Plateau de Millevaches

The plateau Millevaches is a scenic area in the Massif Central. It covers about 3500 square kilometers and is located in the French department of Corrèze, Creuse and Haute- Vienne, in the Limousin region.

Although the Plateau de Millevaches strictly speaking is no plateau in the strict sense, it does make for a huge difference in height across the entire region. The majority of the plateau ranges from 700 meters above sea level, the highest point is the Mont Bessou whose natural height was increased by the construction of a viewing platform of 977 to 1001 meters.

The landscape is marked next to his huge coniferous forest of a raised bog ( Tourbière ) which feeds numerous rivers such as the Vienne and the Vézère. The watercourses are many places populated by brook trout.

People hardly inhabit the Plateau de Millevaches, the population density is only 13.6 inhabitants / square kilometer. Only at the edges can be found with the cities Meymac, FELLETIN and Eymoutiers larger settlements.

The Millevaches Plateau forms the core of the Regional Natural Park, founded in 2004 Millevaches en Limousin.

Etymology

A legend tells of a shepherd who promised his 1000 of a thunderstorm exhausted cows the devil, who, in turn, one after the other turned into rocks.

The name is already in the 12th century as Millevacas ( 1145-1146 ), was added Mille vacce ( 1315 Latinized form).

After fr: Albert Dauzat, it is "empty" to the Celtic melo " level" with the Latin adjective vacua. fr: Ernest Nègre explains it as an Occitan mila " thousand " and vacas ( North Occitan [ vatʃas ] ) " cows", so is the modern form Miuvachas a regular development of the word. French hot Millevaches " thousand cows " and is the correct translation. The name probably refers to the landscape where the naked granite stones everywhere are close together, like a flock. For example, the French language, the Gascon word Mascaret " tidal wave " borrowed and it compares the waves with a spotted ox herd.