Wildweeble
You do not have to fly Ryanair. You could try Flybe Southampton / Limoges or else buy a diesel car. You hate Ryanair so much but to save a few pence on fuel or an extra hour or so on the channnel crossing you betray your principles and supposedly your safety.
The truth is that Ryanair is a bargain, is convenient, not that bad and has given thousands of us a chance to enjoy cheap sejours in our French second homes.
I'd find it highly amusing if the Stansted/Limoges route was axed the way that Clermont Ferrand was, except for the fact the I have a house in Haute Vienne and know full well that a 900 mile round trip by car is not something for the weekend.