The dry-stone built huts called "bories" or "cabanes" are probably the oldest of all historical monuments. Their construction goes back to the dawn of time, well before the Romans... but they were continuously destroyed and rebuilt on the same model until the beginning of this century.
The Bories, strange stone huts...
They are probably the oldest of all historical monuments, their construction going back to the dawn of time, well before the Romans... but they were continuously destroyed and rebuilt on the same model until the beginning of this century and the oldest ones can hardly go back beyond the 18th century.
They were certainly dwellings at their origins, perhaps still in Roman times and for the poorest in the Middle Ages. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the inhabitants of the towns fleeing the plague took refuge in them and rebuilt new ones (some of them have two floors).
Since then, they have been used as shepherds' shelters, sometimes as sheep sheds, and as stores. The smaller ones, called "aiguiers", protected wells or springs. Most of them are found on private estates, but many can be found along hiking trails.
The bories of La Garriguette (2-hour loop hike)
In Malemort-du-Comtat, there are no less than 21 bories that you will discover on this pretty walk without any difficulties. A true inventory led by a handful of enthusiasts, this presentation is intended to help you better understand the history that links men and landscapes.
This circuit is an eloquent testimony to rural heritage, let yourself be inspired by the huts in the fields, bories and other "bancaous" (terraced crops).
The route does not present any notable difficulty, other than that of finding your way through the dense vegetation. We advise you to keep the map in front of you.
Start: car park next to the town hall
Duration: 2 hours, distance 4.5 km, altitude difference +-105 m
Orange markings
The bories of Mazan
These hills and slopes have been developed since ancient times. It was in the 11th and 12th centuries, under strong demographic pressure, that the terraced development, "bancaus" in Provence, was put in place by stonework and the construction of low walls. Then came wars, famines and plagues which slowed down this movement.
These constructions, enclosures, huts, and cultivations resume with intensity around 1850.
The huts were also used during plague epidemics (here around 1628-1631) to keep the plague victims away from the towns and villages. They were then used as shelters or tool sheds. Those that are still standing date from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The large walls were used as property boundaries and as enclosures for animals.
On the Napoleonic cadastre of 1808, these "bancaus" are home to olive trees, vines, cherry trees and cereals.
They were abandoned towards the end of the 19th century. The forest then took its place.
The site of La Boissière and the hill of Notre Dame des Anges were also rich in quarries to supply the village.
Small Rural Heritage Trail (loop walk - 2h)
Located in the Sensitive Natural Area (ENS) of the Collines du Paty, this discovery trail bears witness to a past where living required an endurance that has disappeared with our current lifestyles.
This fragile forest area was cultivated and used for herding until the middle of the 20th century. A small dry stone heritage is present everywhere, bearing witness to this ancient agricultural presence. This collection of small dry stone structures is a private and communal heritage to be preserved: do not climb on the walls or on the huts, do not leave the marked path, do not smoke.
Departure and arrival: Car park (educational panel on the ENS) at the corner of the D13 and the Route du Lac du Paty, 250m from the Bouquier campsite.
Duration: 2 hours. Difficulty: easy. Difference in altitude: + 160m. Distance: 4.5 km Dark green markings.