Bellac combines religious art and theatre with trails in the Vincou valley. This gives you a choice of different themes when planning your trip: a stay focused on museums, performances and the town’s history, or time by the river and on the trails. The cultural programme has clearly stated seasons; an appointment is required for an introductory fishing session.
Art and town history
The Châsse de Bellac is a unique reliquary from around 1130, attributed to the workshops of Limoges. Twelve enamelled copper medallions adorn the piece. Its date, attribution and design give the reliquary a distinctive place in Bellac’s heritage. La Digitale, the interactive and immersive museum in Jean Giraudoux’s birthplace, explores his work and life. The “Secrets d'Etat(s)” escape game focuses on the writer’s final moments.
Buildings and fortifications also tell the story of the town’s development. Bellac’s stone fortification walls enclosed 19 towers or bastions. The Pont de la Pierre dates from the 13th century, is associated with the development of the former castle, and connects the Chapterie district. At the foot of the fortified rock stands Le séchoir à peaux, a former tannery drying shed. Those interested in religious architecture will find Notre Dame de Lorette on the Saint-Sauveur spur: the chapel has a Neo-Gothic façade and a 25-metre-high granite spire.
Theatre and festival
From September to June, the Théâtre du Cloître presents a multidisciplinary programme of live theatre, music, dance and circus performances. The Festival National de Bellac is also held there every year; its programme includes theatre, dance, circus, street arts and music. The two details provide different guidance: the theatre season is specified, while the festival is described as an annual event.
Exploring the Vincou
Bellac’s riverside includes a landscaped park at the foot of the medieval town. The Rives du Vincou picnic area is on the riverbank; nearby are a motorhome parking area, a children’s playground and a medieval bridge. These riverside spaces offer another way to make time for the Vincou part of your trip.
Le sentier des moulins is a short circular walk of about two hours along the hillside overlooking the Vincou valley. It passes the old road to Mortemart and the slopes of Chapterie and Saint-Sauveur. Le chemin des diligences starts along the scenic banks of the Vincou and follows the route of the former royal road from Bellac to Limoges. It goes via Saint-Sauveur to the Notre Dame de Lorette chapel. The two routes therefore differ in the landmarks described: one has an approximate duration and the valley slopes, while the other follows a former road and ends at the chapel.
Another activity on the water is the introductory fishing sessions run by AAPPMA de Bellac, which have been available since 2017. Individual lessons are offered by appointment; the meeting point is Parc Aimé Vallat, on the banks of the Vincou in Vieux Bellac. For local visitor information, the Haut Limousin tourist office is located on Bellac’s main road, which connects Limoges, Poitiers and Guéret.
Choose when to travel and where to stay
If a theatre performance or the festival is important to your trip, take the event dates into account when planning. An appointment is required for the introductory fishing session; the circular walk takes about two hours, giving you an approximate duration for planning. This lets you match your interests to the actual seasons and conditions stated before finalising your stay.
Discover more destinations: Arnac-La-Poste, Saint-Auvent, Pierre-Buffière, Darnac, Châlus, Le Chalard, La Croisille Sur Briance, Magnac-Laval.
For the wider travel overview: Haute-Vienne.
