📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Pie Fourcha, a lost hamlet in the middle of an extraordinary landscape, will offer you the possibility to live a workcamp with a lot of activities: outdoor sports, personal development and citizenship.
The hamlet is located close to the city of Prads-Haute-Bleone, in the UNESCO Geoparc of Haute-Provence site, a transition between the Alps and Provence region, characterized by a high diversity of exceptional landscape where the time of Men and the time of the Earth can be seen by side. You will discover its natural, geological and cultural heritage. Built more than 1000 years ago, Pie Fourcha has been deserted around 1930, and now only the hikers, coming from all over the world, get through those ruins. That’s where we offer you to come and stay for a few days to “recharge your batteries” and contribute to restore the village. Your days will alternate between works on the camp, and outdoor sports such as hiking, swimming, games and even a 2 days trip in the mountains! (Val Pousanne – 1900m). But also, daily relaxation, discussions and at least two parties during the workcamp will be organized in a hostel.
More information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Aiop3kyXs
💼 What the programme involves
The workcamp will be led by a professional from the “Compagnons du devoir” who will show you how to restore a part of the paths and some stone walls of this lost hamlet. Last year they discovered a huge “apié” (bee wall) which is a few hundred years old. This year workcamps will allow you to observe bee hives and you will try to seed swarms of black bees, an endangered endemic species.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The first and the last night you will be hosted in a hostel at Le Vernet city, where you will sleep with another volunteer (2 single beds per room). The other nights you will sleep in tents (tipi), except for the 2 days’ hike when you will sleep in a mountain shelter at 1800m of altitude. You will be part of a group of 11 volunteers, coming from all around the world. Meals will be taken on the workcamp. During the camp, volunteers will also be able to cook some dishes and organize a shared meal with the local population.
📍 About the location
The close villages of Prads-Haute-Bleone and Le Vernet account less than 200 inhabitants. They are nestled in the Haute-Provence Alps, at 1300m of altitude. Thanks to its exceptional nature, hiking and other outdoor sports are much appreciated. It’s also very quiet, so you will relax a lot.
Two qualified sports educators will accompany you throughout the stay as well as more specific coaches for thematic hikes (Meditation, mountain pastures, well-being). Relaxation and recuperation moments (well-being massages) are offered.
⚠️ Requirements
Bring a warm sleeping bag, warm clothes (nights can be cold) and working clothes, solid shoes for the work and walking. Bring clothing suitable for outdoor activities, a swimsuit (swimming trunks are not allowed in the pool!) and a hat, mosquitos repellent & sunscreen.
If you want, you can also bring musical instruments, games, recipes, photos and/or specialties from your country or region.
The workcamp is located in a remote area, so the mobile phone reception and 3-4G network are not always available.
Foreigners belonging to the European Union must bring with them a personal EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), and everybody must, in any case, bring their insurance certificate. If health issues happen on the project, volunteers will have to pay for it, and then be reimbursed once back in their home country.
ℹ️ Additional information
Meeting point:
Digne train station
Closest airport:
Marseille or Paris.