The Gallo-Roman site of Les Cars

Pérols-sur-Vézère, 187 habitants au dernier recensement, est un des plus beaux bourgs de granit du Plateau. Sur la place, remarquez la tourelle de l’église qui abrite un escalier et le magnifique puits.Présent partout dans les constructions traditionnelles, le granit rose de Pérols était extrait dans des carrières locales, parmi les plus importantes de la région. Progressivement, les filons les plus nobles se sont épuisés et les carrières ont fermé.

Taking its source in the heart of the Plateau de Millevaches on the Longeyroux peat bog, the Ars becomes the beginning of the Vézère at its confluence with other streams at Pérols, then joins the Vézère which itself flows into the Dordogne after having travelled more than 200 km. The excellent quality of its waters is confirmed by the presence of the otter. 

The villages of Haute-Corrèze are all involved in agriculture. Walking through these hamlets always produces interesting discoveries during a hike: barns, mansions, crosses, bread ovens... Don't miss the bread oven at Ars. The base of the cross and the granite vat are a reminder that the Gallo-Roman site is not far away, as these elements were probably reused stones from the site.

The Gallo-Roman remains of Les Cars are composed of two funerary buildings and a vast dwelling located 200 m below. The presence, in the heart of an agricultural estate, of a wealthy villa owned by a landowner linked to two private mausoleums, dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, is a hypothesis that remains to be confirmed. This site, famous for its monolithic granite tank, is open all year round.

Varièras symbolises the renewal and creativity of the Plateau: if the cottage represents the traditional rural habitat of our region, the thatch is what predominates in this village of about fifty cottages. These buildings are real people's homes and are private properties that cannot be visited. On the descent after the village, the paved path goes down to the so-called Roman bridge of Variéras.

On the descent after Varièras, the paved path goes down to the Roman bridge. Granite is everywhere in the traditional buildings of the Millevaches plateau, such as the villages of Pérols and Bugeat. From the extraction of rock to the work of artists and traditional local buidings, the Granite House, a permanent exhibition within the Bugeat tourist office, is a starting point for many discoveries.