📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
At the foot of the Massif du Dévoluy, in the Hautes-Alpes, stand the remains of the castle of Lesdiguières, located at the entrance of a hamlet of the same name, in the district of Glaizil. This castle was built in the 16th century by François de Bonne, the future duke of Lesdiguières and the last constable of France. Today, only the ruins of the old chapel, the towers, and broken down sections of the walls can be found at the site of this once-grand castle, ranked as a French national historic monument. The general council of the site's owners and the association of Lesdiguières, have decided to preserve this piece of local history, and to bring it back to life. It is with this goal in mind that, since 2010, a dynamic partnership has formed with the association “Les Villages des Jeunes” to organize an international youth workcamp each year. Following a 2012 report stating that the 17th century left a serious and unknown mark on the Dauphiné, many academics and conservatives decided to name 2017 the « year of Lesdiguières ». In fact, the 400 year celebration of Duke's second marriage will call for a number of activities, organized by different community players (the general council, the tourism office, etc.)
💼 What the programme involves
In 2017, you will apply a coating on the elevation of a wall along the southern door. The coating will be a mixture of lime mortar and natural materials. The finishing stage of the coating is called « fouettée ». This will be your opportunity to discover and learn about the ancient techniques of masonry work and how they were applied to medieval building.
🏠 Accommodation on site
In tents on the «La Pra » campground, located at the entrance of the Valgaudemar valley. On the campground, you will enjoy a calm stay in a green setting. You will have access to camping equipment : toilets, cater fountains, and a community barbecue. The entertainment team will encourage you to participate in the community's life: menu and meal preparation using local produce, dish-washing, and clean-up...
📍 About the location
Lesdiguières, town of Le Glaizil (30 km from Gap).
You will be able to organize hikes, swimming trips, sports and games, and sightseeing tours in the surrounding areas. You will also have the opportunity to attend the events celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Duke's marriage. During your free time, you will also be able to organize events with locals such as international meals, joint workcamp days, parties, festivities…