L'Isle Jourdain, Vienne

Description:

Geography and Transport

L'Isle Jourdain is a small town situated in the south eastern corner of the Vienne department, close to the borders with both Haute Vienne and Charente (altitude 87m to 183m).  The commune covers an area of 5.92km².  There are no major routes in the immediate surrounding area, but the N147 (Poitiers-Limoges) is accessible to the east.  The town is on the D10.  The town does not have a rail link, and the nearest is at Lussac les Chateaux (22km), where the TER regional rail network can be accessed.  The nearest commercial airport is at Poitiers Biard, with year round services to the UK (reduced in winter).  Limoges Bellegarde airport is also an option at 73km, offering a bigger range of services.  The town is situated on the picturesque Vienne River, and is the chief town of the canton.
See also:  Availles-Limouzine

Climate

Climate here is maritime, and therefore temperate with clearly defined seasons.  Average Summer temperatures are between 23C to 26C (11C-13C night), and in Winter this drops to 8C to 9C (2C night).  As with much of Poitou Charentes, the Autumn can be warm, with average temperatures in Sept of 22C and Oct 17C.  However, October and November are usually the wettest months.  L'Isle Jourdain is within an area that receives between 1750 and 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Tourism

L'Isle Jourdain is characterised by its impressive viaduct joining the opposite banks of the picturesque Vienne River.  The 50m tall viaduct was formerly a railway bridge, but now disused it offers panoramic views and bungee jumping (every weekend May to November).  The valley is dominated by the Eglise Saint Gervais and Saint Protais, an imposing 11^th century structure.  Also of significance is the 13^th century Eglise St Paixent.  The town is situated close to Le Vigeant, which is home to the Val de Vienne racing circuit, offering many events throughout the year.  The racetrack also has a driving school and offers track days for road-going vehicles.  Nearby is Chardes Lake, which offers water skiing amongst other activities, and is home to the Municipal Campsite and holiday village.  The lake has a beach and children's play area. 

Facilities

L'Isle Jourdain has a few bars and restaurants and a supermarket.  There is an outdoor swimming pool here open from June to Sept, but for indoor swimming the closest is at Civaux (29km).  The town has a tennis club, football club, water ski club and gymnastics club.

Economy

L'Isle Jourdain is part of the Montmorillon economic zone which has an unemployment rate of 6.7%, compared against the regional rate of 8.6% and the national rate of 9.1% (INSEE 2006).  The biggest company here is GM Metal (production of zinc and alloys), employing 34 people.

Education

There is a state nursery and primary school, a private nursery/primary school, and a state secondary school (College).  Nearest colleges (Lycee) are in Montmorillon (33km) or Confolens (28km).

Key Stats

79.8% of properties here are classed as primary residences, with 12.3% classed as second homes.  There are more females than males resident here (54.9% vs 45.1%). There are more people aged 60 or over than the national average (46.1% vs 21.3%), and there are more retired people here also (37.3% vs 18.2%).  16% of the population are below the age of 19.

Key Facilities and Services: