Aubusson Attractions

Aubusson (pop. 6,000), in the Creuse valley, is a charming little town of narrow streets and lanes. It has been famed for its patterned carpets since the 15th C., when Flemish Protestant incomers brought the craft with them. In the 18th C. Watteau, Boucher and other artists created the designs of Aubusson carpets. The town still has important carpet and tapestry manufactories (which visitors can see round). There is an exhibition of new works every summer in the Town Hall. An old tapestry-weaving workshop can be seen in the Maison du Vieux Tapissier. Aubusson is also a good base from which to explore the beautiful Creuse valley.