Saint-Merd-les-Oussines: Moorlands and Cultural Heritage

Explore Saint-Merd-les-Oussines through its moorlands, hiking trails and historical sites. The hiking routes vary considerably in duration and difficulty, ranging from an easy walk of about half an hour to a challenging four-and-a-half-hour hike.

Moorlands, Water and Biodiversity

The Haute Vallée de la Vézère Regional Nature Reserve extends across Saint-Merd-les-Oussines and includes the Étang des Oussines. The pond covers more than 14 hectares along the Vézère. It is significant ecologically, aquatically, faunistically, floristically and in terms of local history. Before visiting the nature reserve, check the local access rules.

Another large moorland is the Tourbière du Longeyroux: this 250-hectare area of European biological importance extends across Saint-Merd-les-Oussines, Meymac and Chavanac. The moor’s many small streams form the source of the Vézère. Here, waterways and moorland are therefore also connected hydrologically.

The Tourbière du Longeyroux is home to species including lapwings, meadow pipits, whinchats, dragonflies and butterflies associated with moorland habitats. Species populations can change ecologically, so sightings of individual species cannot be guaranteed.

Hikes of Varying Durations

The interpretive Linaigrettes trail at the Tourbière du Longeyroux is easy, 0.9 kilometres long and takes about 30 minutes. Along the way, there are views of the moor and surrounding puys. Information panels explain how peat forms and describe the moor’s fauna and flora. Trail conditions can vary seasonally; check them before setting out.

The Bruyères trail offers a 100-metre detour into the moor to see the Cent Pierres. It starts at a car park above the moor on the D109; access is possible via Chavanac, Saint-Merd-les-Oussines or Meymac. This trail therefore combines a specific detour to the Cent Pierres with access routes described from several places.

The challenging hike from the Site des Cars to the Tourbière du Longeyroux requires considerably more time and stamina: it is 16 kilometres long, takes four and a half hours and involves 349 metres of ascent. Wet sections are part of the trail conditions. By comparison, the short distance and approximate walking time make the Linaigrettes trail easier to fit into a limited hiking schedule.

Another option is Au coeur du Plateau, an interactive walk of about two kilometres in the heart of the Plateau de Millevaches. It offers an introduction to the plateau’s landscapes, moorlands and wetlands, small-scale built heritage, fauna, flora and forests.

Gallo-Roman Sites and Medieval Traces

The archaeological site of the Site des Cars includes a villa and two funerary temples, whose history dates back almost 2,000 years. The Gallo-Roman remains at Les Cars were classified as a historic monument in 1935. The site is associated with Saint-Merd-les-Oussines and Pérols-sur-Vézère. Its historical significance is therefore defined both by the long history of the complex and its protected status.

The parish church of Saint-Médard is a 14th- or 15th-century building and was restored after a fire in 1838. It features granite and dressed stone. The parish church in Saint-Merd-les-Oussines also contains a remarkable medieval tomb. Another element of the local heritage is the section mill at Les Maisons, which was remarkably restored by the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Orgnac-sur-Vézère, Ussel, Champeaux, Lamazière-Basse, Gimel-Les-Cascades, Rosiers-D'egletons, Beaulieu-Sur-Dordogne, Saint-Cirgues-la-Loutre

For the regional travel overview: Corrèze.