as an additional source of income for the village. At present they are just an overgrown disused quarry - so you will have to use your imagination.
DévalKart
In 2000 the commune installed a down hill track for wheeled karts. They start at the top and continue to the bottom as you would expect but they can go quite quickly under their own power. When you come you should try them.
Porte sur la Vienne
The site of the original chateau is marked by this group of streets going down
to the river from the Marie. With names like la rue des Cavaliers du Roi
where the cavalry of the king were lodged and rue des Douves, meaning moat, the shape of the old Chateau is clearly defined. This is shown
in the diagram below.
The picture is of the entrance leading to the river.
Marie
The most important administrative building in the Commune. From here the mayor and the administrative staff run the commune and maintain the records (from the Revolution to the present day. It is not a distinguished building but very typical of Maries in the area. Its position however is attractive, being in the square opposed the original fortified entrance to the Chateau.
Church
Set in a square in which the old and sometimes the younger members of the community play boules. Just be careful of parking your car here as the throwing of heavy metal balls in search of a small ball called a cochon (or pig) takes precedence.
Our house
When you arrive and wish to collect the key to Les Rimaudes then this is where you come. It is a house with a steep roof and rendered with red crepi. It is behind a black metal fence.
Les Rimaudes
This is in fact the name of a small community of houses but we have also used it as the name for our gite. You can go directly to the gite from here