Cliffs of the Vézère

Generous wooded hills, a river bordered by high golden cliffs, a preserved agricultural plain ... the valley of the Vézère is a heaven of greenery where it is good to stroll.

Landscapes and Prehistory in the Vezere valley

If the slopes are densely wooded, in the alluvial plain, polyculture-raising agriculture has shaped a mosaic landscape, punctuated by walnut or chestnut trees, and where the small plots, generally narrow, receive diversified and quality production. Habitat is traditionally dispersed. The main towns and the numerous hamlets often have a remarkable architectural character with impressive lauze roofs.

But the landscapes of the valley would be nothing without the beautiful limestone cliffs that run along the river from Sergeac and Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère to Limeuil. These cliffs, up to a hundred meters high, make the identity of the valley. They bear the traces of an exceptional prehistoric and historical human occupation (prehistoric shelters, troglodytic habitats of the Middle Ages) and hide in their heart a unique heritage in the world: the famous ornate caves of which the best known is that of Lascaux in Montignac.

Operation Grand Site

The Vallée de la Vézère, from Terrasson to Limeuil, has an exceptional archaeological heritage of world renown. Through its ancestral occupation, man has always maintained a close connection with the physical components of the valley, with its landscape in particular: this entire territory bears symbols and patrimonial values ​​that give the Vézère valley a strong Cultural dimension.

Today, conscious of the heritage they have in their hands, the communities have embarked on a Grand Site operation in France.