Chateau de Poinsouze--- Second report--- Fishing site
BP12-Route de la Chatre
F23600 Boussac-Bourg
(between Montlucon and Gueret)
Limousin Region
France

Tel: (33) 05 55 65 02 21
Fax: (33) 05 55 65 86 49

E-mail: info@camping-de-poinsouze.com
Web site: www.camping-de-poinsouze.com/index.html

That old record by Belinda Carlisle is called "Heaven is a place on earth"
- - - I think I just found it deep in the Limousin region of France.

I can’t describe the peace and tranquillity and quietness of the site in words. I write this from my pitch as I look out over the lake and across the fields. Half a dozen people are fishing and I cannot hear a solitary thing apart from the odd bottle "chink" from the next pitch. But then I return the compliment a few minutes later! The site is maybe a third full. Last weekend it was busy as there was a motorcycle trials championship on in the village down the road. But the site was no noisier. At nine o’clock the sun will set at the top of the lake and the fishermen will go back to their caravans and the quiet will be even quieter.

Where am I? Chateau de Poinsouze just north of Boussac. Run by Claudine and her family. The site lies in the meadow to the left of the chateau that is the family home. After checking in at reception we were shown to our pitch that as you can see from the photo is huge. In the UK it could have been at least 2 CC pitches. Hedging delineates the pitches but as the site is young much of this is not fully-grown so there is not a great deal of shade. As usual in Europe there are no rules about how to pitch. The space is yours so spread out how you like. I took advantage of the gap in the hedge to arrange it so we could sit and look over the lake and chateau from our awning. Poinsouze is a member of the Les Castels chain.

There are some 150 touring pitches, 2 log cabins at the head of the lake and a couple of dozen mobile homes for hire.
Electric hook ups vary from 6 to 16 amps. All pitches are of good quality. Some slope slightly down to the lake so levelling blocks may be required especially if you want to pitch sideways on. Most have water and waste point and some also have sewage points. Access roads round the site are excellent. The overall appearance is of an extremely well cared for site. We were there in the last two weeks in June and grass and hedge cutting was in evidence ready for the season proper on 1 July. The Camping cheque pitches are set a little back from the lake and are 6 amp. We paid a small supplement for 10 amp and the huge pitch.

The sanitary facilities are housed centrally on the site in a custom building and contain male/female toilets and showers, washing machines and drier, ironing facilities, dishwashing and clothes washing facilities. The only comment that needs making is that you think Caravan Club site facilities are clean! I honestly do not think I ever went in and did not find someone in there cleaning. They are a real credit to the site owners.

A short walk from the site over to the Chateau area you will find the restaurant, takeaway, shop, bar (photo) and pool areas.
The restaurant is open twice a week [in low season] and offers a fixed menu at €18. This is highly recommended. The food is all fresh and beautifully prepared and presented. The bar and pool surroundings are very pleasant and a sun trap during the day.
The shop sells basics and is open late afternoon in low season and morning and afternoon in the main season. However there is a very good Champion supermarket five minutes away in Boussac for all the main supplies. We found the wine in this supermarket to be cheaper than further North. Other facilities include a football & basketball pitches and of course boules, and an enclosed children’s playground. The pool area has a paddling pool and slide in addition to the proper pool. And then of course there is the fishing. I don’t fish but certainly a lot of people on the site had gone there specifically for the fishing. There are Carp, Pike, and Tench in the lake. Fishing is free. But you have to put them back. Claudine is very proud of her fish. And when the campsite lights come on in the evening the fishing stops!

The surrounding area is very pretty. Being not far from the Massif Central it is quite high. The site is some 1600 feet above sea level. There are some lovely villages, the most notable of which are La Souteraine, La Chatre and Culan. Limoges is an hour or so away and Chatearoux is not far.

Overall this is an extremely good, well-run, full facility site, passionately cared for by its owners and kept to very high standards in all departments.

Directions:
Route planners take you various ways but some are twisty. The most direct route and the best roads in my opinion are:
From Vierzon take the A20 to Chateauroux. Leave autoroute at J12 and take the D 67 & D943 towards La Chatre and Montlucon. After passing through La Chatre Keep to the D943 for 5.5 Km and then turn right on the D917 towards Boussac. The site is on the right about 2Km before Boussac and is well signposted.

David Cuff. CLIC. July 2004

Chateau de Poinsouze--- Fishing site
BP12-Route de la Chatre
F23600 Boussac-Bourg
(between Montlucon and Gueret)
Limousin Region
France

Tel: (33) 05 55 65 02 21
Fax: (33) 05 55 65 86 49

E-mail: info@camping-de-poinsouze.com
Web site: www.camping-de-poinsouze.com/index.html

Chateau de Poinsouze is a medium sized modern campsite in the North East of Creuse, close to the borders with Allier, Indre and Cher, about a couple of miles from the small town of Boussac.
The owners are welcoming and speak excellent English; you can get English (and German) papers.
There is a small shop which sells bread and the usual bits and pieces.

There is a variety of on site entertainments; a small heated swimming pool with waterslide; a play area; and a boating lake with boats available for hire.
The facilities are very clean and there are plenty of them for the site.

It is a quiet campsite and is closed to vehicles at about 10pm; there is parking for late arrivers, but it is a short walk down the drive to the campsite from the gate.

Boussac is a little bit off the beaten track, not being a touristy area, but we found plenty to occupy ourselves both off and on site. A good family site.

Paul Robson. Internet. July 2006

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