Ruines des Cars, a major Gallo-Roman archaeological site
Les Ruines des Cars is a Gallo-Roman archaeological site near Meymac on the Plateau de Millevaches, on the border of the communes of Saint-Merd-les-Oussines and Pérols-sur-Vézère.
Nestled in the heart of vast meadows surrounded by forests, this site was listed as a historical monument in 1935, at the beginning of excavations.
Les Ruines des Cars site was initially thought to be an ancient place of worship due to the number of its funerary structures: a temple and two mausoleums. These ruins are in fact those of a large Roman villa, an important agricultural estate, built in the 1st or 2nd century AD. This residence, built along the Ruisseau des Cars stream, whose main room opened onto a vast park, was undoubtedly the home of a powerful family.
The remains of a vast atrium surrounded by collonaded galleries, underfloor heating, running water, and a heated swimming pool still exist. The estate’s water supply system, consisting of lead pipes connected to an imposing monolithic reservoir, is still visible near the villa. A large pond with a fountain, probably dug in the 2nd century AD, marked the centre of the park. The ruins of the temple and two mausoleums were connected to the villa, although located at a distance.
However, no oral tradition or documents exist concerning the villa, nor do they explain why it was abandoned, and agricultural activity ceased at the end of the century.
Archaeological analyses, particularly the study of soil composition and pollen, suggest that the estate primarily cultivated rye and buckwheat on its fertile land. These fields had been cultivated since the Second Iron Age or La Tène Culture, in the 4th century BC, well before the Gallo-Roman period.
Unfortunately, the vast site of Les Ruines des Cars was used as a quarry in the 17th century, destroying many architectural elements. Access is free, but guided tours are offered in July and August. The Marius Vazeilles Museum (http://www.mariusvazeilles.fr) in Meymac exhibits various objects unearthed on the site.
Department of Correze – Saint-Merd-les-Oussines – Limousin region
Coordinates: Lat 45.606228 – Long 2.030212
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Outbuildings with monolithic water tank and Header and Ruins of the Temple by Aubussonais CC BY-SA 3.0
