Of the three Départements which make up the modern region of Limousin, the Creuse is the odd one out. Before the Revolution, Limousin meant the area now covered by Corrèze and Haute-Vienne, while Creuse was the province of La Marche, the borderland between the bare Massif Central and the fertile Loire Valley. It is the source of many rivers beside the Creuse itself: Cher, Vienne, Vézère, they run in deep gorges amid the ancient forests. The main town of Creuse is Guéret, still neither large nor heavily industrial. La Souterraine retains its ancient walls and its ancient peace.