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Key figures

Origin and history

The Millevaches Regional Natural Park in Limousin was established in 2004, covering three departments of New Aquitaine: Corrèze, Creuse and Haute-Vienne. It extends over 3,346 km2 and is centred on the Millevaches plateau, a hercynian granite complex located between 400 and 1,000 metres above sea level. This territory, often described as a "water castle", houses the sources of eleven major rivers, including Vienna, Creuse and Vézère. The park is populated by 38,950 inhabitants in 124 communes, with a park house in Millevaches (Corrèze) since 2015.

The idea of a regional natural park on the Millevaches plateau emerged in the late 1960s, but it was in 1987 that Robert Savy, president of the Limousin regional council, revived the project. After feasibility studies and political debates, notably with the mayor of Gentioux-Pigerolles, Pierre Derozier, the park was officially established by decree on 18 May 2004. In 2010, tensions arose with the General Council of Haute-Vienne, which temporarily withdrew from the project. A revision of the charter between 2013 and 2017 allows the integration of 11 new municipalities, bringing the total to 124.

The park is home to remarkable biodiversity, with 187 rare or protected species, including the European otter, an emblem of the territory. It includes Natura 2000 areas, regional nature reserves and sites of major ecological interest, such as the Dauges and Longeroux peatlands. The landscape, marked by moors, meadows and softwood forests planted in the 20th century, reflects an ancient human history, from deforestation to Gallo-Roman times to recent agricultural decline. The park has also been recognized since 2021 as an international starry sky reserve.

The park's missions include the protection of natural and cultural heritage, local economic development and environmental education. It supports chains such as livestock farming, buckwheat production and forestry, while preserving typical architectural elements such as granite bridges and bread ovens. Nature-based tourism (backcountry skiing, hiking, lakes) plays a key role in the local economy, with infrastructure such as green holiday resorts and a partially maintained rail network.

The park is administered by a joint union comprising the municipalities, the region and the departments concerned. Since 2020, its president is Philippe Brugère, Mayor of Meymac. The park's actions are based on successive charters, such as the one of 2018-2033, which guides the management of natural environments, forests and water resources. Programmes such as the Agri-Environmental Plan or the Forest Charter aim to reconcile sustainable development and landscape conservation.

The cultural heritage of the park includes archaeological remains, such as the Gallo-Roman villa of the Cars, and a marked associative dynamism, especially in the environmental and artistic fields. The park also promotes the occitan and contemporary art, notably through the International Center of Art and Landscape of Vassivière. Despite a continuing population decline, the Territory attracts ecologically sensitive neo-rurals, contributing to a revival of local agricultural and craft practices.

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