When you visit a furnished castle in France, one of the first things you will notice is the wall decoration. The walls are usually decorated with tapestries, gobulins or aubussons. The last two names are derived from famous workshops where tapestries were made. The name gobelin is derived from the village of Gobelins near Paris. The term aubusson refers to the region around Aubusson and nearby Felletin. Tapestries are reminiscent of scenery used in theatre. They could be moved from one castle to another (the nobility often had a winter and a summer residence). Tapestries actually served as a kind of wallpaper with an additional insulating effect.

From the Middle Ages onwards, tapestries could be very large, depicting dozens of figures. They were often made in sets, so that an entire room could be hung with them. At this time, the tapestry was the largest and most expensive medium for two-dimensional figurative images (or "paintings"). Despite the rapid rise in importance of painting, it retained this position (status) in the eyes of many Renaissance owners until at least the end of the 16th century, if not beyond.

The marked route starts in the Limousin, because in this region the manufacture of French tapestries developed the most. Because to dye wool you use large quantities of good quality water and that was the main reason why Aubusson on the banks of the river Creuse was such an excellent location to establish the French tapestry industry.

The route begins with a visit to the castle of Boussac. This castle shows two faces in terms of tapestries. In the restored rooms, 'verdures' and other historical tapestries stand out. They were often made in the workshops of Aubusson. The other face of Boussac is the modern tapestries. The results of the revival of tapestry art can be seen in the large summer exhibitions, where often brightly coloured tapestries show surrealist and abstract styles.

On the way to Guéret, you will pass a remarkable and fascinating natural stone formation. This impressive place, also known as "The Jaumâtres Stones", is located near the village of Toulx-Sainte-Croix. There is also an observation tower, which can be accessed via a spiral staircase in the tower. Once at the top, you have a magnificent view over the center of France. You can walk around the top of the tower so that you have a 360 degree view. In clear weather you can see as far as the Puy de Dôme, near Clermont Ferrand.

The capital of the Creuse department, Guéret, indicates from the immense Place Bonnyaud with its dark buildings that administrative tasks are taken seriously.
The city is important because of the Museum of Art and Archaeology. This complex is surrounded by a beautiful park. The 17th century flourishing of tapestry art takes shape with large canvases. Another art form typical of the Limousin, enamel work, also receives all the attention. The town itself is not that special, but perfectly suitable for a cup of coffee. Nearby is the Labyrinthe Géant, the Giant Maze. It is the largest in the world that is accessible to the public and that consists entirely of corridors of shrubs and plants. Four and a half kilometres of corridors and passages, on a total surface of 2.2 hectares. To find your way through the maze, you have to answer the questions correctly. The tour through the maze takes about an hour.

The tapestry towns beckon, so back on the road along nice castles, abbeys, villages and towns. For example, the abbey church of Moutier d'Ahun is very worthwhile for a stopover because of the magnificent wood carvings. The altarpiece with screwed columns and the twenty-six choir stalls, decorated with carved motifs, really evoke admiration.
The cheese town of Chénérailles is surrounded by lakes and houses a relief of rare class in the St Barthélémy church.

Before the Tapestry Route enters the town, you pass the castle of Villemonteix. This was built at a time when fortifications were no longer useful due to modern warfare. Castles increasingly became luxurious residences. This luxury is reflected in the early Renaissance decorations, the precious furniture and the tapestries. Cloths from Aubusson alternate with masterpieces from the Flemish Tapestry School (16th and 18th centuries). In addition, contemporary tapestries are hung for an exhibition of modern woven cloths.

The historic heart of tapestry-making France is undoubtedly Aubusson, a town on the Creuse river, which drapes its houses against a hill. With Felletin, Aubusson had the famous tapestry workshops. The 'verdures' made here were in great demand. From the end of the 16th century, mythology found its way onto the canvases. These heroic canvases were also ordered many times. It was only after the French Revolution that the tapestry makers of Aubusson began to have a harder time. In order to earn some money, they turned to copying paintings. After the Second World War, tapestry art experienced a revival. Visit the Manifacture Royale and the Maison de Tapissier (house of the weaver) here.

Limousin's other carpet town is situated on the edge of the Plateau de Millevaches, an inaccessible plateau of the Massif Central. With the medieval bridge of Roby, the Gothic bell tower of the church and the old buildings in the centre, time seems to have stood still in Felletin, the eternal second when it comes to carpet production. However, it was here and not in Aubusson that the art of tapestry originated. Not so long ago, the largest carpet in the world (22 x 12 m) was also made here. This gigantic cloth adorns the cathedral of Coventry in England. The Pinton studio was responsible for the gigantic work. In the high season, a collection of carpets can be admired in the Église du Château. The carpet route ends here.