Causse de Savignac

On this former military zone was used between 1953 to the 1995 for shooting practice (still marked on many maps as ‘Champ de Tir’). A nature reserve covering 410 hectares developed itself, now recognized as a ‘Zone d’Intérêt Naturel, Ecologique, Floristique et Faunistique’ (ZNIEFF II) as the area had been covered by vegetation typical of the dry South-West - Downy oaks, Junipers, Montpellier maples. Home to rare species of butterfly, spider and lizard, with a rich dry stacked stone heritage.

A 3.7 km long trail guides the visitor passed amazingly dense clusters of dry stacked stone vernacular architecture. An architecture without architects, built without mortar according to precise rules, in particular of horizontal and vertical ‘calage’ (wedging). They are characterized by a so-called ‘à encorbellement’ internal vault which is detached from the roof and which is highly resistant to bad weather.

Today almost overgrown by forest, it is hard to imagine these temporary shelters so closely linked to agriculture and particularly to the cultivation of vines dating back to the times this area was indeed covered by vineyards. The trail takes you passed Lassinée, the ensembles of Mallaurin and Dardinelle and five sites of L’Henriette. Some of the cabanes ‘à double parois’ have double exterior walls I have not seem elsewhere, and have not been able to find information on their purpose.

Far from the surrounding hamlets and villages, the cabanes served as temporary shelters and refuges against the overwhelming heat of the summers on the causse. To take a nap, shelter from storms or store tools. The dry stacked stone constructions also had another purpose: getting rid of the stones that the cultivator removed from the fields in order to make space for crops. The area is crisscrossed by (low) walls, dotted with 'queyrous' (pile of stones), 'guérites' (shelters leaned against or integrated into a wall), 'drailles' (path between low walls).