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| The three faces of the land |
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| The Dordogne Valley |
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For centuries, the Dordogne, the river of hope, has been a route ensuring the trade of wood and salt. Nowadays its valley is dedicated to agriculture: asparagus, corn, strawberries, melons, walnuts..., but it has also an industrial side: manufacturing of sleepers for the railroad, jam, confectionery. The traditional rural settlement generally adopts a type of high houses with a cattle shed or a wine cellar on the ground floor. The roof is built with a gable end or "à coyaux" (with 2 slopes and a curled edge), always covered with flat tiles. |
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The Segala
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The "Ségala" is a cool area between the "Massif Central" and the tablelands of Quercy which is the natural kingdom of the forest: beech, birch, and specially chestnut. It contains the highest part of the land between the Cère and the Dordogne, with a point at 524 m. The cultures of rye and chestnut have been replaced by animal breeding. This translates into an architecture which displays beautiful barns topped with pigeon lofts. The steep slopes of the roofs make it possible for the frame to support the weight of slate roofing stones, a typical staple of the areal. |
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The "Causse" (tableland)
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Land of stone, this arid chalky tableland covered with fragrant fields, where the famous Causse ewes "with sunglasses" graze. Here, the "small heritage" is plentyfull and unique, since it is made-out of piled-up dry stones, symbol of the know-how of the ancient builders. This typical environment accommodates a remarkable fauna and flora. Therefore the various tablelands of the Lot are regrouped under the label " Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy" (Regional Natural Reserve of the Tablelands of Quercy). |
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