Vézère

The Vézère is a river in southwestern France, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It is a tributary of the Dordogne River and runs through the Corrèze and Dordogne departments. The river is about 210 kilometers long and collects waters from a limestone and forested landscape that characterizes the Vézère valley. It rises in the Massif Central and generally flows westward, passing through towns such as Terrasson-Lavilledieu, Montignac and Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil before joining the Dordogne.

The valley of the Vézère is renowned for its concentration of prehistoric sites. It contains numerous caves, shelters and rock-art sites from the Paleolithic era, including some of the most important in Europe. In 1979, the Prehistoric Palaeolithic Sites of the Vézère Valley were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing the area's exceptional archaeological value. The Lascaux cave, famous for its Upper Paleolithic paintings, is located along the river and has become a symbol of cave art; the original cave is not open to the public, but replicas provide access to the paintings.

Today, the Vézère supports agricultural activity, tourism and recreational use such as fishing and kayaking. The river's scenic limestone cliffs and sheltered gorges attract visitors, while the surrounding valley supports a variety of habitats and biodiversity. The Vézère remains an integral part of the regional landscape, history and cultural heritage.