Cabanes du Breuil
Encyclopedia
The designation Cabanes du Breuil is applied to the former agricultural dependencies of a farm located at the place known as Calpalmas at Saint-André-d'Allas
, in the Dordogne
department in France
. Dating from the 19th century, if not the very early 20th century, these buildings share two distinguishing features, their being covered by a dry stone corbelled vault underneath a roofing of stone tiles and their being in clusters.
and 12 km from Les Eyzies
, at a place called Calpalmas. They make up the outbuildings of a former agricultural farm comprising a single-storey house with a two-sided roof of stone tiles over wooden truss
es, of a type commonly found in the Sarlat
region. The farmyard gate bears an inscribed date: 1841.
and modern-day land registers
, the name of the place is not "Le Breuil" but "Calpalmas". "Le Breuil" (also spelt "Le Breuilh") is, to be precise, the name of a nearby hamlet.
The designation "Cabanes du Breuil", although lacking in accuracy, was made popular - whether in its original form or under the variant "Bories du Breuil" - by the local monthly Périgord Magazine in the 1970s, and more generally by regional tourist brochures, not forgetting postcards from the 1980s onwards.
On several occasions, the stone huts underwent major restoration work (at the turn of the 1970s and again in the 1990s) (see Jean-Pierre Chavent in Bibliography). A number of alterations were made to roof ridges: the separate roofs of the huts in group 2 were merged together over two thirds of their height so as to mimick the ondulating ridge of group 1; likewise, the ridge line of the hut leaning against the gable
of the bake house, originally a curve and countercurve, was straightened to be made parallel to the ridge of the bake house.
, the cabanes du Breuil were inhabited by the Benedictine
monks of Sarlat", a proof of this being a sale deed of "1449, the earliest written trace testifying to their presence". However, the alleged deed remains unpublished and its whereabouts and content are unknown. Besides, Calpalmas is a different place from Le Breuil.
In the book "Les cabanes en pierre sèche du Périgord" (The Dry Stone Huts of Périgord) published in 2002 (see Bibliography), the author states that "Le Breuil was once a possession of the Benedictines in the Chapter of Sarlat Bishopric
, but nowhere is there any mention that the stone huts we see today already existed." He adds: "Twenty years ago, the landlady used to boast that the stone huts had been built or entirely rebuilt by her grandfather, at the beginning of the 20th century."
Again, according to the Cabanes du Breuil's website, rural craftsmen - a blacksmith
, a harness
maker and a weaver
- are said to have rented some of the huts in order to practise their craft (see www.cabanes-du-breuil.com/histoire.htm). But the hut allegedly used by a blacksmith contains none of the requisite paraphernalia for that trade, and it was endowed with a faux chimney piece in 1988. Besides, a postcard from the 1970s shows the same building being used as a sheepfold: a dozen sheep are seen leaving it under the guidance of the then farmer and his wife.
Because of the slope, the uphill roof eaves are nearly at ground level.
Entrances look downhill and extend all the way up to the roof eaves. Their uprights are made of dressed stones alternating as headers and stretchers. They are capped by outer and inner wooden lintel
s, right under the eaves. They are fitted with a wooden door.
Each roof is adorned with a large dormer
window (or hay window) with mortared stone jambs
and a projecting roof supported by outer and inner wooden lintels. There is a break in the eaves right under each dormer. A number of windows can be accessed (presumably by poultry) through a flight of three or four projecting stones laid into the wall beneath.
Each roof is capped by a large, circularly carved stone slab.
Inside the huts, at the height where corbelling starts, wooden beams serve as a rudimentary upper floor.
In their forms and techniques, the stone huts show an outstanding architectural unity, a likely hint that they belong to one and the same period or are the work of one and the same craftsman. Architecturally speaking, they are similar to the stone huts with conical or bell-shaped roofs that can be seen in other parts of the Sarlat region and hark back to a building campaign extending from the mid 18th century to the late 19th century..
(Robert Hossein
's film version).
Saint-André-d'Allas
Saint-André-d'Allas is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
department in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Dating from the 19th century, if not the very early 20th century, these buildings share two distinguishing features, their being covered by a dry stone corbelled vault underneath a roofing of stone tiles and their being in clusters.
Location
The Cabanes du Breuil are located 9 km from SarlatSarlat-la-Canéda
Sarlat-la-Canéda , or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Sarlat is one of the most attractive and alluring towns in southwestern France.-Geography:...
and 12 km from Les Eyzies
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil lies in the Périgord Noir area. It is served by the Gare des Eyzies railroad station...
, at a place called Calpalmas. They make up the outbuildings of a former agricultural farm comprising a single-storey house with a two-sided roof of stone tiles over wooden truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
es, of a type commonly found in the Sarlat
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Sarlat-la-Canéda , or simply Sarlat, is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Sarlat is one of the most attractive and alluring towns in southwestern France.-Geography:...
region. The farmyard gate bears an inscribed date: 1841.
How the designation originated
According to both NapoleonicNapoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
and modern-day land registers
Land registration
Land registration generally describes systems by which matters concerning ownership, possession or other rights in land can be recorded to provide evidence of title, facilitate transactions and to prevent unlawful disposal...
, the name of the place is not "Le Breuil" but "Calpalmas". "Le Breuil" (also spelt "Le Breuilh") is, to be precise, the name of a nearby hamlet.
The designation "Cabanes du Breuil", although lacking in accuracy, was made popular - whether in its original form or under the variant "Bories du Breuil" - by the local monthly Périgord Magazine in the 1970s, and more generally by regional tourist brochures, not forgetting postcards from the 1980s onwards.
The Listed Historic Monument
Official protection was bestowed on the stone huts following a proposal made by a visitor who was struck with their beauty and uniqueness. First, the site was listed in 1968, then in May 1995, the huts themselves were declared listed buildings (together with the façades and stone roofs of the farmhouse and its bake house).On several occasions, the stone huts underwent major restoration work (at the turn of the 1970s and again in the 1990s) (see Jean-Pierre Chavent in Bibliography). A number of alterations were made to roof ridges: the separate roofs of the huts in group 2 were merged together over two thirds of their height so as to mimick the ondulating ridge of group 1; likewise, the ridge line of the hut leaning against the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
of the bake house, originally a curve and countercurve, was straightened to be made parallel to the ridge of the bake house.
Date of Building
According to the Cabanes du Breuil's Internet site (see External Links), "In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the cabanes du Breuil were inhabited by the Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
monks of Sarlat", a proof of this being a sale deed of "1449, the earliest written trace testifying to their presence". However, the alleged deed remains unpublished and its whereabouts and content are unknown. Besides, Calpalmas is a different place from Le Breuil.
In the book "Les cabanes en pierre sèche du Périgord" (The Dry Stone Huts of Périgord) published in 2002 (see Bibliography), the author states that "Le Breuil was once a possession of the Benedictines in the Chapter of Sarlat Bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, but nowhere is there any mention that the stone huts we see today already existed." He adds: "Twenty years ago, the landlady used to boast that the stone huts had been built or entirely rebuilt by her grandfather, at the beginning of the 20th century."
Again, according to the Cabanes du Breuil's website, rural craftsmen - a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, a harness
Horse harness
A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
maker and a weaver
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
- are said to have rented some of the huts in order to practise their craft (see www.cabanes-du-breuil.com/histoire.htm). But the hut allegedly used by a blacksmith contains none of the requisite paraphernalia for that trade, and it was endowed with a faux chimney piece in 1988. Besides, a postcard from the 1970s shows the same building being used as a sheepfold: a dozen sheep are seen leaving it under the guidance of the then farmer and his wife.
Layout of the Buildings
A row of five huts arranged in an arc of circle line the uphill side of the farm:- The first two huts are in fact one and the same building (presumably a hay store), of a rectangular ground plan with rounded corners; a smaller, circular hut abuts its far end; as all three roofs are connected by a curving ridge, one gets the impression of a single structure with threefold roofing.
- The next two huts are set at right angles to each other, the first one abutting on to the gable wall of the bake house, the second one leaning against the latter's side wall (the bake house is a small building with a two-sided roof clad in stone tiles, standing against the farmhouse's gable wall).
- A group of two conjoined huts, whose roofs are attached to each other, stands parallel to the first group a few metres up the hill.
- Lastly, further up the slope, two isolated huts, one small, the other bigger, plus a third, smaller one at the entrance to the site.
Architecture
From an architectural and morphological point of view, each hut consists of three different parts:- a base of stones laid with earth mortar (not to be confused with dry stone wallingDry stoneDry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their unique construction method, which is characterized by the presence of a load-bearing facade of carefully selected interlocking...
); - a vault of corbelled and outward-inclining stones;
- over the vaulting, a bell-shaped roof of stone tiles with outward-flaring eavesEavesThe eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
.
Because of the slope, the uphill roof eaves are nearly at ground level.
Entrances look downhill and extend all the way up to the roof eaves. Their uprights are made of dressed stones alternating as headers and stretchers. They are capped by outer and inner wooden lintel
Post and lintel
Post and lintel, or in contemporary usage Post and beam, is a simple construction method using a lintel, header, or architrave as the horizontal member over a building void supported at its ends by two vertical columns, pillars, or posts...
s, right under the eaves. They are fitted with a wooden door.
Each roof is adorned with a large dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
window (or hay window) with mortared stone jambs
Door jamb
A doorjamb is the vertical portion of the frame onto which a door is secured. The jamb bears the weight of the door through its hinges, and most types of door latches and deadbolts extend into a recess in the doorjamb when engaged, making the "true" and strength of the doorjambs vitally important...
and a projecting roof supported by outer and inner wooden lintels. There is a break in the eaves right under each dormer. A number of windows can be accessed (presumably by poultry) through a flight of three or four projecting stones laid into the wall beneath.
Each roof is capped by a large, circularly carved stone slab.
Inside the huts, at the height where corbelling starts, wooden beams serve as a rudimentary upper floor.
In their forms and techniques, the stone huts show an outstanding architectural unity, a likely hint that they belong to one and the same period or are the work of one and the same craftsman. Architecturally speaking, they are similar to the stone huts with conical or bell-shaped roofs that can be seen in other parts of the Sarlat region and hark back to a building campaign extending from the mid 18th century to the late 19th century..
The Backdrop to Films
The place has been made popular not only by postcards but also by films and TV series: it is said to have been a filming location - prior to 1990 - for La Belle au bois dormant (Sleeping Beauty), Jacquou le Croquant (Peasant Jacquou) (Stellio Lorenzi's TV version), D'Artagnan, and Les MisérablesLes Misérables (1982 film)
Les Misérables is a 1982 French drama film directed by Robert Hossein. It is one of the numerous screen adaptation of the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.-Plot summary:...
(Robert Hossein
Robert Hossein
Robert Hossein is a French film actor of Azeri origin, director and writer. He directed the 1982 adaption of Les Misérables, and appeared in Vice and Virtue, Le Casse, Les Uns et les Autres and Venus Beauty Institute...
's film version).
External links
- For a bird's eye view of the layout of the buildings, see the site http://perso.orange.fr/vent.ouest/text/197bad3-541.html
- For the official listing of the site, see the Patrimoine de France website http://www.patrimoine-de-france.org/oeuvres/richesses-3-1077-14759-M160151-39744.html
- If planning a visit, see the Cabanes du Breuil website http://www.cabanes-du-breuil.com/