Uzerche (; ) is a commune in the Corrèze department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of central France. In 1787, the English writer Arthur Young described the town as "the pearl of the Limousin" because of its picturesque setting. Built on a defensible rocky outcrop in an oxbow of the river Vézère, and located at a medieval crossroads, Uzerche has a long cultural heritage. Under Pepin the Short, the city was the seat of an influential abbey and a seneschal. Uzerche still has many castles, hotels, and other buildings displaying turrets built by the Uzechoise nobility, thus adding weight to the saying "He who owns a house in Uzerche has a castle in the Limousin." In 1996 Uzerche was awarded "village étape" status and, since 2010, has been listed among the towns of France to be worthy of a "plus beaux détour". Name The name Uzerche may date as far back as Roman times. Taken by the Romans in 51 BC, it was the last place where the Gauls fought against Julius Caesar. The first clear proof of the name dates to the seventh century AD, when the town was known as Usarca. In 848 the name became Usercensium, and in 1190 Uzercha. Between the 15th and 18th centuries the name evolved from Usarche to Userche and eventually to the current spelling. Location Uzerche is located in west-central France, on the west flank of the Massif Central. Both the rivers Bradascou and Vézère, with their sources in the plateau of Millevaches, pass through Uzerche and feed into the Dordogne. The Plateau de Millevaches (a thousand springs), not far from Uzerche, is a natural wetland with its many streams and lakes, forest and heathland. It is 500– 900 meters above sea level with its highest point Mont Bessou (976 meters above sea level). Uzerche is a hill town, built above a deeply incised meander of the Vézère River; as such it is a natural citadel. The construction of the gardens along the Vézère, supported by little walls, are as noteworthy as the town's unique position and particular architectural features. As the rocky ground originally made it unsuitable for agriculture, the view of the lower part of the town is dominated by flowers, orchards and vegetable gardens. History Strategic location By the 2nd century BC, Gauls had taken advantage of the strategic location of present-day Uzerche—on high ground surrounded by a river—and established