Travelling to the Limousin by road is easy using the excellent motorway network. Although the majority of motorways are toll roads, the A20 from Vierzon to the South and Limoges is free. The motorways have frequent rest areas and excellent service facilities although these are generally busy between the hours of 12 and 2pm. when just about all of France stops for lunch. You can take advantage of this and make good headway on the roads during these times. Allow extra journey time during July / August when the French take their holidays. During this period try to avoid the motorways in the vicinity of Paris.

From Calais / Boulogne
From Calais or Boulogne take the A16 motorway to Abbeville, then the A28 motorway to Rouen. Follow the ring road around Rouen following the signs for the A13. Take the A13 motorway heading east towards Paris. Leave the A13 at junction 19 following the A154 / N154 towards Evreux, Dreux, and then Chartres. After Chartres follow the route to Orleans. You can rejoin the motorway network on the A10 southbound just to the north of Orleans. After the toll booth at Orleans follow the A71 motorway to Vierzon then the A20 motorway towards Limoges.

From Caen
Take the A13 motorway heading east towards Paris. Leave the A13 at junction 19 following the A154 / N154 towards Evreux, Dreux, and then Chartres. After Chartres follow the route to Orleans. You can rejoin the motorway network on the A10 southbound just to the north of Orleans. After the toll booth at Orleans follow the A71 motorway to Vierzon then the A20 motorway towards Limoges. Using this route the motorway tolls amount to around 12 Euros each way. Under normal circumstances you should allow around 6 to 7 hours from disembarkation in Le Havre / Caen to arrival at Les Hirondelles. This route avoids Paris altogether. If anyone suggests you go via Paris then IGNORE THEM, they are evidently sadists!

From Cherbourg
Take N13 towards Caen then follow directions as from Caen.

From Roscoff
Head towards Rennes, Nantes then Poitiers. Follow the ring road around Poitiers and turn off on the N147 towards Limoges (easily missed!). Through Lussac les Chateaux towards Bellac. Before reaching Bellac take the D942 to Le Dorat and Magnac Laval. Through Magnac Laval continue 3 km then turn left at the T junction onto the N145. Follow this road then take the A20 motorway south towards Limoges.

From St. Malo
Head towards Rennes then follow directions as from Roscoff.

Directions to Les Hirondelles Holiday Cottages

From the North
Leave the A20 motorway south-bound at Junction 24, sign-posted Bersac / Lauriere. There is a T-junction at the end of the sliproad, turn left towards Bersac / Lauriere. Follow this road until you reach the village of Bersac. At Bersac continue through the village square, the road bears around to the right and you will come to a T-junction with the church on the left. Turn left towards Lauriere (careful - the junction is on a blind bend).
Once you reach Lauriere continue through the village square to the T-junction, turn right towards Ambazac. Follow this road for approximately 2½ miles through Californie and up a long hill. On the brow of this hill is Col de la Roche. Turn left here and up the hill towards Jabrielles. After a few miles you will descend a steep hill to Contamine. At the T-junction turn left towards St. Goussaud. Follow this road for approximately 600 yards until you reach a fork in the road, bear right towards Le Cros.
As you descend into the hamlet you will pass a white house on the right, then a farmhouse and barns on the left. Immediately after is another farmhouse with a hedge and a road mirror mounted on the left wall- turn immediately right - this is a small steep turn and is easily missed. At the bottom of the small hill you will see Les Hirondelles farmstead, the courtyard and the haycart. There is a small gravel parking area on the left next to the garden entrance.