📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The Mille Pattes association, located in the village of Durban-sur-Arize will welcome you to take part in consolidation work on the medieval castle. In the middle of the 11th century, a first castle was built on a Gaulish opiddum, with smaller size. Towards 1569, during religion wars, Protestants attacked and burnt down the churches of Durban. In 1657 the castle got uninhabited and from then, became ruins. At the end of the 20th century, the "Mille-Pattes" association was created. Its members bought the castle to revive it. It is located on a hill of 18 hectares located above the Arize gorge, in the town of Durban-sur-Arize. Today, the association works for the conservation of these buildings, continues to protect the sitee and improves conditions for visitors and volunteers. To this end, the association plans to host a group of young volunteers to assist in this work.
💼 What the programme involves
Under the guidance of a volunteer from the Mille Pattes association, speciaized in medieval history, the volunteers will participate in various maintenance and enhancement works on the site of the Saint-Barthélémy castle located in Durban-sur-Arize. This includes the restoration of walls (masonry work), the clearing of plants. Your supervisor will be keen to share with you the history of the castle and traditional working techniques.
🏠 Accommodation on site
You will stay in tents in the castle yard. Important: housing conditions are simple (dry toilets and solar showers). Access to the castle is only by foot (15 minute steep path from the village, watch out for your travel bags - prefer a backpack). We cannot accommodate you if you arrive before the starting date of the workcamp.
📍 About the location
View of the castle from a drone : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkJD8VyMQIo Located halfway between Foix and St Girons, the village of Durban-sur-Arize, crossed by the Arize river, is a charming village in the Ariège part of the Pyrenees Regional Natural Park. With the Saint Barthelemy castle, the village has a remarkable built heritage mostly made of stones. Located in the heart of the Séronais county, the site offers many hiking paths. The members of "Mille Pattes" will offer you an introduction to archeology and rock climbing.