Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne sits in a wooded valley on the banks of the famous river
The Empty Diagonal F
You can find la vie douce in two peaceful and rural departments along France’s midpoint: Creuse and Corrèze are a little piece of paradise, writes Joanna Leggett
rance has many ways of describing itself. Because of its somewhat six-
sided shape, it’s known as l’Hexagone. Another term that’s used to describe a wide swathe of the country is the ‘Empty Diagonal’. ‘Empty’ is a little misleading. Much of this ‘pathway’ running right through central France is lush, beautiful and full of its own culture; rich in food, history, landscapes – and property. The ‘diagonal’ is a band
running from the departments of Les Landes, in the southwest near Spain, to the Meuse, close to Belgium and Luxembourg. It’s a fairly recent phenomenon in the country’s history and dates from the time when artisans and others seeking fortune left their rural homes. Tourist maps have tended not
to highlight these areas, despite there being much to see and do there. These departments follow a more traditional, peaceful way of French country life – the France of our dreams: la vie douce. The rural exodus dated from the early 19th century when
countryfolk moved to cities, Paris in particular, spurred on by industrialisation or perceived urban glamour – someone had to build it! For centuries, the City of
Light attracted money, talent and opportunities like few, if any, other European capitals. In fact, it had its genesis during the reign of Louis XIV, when he drew nobility to his ‘home base’ Versailles, to us. Servants, cooks, gardeners, builders and skilled artisans were all needed and people came from all over France. Two quiet and deeply
rural departments lie in this
‘Diagonal’. The Creuse and Corrèze are located in the Limousin (now part of the larger Nouvelle-Aquitaine region), south of the ‘central point’ of France in the old Berry province. And what pleasure and treasure they provide.
TOWNS FOR LIVING IN Importantly, housing here tends to be far better value. Villages and small towns buzz with life as inhabitants use them to live in, rather than racing to modern shopping precincts, supermarkets and chain stores. People here still shop locally; you can enter into a discussion
at the butcher’s about how your meat might be cooked, buy seasonal vegetables at bustling markets and talk with neighbours in the boulangerie when seeking baguettes and a suitable tarte aux pommes or gâteau for the Sunday repas. General stores provide a wide
range of goods and when you do need a bigger supermarket and major shops, they’re never far away. It’s also easily accessed with airports at Limoges and, seasonally, at Brive-la-Gaillarde in the Corrèze, as well as train networks to Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and more. With a gentler pace of life,
people have time for one another. Sitting watching the parade of shoppers at a handily positioned café beside a market with a steaming hot coffee and perhaps a pain au chocolat is one of the simpler, and delightful, pleasures of life in France, and the Creuse and Corrèze have many to patronise. Usually by coffee time at
Aubusson is famed worldwide for its beautiful carpets and tapestries 38 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS:March/April 2025
any country market, I’ll have a basket groaning in protest, laden with fresh seasonal veg and no doubt some plants, especially if there’s a stall (or
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