Uphill the Jas

Place : Chateauneuf de Gadagne (Vaucluse)

Participants: Teenagers under 18

Workcamp description:

The village of Châteauneuf de Gadagne, whose fortifications date back to the 10th century, wishes to enhance its heritage by restoring the parts bordering the old ramparts of the village.

The Chemin du Jas leading up to the ramparts is bordered by a low wall in a very poor state of conservation. This low retaining wall is located below a car park used by the inhabitants when they want to go to the fortified part of the village. Volunteers will help to rebuild the low stone wall with the installation of cut stone as a crown.

Work programme:

• Dismantling the damaged wall
• Construction of the wall with lime mortar
• Cutting and placing the coping stones

Building technique: Lime mortar stonework

Special bonus : You’ll have the chance to show your work and be ambassadors for volunteer workcamps.

Accommodation: In a municipal hall, in separate dormitories for boys and girls, on camp beds, with access to sanitary facilities. The accommodation is a 10-minute walk from the work site. You can bring your own camp bed or mattress.

Workcamp life: Restoration work in the mornings from Monday to Friday and help with daily tasks, such as preparing meals and cleaning (taking turns). Free time in the afternoons and at weekends, with a choice of group excursions and activities.

Some ideas for excursions: Climbing, canoeing on the Sorgue, walking in the Dentelles de Montmirail, sunset on the Mont Ventoux, farmers' markets and swimming

A bit of history:

The village is located on the eastern slope of the hill that separates the Rhône plain from the Comtat region.

Built above its ramparts, Châteauneuf de Gadagne is still protected by the remains of its feudal castle. Considered one of the most beautiful in the province, it was abandoned and demolished during the Revolution to serve as a quarry for the inhabitants.

Its ancient ramparts still remain and can be seen from the viewpoint in front of the church of Saint Jean Baptiste.

It is a charming village with a Provençal soul, rich in its past, and the cradle of the Félibrige, a movement for the revival of the Provençal language, created by Frédéric Mistral and his friends in 1854.