As you explore the
Loire
Valley
you cannot fail to notice the abundance of dwellings dug into the
slopes and rock faces of the landscape. These are referred to as
troglodytes and are the results of the local people’s desire to use
their environment to its full potential. The
tufa stone that these dwellings are cut from is soft,
manageable and easy to work, so they had the double benefit of
selling the quarried stone while creating a living space for their
families. The troglodytes have the advantage of staying at a fairly
constant 12 degrees centigrade thus making them a good all year
round habitat that provided heat in winter and cool in summer as
well as good protection from the elements.
Less obvious
are the troglodytes that are cut out of plains as the only
indication of their presence is the odd chimney top peeking through
the ground! These were more likely dug as a means of protection and
as a place of concealment from any potential invaders plus in times
of hardship and shortages they offered a good alternative, easily
sustained habitat.
A very good
example
of this is the
Troglodyte
village
of
Rochemenier
which is in the commune
of Louresse-Rochemenier 6 km NW of
Doue-la-Fontaine, just of the D761. Part
of the troglodyte village has been retained as a museum to a way of
life that was still in existence in the 1930’s. You are presented
with a plan which leads you through the twenty rooms of the village
consisting of two ancient farms with out-buildings and houses plus a spectacular
underground chapel carved out of
the
rock. As you reflect on how it must have been to live in these small
dwellings you are shown a modernised
room that you could survive relatively comfortably in today. The
impression given however is that the village’s inhabitants must have
been really ‘close’ to have lived in such a tight knit community.
This
is a good place to take children as apart from the historical
interest they’ll love exploring the caves --- oh and by the
way—“MIND YOUR HEAD!”
The
village is open April 1st – November
1st (9.30am-7.00pm)
November, February and
March : Saturday, Sunday and local public
holidays from (2.00pm-6.00pm)
