The waterfalls and mills of the Deiro

3 points of interest

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  Heritage site

  The Laffon Mill

  In this land of water, mills appeared in the Middle Ages. In the 19th century, Corrèze had hundreds of them. Of modest size, the mills are located on small rivers. The river is diverted by a channel (the mill race) to a reservoir (the millpond) located above the mill. Its operation was simple and ingenious: a horizontal wooden wheel with scoops, placed under the mill, drove the wheel, turning on the frame, to grind rye and buckwheat.

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  Fauna

  The otter

  In the shelter of the rocks of the Deiro, a discreet and fascinating animal is hiding: the European Otter. It feeds on fish, but especially on amphibians or crayfish. This animal, which spends a lot of time playing, is a witness to the quality of the water and the preservation of the environment. Once prized by trappers for their fur, otters had almost disappeared. Today, the otter is present on all the watercourses.

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  Heritage site

  Contensousas Mill

  The mill was built around 1860 by the Contensousas family. Once covered with thatch, the mill operated throughout the seasons, according to the family's need for flour. The precious grains stored in the attics had been brought down by oxen to the mill. The water released from the mill pond would drive the mechanism. Rye flour was used to make bread loaves and buckwheat flour for pies. The mill stopped turning in 1950.