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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Étienne-de-Braguse de Gimel-les-Cascades, dated from the 12th century, is built on a rocky promontory overlooking the waterfalls of the Montane. According to tradition, it was erected at the site of an oratory founded by the hermit Dumine. Until the 18th century, it housed the relics of St Stephen, now preserved in the Saint-Pardoux church of the village. The building, partially carved in the rock, has a facade surmounted by a gable bell tower open with two bays, while a sculpted mural cornice adorns the gate.

The church, formerly parish, was decommissioned in the 18th century and listed as a historical monument in 1926 for its remains. Inside, there is a 12th century altar table and two 13th and 14th century tombstones. The cemetery, formerly located in front of the building, has now disappeared. Original frescoes and liturgical objects, such as the enamel shawl of Limoges (XII century), have been transferred to other local churches, including Saint-Pardoux.

The Braguse site, downstream of the waterfalls, illustrates Gimel's religious and strategic importance in the Middle Ages. The commune, crossed by the Montane and close to Tulle, preserves traces of its medieval past, marked by the Wars of Religion (seat of the Château de La Roche Haute in 1594) and a traditional rural economy. The church of Saint Stephen, though ruined, remains an architectural testimony of that time, linked to the hermitage and local devotion.

Gimel-les-Cascades, renamed in 1974, is also renowned for its waterfalls and natural heritage. The site of the waterfalls, private but visitable, attracts visitors since the 19th century, notably thanks to the action of Gaston Vuillier (1845–1915), artist and patron who worked for its preservation. The church of Saint-Étienne, although less frequented, is part of this historical and touristic landscape, between religious memory and medieval heritage.

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