AUBUSSON is 90km east of Limoges and served by regular buses and trains. A neat grey-stone town in the bottom of a ravine formed by the River Creuse, it's of no great interest in itself. What makes it unique is its reputation as a centre for weaving tapestries, second only to the Gobelins in Paris. If you're interested, you should aim for the Musée Départemental de la Tapisserie in avenue des Lissiers (July & Aug Mon & Wed–Sun 10am–6pm, Tues 2–6pm; Sept–June daily except Tues 9am–noon & 2–6pm; €3.05), which traces the history of Aubusson tapestries over six centuries, coming up to the modern day with works by Jean Lurçat, Pierre Baudouin and Sylvain Dubuisson. The Maison du Tapissier next to the tourist office (same hours as tourist office; €2.60) is also worth a quick look for its broad overview of weaving techniques and local history displayed in the sixteenth-century home of a master weaver.For information about further exhibitions and workshop visits, ask at the tourist office in rue Vieille (July & Aug Mon–Sat 10am–7pm, Sun 10am–noon & 2.30–5.30pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9.30am–12.30pm & 2.30–5.30pm; tel 05.55.66.32.12). The smartest hotel in town is the Hôtel de France at 6 rue des Déportés (tel 05.55.66.10.22, fax 05.55.66.88.64; €40–55), with elegant rooms and a very good restaurant (menus from €15). There are also two good, inexpensive places in the main Grande-Rue: the friendly Du Chapitre, at no. 53 (tel 05.55.66.18.54, fax 05.55.67.79.63; €30–40), and the older but well-kept Du Lissier, at no. 84 (tel 05.55.66.14.18, fax 05.55.66.33.87; €30–40; closed Mon eve & Sun; restaurant from €11.50). The town's campsite (tel 05.55.66.18.00, fax 05.55.66.12.20; closed Oct–March), is by the river on the Felletin road.
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