PR 27 : Les Roches Grandes

A 7-hectare lake for a relaxing stroll accessible to all.

Straddling the departments of Corrèze and Cantal, the gorges of the Haute-Dordogne are undoubtedly one of the most remarkable natural areas in the Auvergne and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions.The gorges were carved out by the Dordogne River, which rises in the Sancy massif where two rivers, the Dore and the Dogne, meet.The Upper Dordogne gorges, and more generally the entire Dordogne basin, have been granted international recognition by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. The gorges are home to rare and protected species of flora and fauna, including breeding populations of birds of prey, some of which are migratory: the booted eagle, the red kite and the short-toed eagle are undoubtedly the most representative. Hiking in the gorges : The Association La Dordogne de Villages en Barrages invites you to discover breathtaking trails on its long-distance hiking itinerary. With L'itinérêve, combining nature and industry, you can step back in time to discover the impressive dams that line the river. This itinerary is designed for good walkers, as it covers a total distance of over 460 km, with some steep ascents and descents. If you want to discover the trails over a shorter distance, opt for the Bort-les-Orgues loop (84 km 2500 m D+) or the Vernéjoux loop (83 km 2000 m D+), for example. Hiking in the gorges : A short hiking trail (10.6 km) allows you to appreciate part of the gorges from Champagnac: PR25 Le pont de Vernéjoux. Other activities in the gorges: Roche-le-Peyroux in Corrèze has a nautical base where you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the gorges. You can get to the gorge from the Mentier site (Saint-Pierre) and the Vernéjoux bridge (Champagnac), and there are also a number of viewpoints in Corrèze: the Saint Nazaire site and the Gratte Bruyère lookout. There's also a viewpoint over the Marèges dam: follow the "remarkable site" signs from the village. The gorges can also be seen from the "big rocks" viewpoint.

Panoramic view of the Marèges dam, Dordogne gorges, Lac de Saint-Pierre, Bort-les-Orgues organs, Monts Dore and Monts du Cantal. On-site orientation table and picnic area.Les roches grandes is located on the puy de Collange. Accessible by following the blue signs from Lac de Saint-Pierre (PR27 hiking trail).

Marèges was the first major structure to be built on the Dordogne. The viewpoint can be reached from the village of Saint-Pierre (follow signs to remarkable site). Beware of the steep gradient!When it was built, the hydroelectric complex was intended both to electrify the railway lines and to supply industry in Paris. At the end of the First World War, hydroelectricity was the energy of the future, and high-voltage lines were built between Marèges and the capital, marking the start of the hydroelectric industry in the Dordogne valley. Impounded in 1935, the dam was dubbed the "dam of innovation", and a number of new features were to make its mark on the construction of other large dams around the world. The arch of the Marèges dam, designed by world-renowned engineer André Coyne, is spectacular. The arch-shaped structure transfers the thrust of the reservoir water to the valley sides, enabling thinner arches to be designed and saving concrete. Marèges is the first double-arch dam in Europe! The second spectacular innovation is the construction of a spillway in the shape of a ski jump, the first structure in the world to be equipped with this type of spillway, which lets out up to 700 m3 of water per second, enabling the overflow to be evacuated rapidly and reducing the impact of water downstream.

Discover the charm of the countryside and the beauty of the Dordogne gorges. 45 pitches on semi-shaded land. Pitches only.