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Rochechouart Crater, France

From series “Largest Meteorite Craters on Earth”
France also has craters that deserve attention of those fond of unusual excursions. The most famous among them is the Rochechouart crater. The region of the same name began to attract the attention of scientists in the late 18th century. People showed interest to the obscure rocky formation, which was actively mined. That mine was used for the construction of castles. One of these castles, Rochechouart, has preserved to this day.

Rochechouart Crater, France A few hundred years ago, scientists came to the conclusion that the unusual rocky structure is the result of the eruption of an ancient volcano. Only recently, scientists were able to prove that the studied area is a real meteorite crater and an unusual bowl is the result of an incredibly strong explosion that was accompanied by an enormous increase in temperature.

First, the theory of a meteorite has been proven in 1969. Back then, the geologist Francois Kraut was engaged in the study of the Rochechouart crater. According to his research, a celestial body has collided with the Earth about 214 million years ago. The initial diameter of the structure was about 23 km. Currently, crater borders are subtle. Today, it's almost impossible to find a molten rocky mine, which indicates that an asteroid has caused the catastrophe. It was almost completely exhausted by the beginning of the 20th century and went on to build castles and houses of locals. Next - Kara Crater


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Rochechouart Crater - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'Caisse d'Epargne Rochechouart' located in 3.03 km ( check the route on the map).
Car rental office: 'Concession Renaut Saint Junien Automobiles' is located in 13 km ( on the map).
Fuel station: 'Station Total Mounier Rochechouart' in 3.42 km
Supermarket: 'Coop Atlantique' in 3.01 km
Parking: 'Garage Espace Auto 16' in 22 km
Apotheek: 'Pharmacie Meynard' in 3.03 km
Police station: 'Police Nationale' in 36 km
Cafe/restaurant: 'Parquei Pai' in 2.5 km
Railway station: 'S.n.c.f.' in 25 km

Nearest airports:
 »  Bellegarde Airport LIG - in 31 km
 »  Brie Champniers Airport ANG - in 44 km
 »  Perigueux Bassillac Airport PGX - in 69 km
 »  Parvaud Airport CNG - in 87 km
 »  Brive - La Roche Airport BVE - in 92 km
 Cities nearby

Best hotels near Rochechouart Crater

La Grenouille Joyeuse

Located in 3 km from Rochechouart Crater
Route on the map:
Rooms: 2
With double glazing and authentic wooden shutters, the bedrooms have a private shower room and tea/coffee making facilities. Ironing facilities and a … More: photo, rates and booking
Les Trois Chenes

Located in 5 km from Rochechouart Crater
Route on the map:
Rooms: 4
One- or two-level rooms at Les Trois Chènes feature exposed-stone walls and wooden beams. All have a private bathroom, tea- and coffee-making … More: photo, rates and booking
Le Relais d'Etagnac

Located in 6 km from Rochechouart Crater
Route on the map:
Rooms: 11
All of the soundproofed rooms at Le Relais d'Etagnac have a flat-screen TV. Each room also includes a private bathroom with a bath or a shower and … More: photo, rates and booking
Hotel De La Croix Blanche

Located in 7 km from Rochechouart Crater
Route on the map:
Rooms: 14
Hotel De La Croix Blanche offers soundproofed guest rooms with a flat-screen TV. Each room is equipped with free Wi-Fi access and a private shower. … More: photo, rates and booking

Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit

Abbey of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe
82 km - Abbey of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe
Abbey of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe became famous throughout the world due to its unique frescoes. They were created by craftsmen in the 11th-12th century. These works of the art managed to preserve their original beauty after hundreds of years. The collection of …
Grotte de Lascaux
90 km - Grotte de Lascaux
On the territory of the south-western region of Perigord in France, a unique sight is located, the access to which have only few people. It is the cave of Lascaux. This cave was discovered in 1940 and is characterized by a variety of remarkable rock drawings. The main …
Colonnogne-la-Rouge
108 km - Colonnogne-la-Rouge
People who travel to France can also visit the wonderful ancient city Colonnogne-la-Rouge. This city became popular thanks to its carmine houses. It was founded in the 8th century, however, the major part of houses was built in 15th-16th centuries. Colonnogne-la-Rouge …
Vezac
113 km - Vezac
The amazing city of Vezac is situated in the southwestern part of France. Its guests will have an opportunity to stay in a fairy tale for some time. The most unusual attraction of the town is a boxwood garden that forms a single architectural structure with the …
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion
126 km - Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion
The region of Saint-Emilion is located on the banks of the Dordogne River. It is famous as a unique wine region. It has long received the status of an outstanding historical landmark. Tourists come here to admire the huge terraces of vineyards, walk through the …
Rocamadour
127 km - Rocamadour
The charming village of Rocamadour is located in the South-Western part of France. It is considered one of the most romantic and picturesque villages in the world. It was based on the top of a rocky cliff. The age of this village is more than 800 years. It fell into …

Top destination around Rochechouart Crater - Limoges

Initially Limoges was founded by the Romans yet in X century BC. The city’s religion was paganism, but steadily Limoges was turned into Christianity by Saint Martin. This process ended in 250 AD. In the beginning of XIII century Limoges was already a large town, the central part of which consisted of two protective facilities joined by the bridge of Saint Etienne. One part of the facility was the town itself. It was surrounded by walls and built along the River Vienna. The second part of the protective facility was the castle of the abbey founded in this place in XI century.

Nowadays only ruins remind of those facilities. They are precious to the local people as they sure have historical value. One more ancient and precious destination of the city is the library of Saint Martin. The library contains 23 thousand of books. The library works in the abbey and today this is a museum and a center of art. The main sight of this place is the tomb of the saint that has been founded recently. Besides these memorial sights Limoges surely has other places of interest. Guests are suggested to visit ecclesiastical seminary and the lyceum that works near it, a school in which are prepared doctors and pharmaceutical chemists, a picture gallery, and a granite cathedral Saint Etienne built in XII century famous by its tilted bell tower, a granite archbishop’s palace with amazing garden, the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater, and the house of Templar knights with a gallery of underground passages and rooms.
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