📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The "Mille Pattes" association, located in the town of Durban-sur-Arize, will welcome you to participate in the work of consolidating the medieval castle. In the middle of the 11th century, a first castle was built whose surface was much smaller than the current ruin. The site is built on a Gaulish oppidum. Until the 13th century, the ruling family was Cathar. Around 1569, during the Religious Wars, Protestants attacked the city and burned down the churches in Durban. In 1657, the castle was uninhabited and fell into ruins. At the end of the 20th century, the Mille Pattes association was created. Its members bought the castle to give it life. This castle is located on a 18-hectare hill above the Arize gorges, in the town of Durban-sur-Arize. Today, the association works to preserve these buildings, to maintain the protection of the site, and to improve the conditions for visitors and volunteers. To do this, the association plans to host several volunteer groups to help it in this work.
💼 What the programme involves
Under the guidance of a volunteer from the Mille Pattes association, specialized 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 walls restoration (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 be housed in tents on the castle’s territory. Important: the accommodation conditions are simple (dry toilets and solar showers), nature lovers might enjoy. The access to the castle is only on foot (15 minutes of steep path from the village, be careful for your travel bags - prefer a backpack). We can’t take care of you if you arrive before the start date.
📍 About the location
View of the castle from a drone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkJD8VyMQIo Located halfway between Foix and Saint-Girons, Durban-sur-Arize, crossed by Arize, is a charming village in the Ariège part of the Pyrenees Regional Natural Park. With the overlooking Saint Barthelemy castle, the village has a remarkable and old built heritage with most of the buildings made of stone. Located in the heart of the Séronais county, the site offers many hiking trails. The members of the association will offer you an introduction to archeology and climbing.