Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park

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The Périgord-Limousin Regional Nature Park (French: Parc naturel régional Périgord-Limousin) was founded on March 9, 1998. It consists of 78 municipalities in the Dordogne and Haute-Vienne departments and covers an area of ​​1800 km² and a settlement area of ​​49,661 inhabitants.

geography

Park outline in red

The Regional Nature Park comprised five cantons from the Dordogne department (until 2015) and now consists of three:

As well as 5 cantons from the Haute-Vienne department (until 2015), currently only two:

In addition to the 78 founding communities, there are six more that are associated with the park as access points. They are:

In addition, the Lacs de Haute-Charente area in the Charente department , with its two reservoirs Lac de Lavaud and Lac du Mas Chaban, has entered into an association with the park.

The park administration is based in a former smithy in the municipality of La Coquille , in the village of La Barde ( 45 ° 33 ′ 24 ″  N , 1 ° 0 ′ 14 ″  E, Coordinates: 45 ° 33 ′ 24 ″  N , 1 ° 0 ′ 14 ″  O ) while the visitor center is in Pageas .

Landscapes

The source of the Dronne in the granite massif of Nexon-Les Cars in the eastern part of the nature park

The altitude in the nature park ranges from 85 meters on the Nizonne near La Rochebeaucourt-et-Argentine to 556 meters near Courbefy, southeast of Bussière-Galant . The nature park therefore includes several types of landscape, such as bogs near Champagnac-la-Rivière , bocage , wet meadows along watercourses, and chestnut and oak forests. There are heathland and dry meadows south of Mareuil . There are also numerous ponds and smaller lakes in the park. It is traversed by smaller rivers, most of which originate in it. These include Arthonnet , Bandiat , Charente , Côle , Dronne , Gorre , Grêne , Nizonne and Tardoire . The Isle is the only river in the park that has its source outside the park.

The rivers belong to three catchment areas : the Dordogne south of the park, the Vienne in the north and the Charente in the north-west.

climate

The climate is temperate , however, there are in some cases strong site-specific differences. In the north-east of the park there is generally a continental climate , but in the south-west an Atlantic climate . A few favored slopes can even boast a sub-Mediterranean climate .

To illustrate, the climate data from a weather station near Milhaguet (altitude 354 meters above sea level) in the Haute-Vienne department (average values ​​over the last five years).

Temperature distribution in ° C :

The annual mean temperature for the last 5 years was 11.1 ° C, with an annual rainfall of 1053.6 millimeters. It should be noted that the last few years have been exceptionally humid.

geology

Cones of rays from the Rochechouart-Chassenon crater

Geologically, the nature park belongs to two very different terrains : the main part northeast of the line Varaignes - Nontron - Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière - Thiviers is part of the Variscan basement of the Massif Central . The much smaller southwest part is built up from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of the Aquitaine Basin . The boundary between the two terrans is usually marked by major disturbances , which are expressed in height differences. The basement is usually much higher than the sediments of the basin.

The basement consists mainly of gneisses , mica schist , granitoids , and occasionally amphibolites and serpentinites . The sedimentary rocks begin with a transgression in the Lias ( conglomerates , arkoses , dolomites , slate clays ), during the Great Dane a limestone reef consisting of ooids formed and dense, fine-grained fossil limestone was deposited in the Malm . Then the sea withdrew. Only in the Upper Cretaceous, in the Cenomanium , did the sea return and sediment fossil-rich chalk limestone as far as the Maastrichtian . The last regression took place at the end of the chalk . Since then, the area of ​​the nature park has been continental. In connection with the mountain formation processes of the Alps and in particular the Pyrenees , the basement of the Massif Central experienced a significant rise in the period from the Eocene to the Oligocene . As a result, there was relief rejuvenation and the pouring of conglomerates and sandstones , which extend far out of the massif as elongated fans. Since the Pleistocene , erosion activity has increased again due to the various ice ages - the Dronne has lowered its course downstream from Brantôme by 100 meters since the beginning of the Pleistocene .

A geological peculiarity in the nature park is the impact of a meteorite near Rochechouart in the Upper Triassic (about 214 million years ago). It left a crater with a diameter of more than 21 kilometers and destroyed all life in a wide area. Nothing remains of the actual crater, mainly ejecta breccias, suevites and cones of rays can still be seen .

Minerals in the natural park

Massive lead gloss from a quartz vein of the fine-grained, hornblende-leading Piégut-Pluviers-Granodiorite . Mine du Cantonnier , southeast of Nontron .
Wulfenite

Besides the common minerals quartz , alkali feldspar , plagioclase , biotite , muscovite , and calcite , dolomite and gypsum , there are also some less common steps such as actinolite , Allanit , andalusite , antigorite , apatite , arsenopyrite , barite , galena , cassiterite , chalcedony , chalcopyrite , chlorite , chromite , chrysotile , cordierite , kyanite ( kyanite ), epidote , goethite , garnet , graphite , hematite , hornblende , ilmenite , kaolinite , Klinopyroxen , limonite , magnetite , manganite , marcasite , montmorillonite , prehnite , Psilomelan , pyrite , pyrolusite , pyrrhotite , rutile , Sillimanite , sphalerite , staurolite , titanite , tourmaline and zircon . There are also very rare minerals such as angelsite , autunite , beryl , cerussite , covellin , greenockite , crocoite , nontronite , pyromorphite , scheelite , silver , stibnite and wulfenite as well as extremely rare minerals such as torbernite ( chalcolite ), dundasite , embreyite , hisingerite , leadhillite , Mimetite , ozokerite and vauquelinite .

raw materials

Ultra-pure quartz from Saint-Paul-la-Roche

A curiosity is an ultra-pure occurrence of quartz near Saint-Paul-la-Roche with parallel C-surfaces forming a C / S structure. The unusual structure was originally associated with the meteorite impact at Rochechouart , but it turned out to be of purely tectonic origin. The deposit is now totally exhausted due to the intense demand from the computer industry and NASA .

In Nontron and Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière was in the last two centuries in veins of lead , silver and zinc mined. Iron was formerly extracted from smaller deposits in the iron-bearing deposits of the Tertiary, the so-called " Sidèrolithique ". At its base there are manganese-rich layers as karst fillers, the basis for mining for manganese , which has also been discontinued.

The following metals are also known, but they have never been commercially mined:

  • Antimony - in the pyrite at Bussière-Galant
  • Gold - in arsenopyrite at Bussière-Galant
  • Copper - in Chalcopyrite and Covellin near Saint-Pierre-de-Frugie
  • Uranium - in the autunit and chalcolite near Saint-Saud-Lacoussière
  • Wolfram - in the Scheelit near Montibus, Mialet municipality
  • Tin - in the cassiterite at Cussac

Many smaller pegmatite deposits were used in the local porcelain factory .

In the Piégut-Pluviers-Granodiorit there was once a quarry that extracted decorative door and window stones. The clay stones from the Toarcium used to be the raw material for many smaller brickworks. The relatively soft chalk limestone from the Turonium was formerly quarried in many smaller quarries; it was a very popular building block. Today, however, all these mining activities have come to a standstill, there are still isolated quarries in the park, but they only produce quarries, gravel and lime powder for agriculture.

flora

Bee ragwort

The nature park has very different biotopes and therefore has a very varied flora, the orchids with 25 previously known species are remarkable . There are growing Atlantic bluebells , honeysuckle , Poppy , Mullein , cornflower , marsh gentian , mints , Geum , Sundew (a carnivorous plant), horsetail , celandine and Solomon's seal . Among the orchids are calling bee orchid , fly orchid , spotted orchid , Green hollow tongue , anacamptis and Bug orchid .

There are also many mushrooms that thrive , including the highly valued porcini mushrooms , dead trumpet , truffles and cultivated mushrooms .

Trees and bushes include: apple , sweet chestnut , oak , common ash , common robinia , elder , medlar , blackthorn and walnut tree .

fauna

Over 40 species of mammals live in the nature park , including pine marten , badger , squirrel , European mink , otter , fox , garden dormouse , gorse cat , roe deer , red deer , hedgehog , stone marten and wild boar .

The only bats have 12 species, including greater horseshoe bat , whiskered bat , the lesser horseshoe bat , long-eared bats , Barbastelle and dwarf bats .

Migrating cranes

The birds are represented with 110 species, including great spotted woodpecker , jackdaw , kingfisher , black redstart , hen harrier , cuckoo , buzzard , nightingale , partridge , robin , barn owl , swallow , black kite , black woodpecker , little owl , common rail , kestrel , wasp buzzard , hoopoe , shrike and goat . The nature park is also on the migration route of the cranes .

There are 12 species of reptiles in the park, including the aspic viper , wall lizard , grass snake and western green lizard .

The amphibians can also have 12 species, for example common toad , European tree frog , fire salamander , common frog , marble newt and agile frog .

The fish include brook lamprey , minnow , trout and bullhead .

Countless invertebrates are also present, such as insects such as crickets , stag beetles , short-feeler terrors , long-feeler terrors , dragonflies , dung beetles and butterflies, as well as jackdaws and freshwater pearl mussels .

  • European mink

  • Pipistrelle

  • Aspic viper

  • Marble pig

Prehistory and early history

Dolmen of La Jalinie near Saint-Jory-de-Chalais
Chez-Moutaud dolmen in St-Auvent

The area of ​​the nature park has been inhabited by ( Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals ) since the early Paleolithic . More than 1200 stone tools and cuts found near Vayres prove the presence of people from 300,000 years BP ( Acheuléen ) to the Neolithic . The numerous remains discovered near Montoume (municipality of Chéronnac ) (more than 3000 individual finds) attest to the Middle Paleolithic , Upper Paleolithic , Mesolithic and Neolithic. In this context, the numerous abrises , grottos and caves in the valley of the Bandiat , the Dronne , the Nizonne , the Tardoire and the Trincou , which were used from the Moustérien to the Magdalenian , should be mentioned. Examples for this are:

  • Brouillaud near La Tour-Blanche - Moustérien and Aurignacien
  • Font-Bargeix near La Chapelle-Montmoreau - Magdalenia
  • Fronsac near Vieux-Mareuil - Magdalenia
  • Jovelle near La-Tour-Blanche - engravings of ibex and mammoth - Périgordia ?
  • La Peyzie near La Tour-Blanche - Magdalenia and Azily
  • La Tabaterie at La Gonterie-Boulouneix , Abri from the Paleolithic, just outside the park
  • Puyrignac near Champeaux-et-la-Chapelle-Pommier
  • Rebières near Brantôme - several abrises and caves are just outside the park
  • Villars - with 30 engravings and cave paintings (blue horse, ibex, hunter attacked by bison), 17,000 to 15,000 BC BC, early Magdalenian
  • Sandougne at La Tour-Blanche - Moustérien
  • Teyjat - engravings of bison, deer, horses and reindeer - late Magdalenian, around 10,000 BC Chr.

The Neolithic sites of Montoume and Nouaillas near Vayres (outdoor settlements) come from arable farmers; for example, cut stone axes, arrowheads, scrapers and whetstones made of quartz or metamorphic slate have been found here.

Peyrelevade dolmen near Brantôme

Later, the first dolmens and menhirs were built in the park. Examples of dolmens are:

Fixard menhir

The menhirs include:

The dolmens and menhirs were built around 3500 BC. And are attributed to the Artenac culture . You will be accompanied by numerous stone tools such as knives, arrowheads and whetstones. Undecorated and decorated ceramic remains also occur.

The Bronze Age complex at Chalat near Vayres has so far revealed only insignificant remains.

The Early Iron Age between 700 and 450 BC Is occupied by several burial mounds and a necropolis . Examples for this are:

Iron fibers and knives were found as grave goods, which were in geometrically decorated urns together with the ashes of the deceased.

The thermal baths of Chassenon

A villa at Nontronneau near Nontron comes from Roman times . One of the sights is the thermal complex of Cassinomagus near Chassenon in the Charente department, but it is already a bit outside the territory of the nature park. The natural park is also crossed by the Roman road Via Agrippa ( Limoges - Saintes ).

A necropolis near La Blancherie dates back to the Merovingian period ( 6th century ) (municipality of Paussac-et-Saint-Vivien , just outside the park).

Attractions

  • The Saut du Chalard - rapids of the Dronne near Champs-Romain

  • Saint-Pierre-de-Brantôme Abbey in Brantôme

  • Montbrun Castle near Dournazac

  • Châlus-Chabrol Castle in Châlus

  • Châlus-Maulmont Castle in Châlus

  • Saint-Sauveur church in Rochechouart

  • Courbefy chapel not far from the highest point in the nature park near Bussière-Galant

  • Mareuil Castle

  • Lac de Lavaud reservoir

  • Château de Richemont castle in Saint-Crépin-de-Richemont

  • Umilhac Castle in Jumilhac-le-Grand

  • Tower of the Piégut

  • Les Bernardières Castle near Champeaux-et-la-Chapelle-Pommier

  • Bussière-Galant reservoir

  • Lac du Mas Chaban reservoir

  • Rochechouart Castle in Rochechouart

  • Les Cars Castle in Les Cars

  • Brie Castle near Champagnac-la-Rivière

  • Church of St-Eutrope in Les Salles-Lavauguyon

  • Treasure chest from Flavignac

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Website with climate data from Philip Eden
  2. ↑ Chèvremont, P., Floch, JP, Ménillet, F., Stussi, JM, Delbos, R., Sauret, B., Blès, JL, Courbe, C. and Vuaillat, D. (1996). Carte géologique de la France à 1/50000, Feuille Rochechouart. BRGM éditions.
  3. ↑ Merimée database of the Ministry of Culture

swell

  • Aubarbier, JL, Binet, M., Bouchard, JP and Guichard, G. (1991). Aimer la Préhistoire en Périgord. Editions Ouest-France. ISBN 2-7373-0786-4
  • Chèvremont, P., Floch, JP, Ménillet, F., Stussi, JM, Delbos, R., Sauret, B., Blès, JL, Courbe, C. and Vuaillat, D. (1996). Carte géologique de la France à 1/50000, Feuille Rochechouart. BRGM éditions.
  • Les minéraux de Nontron. Le Règne Minéral, Novembre / Décembre, Munich 2008

Web links

Commons : Périgord-Limousin Regional Natural Park  - Collection of images, videos and audio files