Former European Canoe Champion
- Originally from Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère
- Owner of a Canoe-Kayak base for 25 years
Philippe COLOMY is a former member of the French canoe team. He has now been renting canoes and kayaks for 25 years in the charming village of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, a classified village “Most Beautiful Villages of France” in the Vézère Valley.
A lover of Vézère
As a child from the village of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, Philippe Colomy practiced his favorite sport there, canoeing. Today, he no longer counts the hours spent on the Vézère. He says he loves this valley for its biodiversity and its history. This is nicknamed “Valley of Man”, registered UNESCO World Heritage and on the list of Great sites of France for its famous prehistoric sites. The Vézère is full of treasures that Philippe Colomy continues to discover.
Witness to the evolution of this river, he appreciates the changes of this watercourse and its biodiversity. Over the years, he sees the appearance of river buttercups or floating buttercups, small white flowers that appear in the summer season. Increasingly present in the landscape of the Vallée de l'Homme, they mark the good quality of the water.
In the hope of keeping the Vézère clean and welcoming, Philippe Colomy is participating in the project of spring cleaning from the river. A free and voluntary operation. The objective of this cleaning is to bring people together for a friendly moment, but also to raise awareness about the protection of nature.
Pass on your passion
The basis of APA canoe is located in the village of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère. Philippe Colomy, a state graduate, is a canoe-kayak instructor. He and his team seek to transmit their passions. They offer different routes to encounter this beauty that the Vézère valley offers us: the cliffs, the chestnut forests, the flowers, the fish. There are also major sites such as Madeleine, Roque Saint-Christophe, the castle of Losse, the Conquil,…
It is one of the richest rivers in France because there is one site per square meter
This is a practice that can be done in mode sports, with friends or in family. Everyone chooses their own distance and pace. It's time to let go and reconnect with nature.
Philippe Colomy also offers rafting trips for people over 12 years old and able to swim. These outings can be organized from February until May when the water flow allows it.
So, come to Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère to discover the joys of paddling with Philippe Colomy!
Promote the Vézère Valley
Philippe Colomy knows how to promote the Vézère Valley. We find him on numerous reports on France 3, notably in the program “Roots and wings", in the South West and France Bleu. He takes us with him on a canoe and shows us his little corner of paradise.
Personalities in the Vézère Valley
