Geocaching

A fun and free way of exploring the Limousin. 

Geocaching is a high tech outdoor treasure hunt for adventurers of all ages. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches (or "caches"). All you need to play is a smartphone or GPS to navigate to the cache. If you do not own a GPS, you can rent one for €4.00 in one of 50 participating Tourist Offices in the Limousin.

Here are just some of the caches in the Limousin:

How to play:

1. Select a cache to hunt for with your choice of difficulty / terrain. The official geocaching website has 357 geocaches in the Limousin, there are 850 here or the Terra Aventura site has an original version of Geocaching unique to the Limousin, which uses riddles to guide the player to the cache via sights of interest.
2. Use your GPS-enabled device to navigate to the coordinates given on the cache page.
3. Find the geocache! Caches vary greatly in size, anywhere from a 35mm film cannister to a large bucket and may be hidden in the unlikeliest places, for example, underwater on in a hollowed out tree. The size of the cache is given on the cache page.
4. Sign the logbook and return it to the cache. A geocache always contains a logbook and larger caches sometimes contain items left by other visitors to the cache. You may take something from the cache provided you leave something of equal or greater value. Do not leave food.
5. Return the cache to where you found it. Make sure no-one's watching!
6. Log your experience online. This helps the geocaching community keep up to date with the status of caches and in some cases, lets the cache owner know that the cache may have been removed.

Terra Aventura

Terra Aventura is Limousin's version of Geocaching, using riddles which take you around local sights in order to find the cache. In each cache, is a collectible badge depicting a small character called a Poï’z. There are 8 Poï’z to collect. There are also bad Poï’z - if you come across one of these, take it to the nearest tourist office where you will be awarded a medal and prize!

There are 60 routes to choose from, written in English and French.

Here is an example route, which can be found here on the Terra Aventura site:

PAUL, THE LOST PILGRIM

Cache theme :Medieval

Level :

Terrain :

Length : 1h-2h

Cache size :

Distance :2 km

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In the year 1322, during the Hundred Years War, on their way to Santiago de Compostela, Paul and Zéroïk got caught in a battle between the French and the English at the foot of the ramparts. Paul’s head was seriously wounded and though he survived, he could no longer remember which way to go. He died in La Souterraine after having wandered there for a long time, and was buried in the town’s cemetery without having carried out his mission… It is said that his soul still wanders through the town, looking for a sign that will lead him in the right direction.
Find Paul the lost pilgrim’s cache and help him find the sign that will lead him to Santiago de Compstela !
In the small medieval town of La Souterraine, Paul the lost pilgrim’s trail leads participants into a maze of streets to discover particular places : symbolic monuments such as the porte Saint-Jean or Puycharraud (gateways), picturesque buildings such as les “Bains Douches” or “ la lanterne des morts (lantern of the deceased) … All these sites have a story to tell including the one about the Santiago de Compostela pilgrims...

1. DEPARTURE SPOT : LA SOUTERRAINE’S TOURIST OFFICE, PLACE DE LA GARE (N 46°14,384’ / E 001°29,486’)

2. LA CHAPELLE DU COUVENT (THE CONVENT CHAPEL)
(N 46°14,258’ / E 001°29,388’)

The clue is at the top of the steps : the "Sauveur" (Savior) will show you which side to look… Write down this number which will be an equivalent of « A ». A=_____

« There’s a type of church along the street. It is the Sauveur convent chapel. Even though they both have bell towers, the difference between a church and a convent is that convents are inhabited. Not very long ago, it still was inhabited by a community of nuns called "les sœurs du Sauveur", who had settled here in the 19th century to care for the poor. »

The « Sauveur » (savior), is actually « Christ » who, in Christianism, was seated at the table among the apostles. You can see a sculpture of Christ surrounded by children above the convent’s entrance . Go to the next spot (N 46°14,160’ / E 001°29,184’) and answer the riddle .

Which letter is written on the wall of the Bains-Douches ? This letter is the equivalent of « 3 ». 3=_____

« Pilgrims used to stop over in La Souterraine because they knew they could rest and repair their belongings there. One pilgrim even created bains-douches (a place to wash up) for them ; we would give them directions by saying : you’ll find me beneath the porch. »

3. LA PORTE SAINT-JEAN (GATEWAY) (N 46°14,230’ / E 001°29,192’)

To find the keys to the St Jean gateway, please ask for them in the « bar du Marché ».

What number can the prisoner see when he gets out of jail ? Write down this number which will be an equivalent of « B ». B=_____

Next, head to the watchtower. There is a hallway on ground level that used to cross over to the other side of the gateway. On the 2nd floor, there is a room that used to be the town’s prison : not an easy place to escape… On the 3rd floor, there is a large type of platform where you could watch over the town.

4. LA PLACE DE L'EGLISE (THE CHURCH SQUARE)
(46°14,242’ / E 001°29,200’)

How many birds would the cat like to capture ? … If only it could move. Write down this number which will be an equivalent of « D ». D=_____

5. LA PORTE DU PUYCHARRAUD (GATEWAY) (N 46°14,208’ / E 001°29,000’)

By the Puycharraud gateway is a remarkable and unique house, « la maison du Sénéchal ». Find its number. Write down this number which will be an equivalent of « E ». E=_____

« "La maison du Sénéchal" was built after gutters were created. This means it is located on the other side of the ramparts… Nowadays, the gutters have disappeared, but if you look at the street names… »

6. LA PLACE E. PARRAIN (N 46°14,312’ / E 001°29,024’)

Depending on the weather, this pointer shows time going by. But it also indicates the pole behind which a number is hiding. Which number is it ? Write down this number which will be an equivalent of « F ». F=_____

7. LA CACHE !

« You’re getting closer, your quest is almost over, but will you be able to find the cache ? »

In order to find the cache’s exact coordinates, replace the letters in the coordinates below by the numbers you found on your way and enter them into your GPS. Cache coordinates : N (FX2)6° (A+C), 449 / E 001° (D)9, 04(B+E)'

Congratulations, you have just finished the quest ! See you again soon for more adventures with the Poï’z !

« Attention geocaching friends ! No need to lift rocks, pick walls apart, or uproot plants ... the cache is most likely there, right before your eyes! Remember that your quest must remain environmentally friendly ! Thank-you ! »

Contact :

OFFICE DE TOURISME DU PAYS SOSTRANIEN Place de la Gare 23300 La Souterraine Tél :  05 55 63 10 06