Le site archéologique est en libre accès toute l’année. Visites guidées gratuites du 2 juillet au 30 août.
An exceptional Gallo-Roman site
Between moors and forests, on the Plateau de Millevaches, blocks of granite whisper to us a story almost 2000 years old. It takes us on the trail of these Gallo-Romans who came to settle in the lands of Haute-Corrèze in the 2nd century AD. But who were they? How did they live here? Clues are hidden in the thousand-year-old stones facing you: here the plan of a villa traversed by water is drawn, there great mausoleums emerge from the chaos... Your imagination runs wild, your archaeologist's soul awakes…
Another way to introduce the site is to listen to the very complete podcast (French only) of radio Vassivière. Good listening!
What to see
- Two funerary monuments, built with stones cut from the local granite and assembled with metal staples. The chaos of stones that we see today is due to voluntary dismantling a very long time ago.
- Remains of a luxurious villa, near the creek. In these traces of the past can be seen a luxuriously decorated reception room, private baths, an imposing water cistern dug into a block of granite which gives its name to the archaeological site: the Bac des Cars.
- Explanatory panels on Gallo-Roman construction techniques, to be read on the path leading from the mausoleums to the villa.
Free guided tour
Every day from July 2nd until August 30th (10h30 am-12h30 pm / 1h30 pm-6h pm), you are welcome on the archaeological site by two young guides who will bring you, if you wish, on a free guided tour in French or in English. You will be immersed into the life of our ancestors at the pinnacle of the roman empire on this atypical and exceptional site.
An outodoor café, terrace, and a reconstruction model of the monuments and villa
In the reception room open in summer, you can discover a model which offers a hypothesis of reconstruction of the site. Also in this room, a small shop showcases local products. You can enjoy a coffee on the terrace with a splendid view of the wild landscapes of Haute-Corrèze. You will alos find further information on hiking and other sites to discover in the surroundings.
Events
Throughout the summer, the Cars site is the scene of shows for all audiences: concerts-aperitifs and Stroll with a storyteller.
Check out the program!
The Marius Vazeilles Museum
The archaelogical and heritage museum Marius Vazeilles is an history museum located in one of the wings of the Saint-André de Meymac abbey. Among its collections, lots of artefacts have been unearthed at the Les Cars site (urns, weapons, coins).
