Raimey - the lack of any other V-C marks on the gun would make me suspicious. The other V-Cs I have seen have VerCar, an overlapping VC or similar proprietary markings on the water table and/or the outside of the action, as well as the barrels (though the latter obviously could not be the case here). Is it possible that this action left the V-C factory in the white (except for the top lever which had already been marked with the proprietary information) and was finished and proofed in Liege with Belgian barrels?

I also think that Larry's comment about V-C being a noted barrel maker who supplied barrels to others warrants some consideration.

Lots of strange things seem to happen in this business, particularly during the disruption of a world war or two. The gun looks very well-finished and certainly does not appear to be a lunch box project. Maybe someone hired a local but very skilled gunsmith (former V-C employee living in Belgium?) to make a custom gun, and he sourced and assembled the parts from his various connections in the trade.

Or perhaps you have unearthed the French version of the Frederick Scales gun confused

Such a long, long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.