Travel | Champagnac summer music

How to travel to
Champagnac-la-Riviere

Champagnac-la-Riviere, (87150) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of western France.

The nearest airport is Limoges- Bellegarde (32km), train station Limoges-Benedictins (39km). From Calais it is a 722km drive.

By Train

Taking a train to Limoges, or Angoulême via the eurostar to Paris is a convenient travel option. There are fewer restrictions on baggage allowance, and can become more cost effective. It only takes a little longer than by plane if coming from the south of the UK, and we find the journey more enjoyable.

We use Trainline.com to book tickets for both Eurostar and trains from Paris as they ensure a correct transfer time from Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz if travelling to Limoges, or from Gare du Nord to Paris Montparnasse for onward travel to Angouleme.

It takes roughly 20 mins by Metro between to transfer to either mainline station, but of course allow a little longer.

By Plane

Ryanair is the principal airline flying directly to Limoges from the UK. They serve Leeds Bradford, Stansted, Bristol, Liverpool, East Midlands Manchester and London Stansted.

Another 'close' airport for Champagnac-la-Riviere is Bordeaux. From Bordeaux you can either drive to us which takes roughly 2.5 hours, or catch a train from Bordeaux to Angouleme (about 30 minutes).

If your local airport doesn't fly directly to Limoges or Bordeaux, another option is to fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle, and catch an internal flight to Bordeaux, or take a train from Paris to Limoges or Angouleme

By Car

Each airport has good hire car services, but if you fancy travelling from the UK to Champagnac-la-Riviere by car there are good ferry services from Dover and Portsmouth.

It's an easy 8 hour or rapid 7 hour drive from Calais, or around 6 hours from Le Havre.

From Calais you can opt to travel via Rouen, avoiding Paris and the toll roads, but it does take about 90 mins longer.

When driving to Champagnac we travel from Folkestone to Calais using Le Shuttle (Eurotunnel) as it's reliable and quick.

Transfers to Champagnac

We offer group transfers from Limoges airport and train station, and from Angouleme train station.

For this to be economical and efficient, we'll give departure time slots to accommodate everyone’s travel arrangements, to be announced soon.

Help and Advice

If all of this information feels a little too overwhelming please do get in touch and we can recommend a route best for you

A footnote about travelling with oboes by Alison

If you choose to fly to Limoges, do ensure you have booked enough hand luggage to put your oboes/cors in the overhead lockers. Some double cases may be a little larger than the allowed measurements, so please check your own case dimensions.

As a frequent oboe carrying flyer, I have never had my instruments removed from my hand luggage and put in the hold. I have had, at airport security, oboes turned upside down, reeds tipped on the floor, and my water pot confiscated. I do feel that things have eased, but I still get nervous when the white gloves are put on, and my instrument cases look like they are about to be opened. It's a difficult line to take, as if I look too nervous, I find that security guards are less inclined to let me open my own bags.

If my bag is requested to be checked, I try to explain, that inside is a valuable oboe, and could I demonstrate how to open the case to prevent damaging the contents. The same with reed boxes, explaining that if the contents were to be damaged during inspection, I wouldn't be able to perform. I do feel a bit silly saying that, but it is the truth.

9/10 times, the security guard capitulates and they allow me to open my bag.

I have found that at Limoges airport, they have become used to the idea that my oboe is a flute, and the macabre looking x-ray image of staples in a reed box, is also nothing to to get excited about.

With the advancement of x-ray machines my instruments are pretty much ignored. If I am stopped it's because I have left a screwdriver/fork/water/any random sharp thing for reed making, in my hand luggage.

When I travel professionally with orchestras I have to complete a CITES form to prove my instruments are not made with illegal wood/ivory.

I have never been asked to prove the age or construction of my oboe when travelling or with without an organisation. If you are anxious about this, perhaps carry a copy of the purchase documents.

If you choose to fly with hand luggage only, we have a stock of spare knives/screwdrivers/pliers/wire to go around.