The whitewaters of the Adour. Control and development over time

Journal: Region - Water Conservancy DOI: 10.32629/rwc.v9i2.5400

Danièle Gaillaguet1, Didier Rösch1, Richard Sabatier2

1. Pierre des Esclozes Association
2. Archaeological Observatory for Upper Bigorre

Abstract

The "courtaou"1 of Esclozes, located about an hour's walk from the tourist site of Payolle, comprised around twenty huts, which had been in ruins for over fifty years. One of these huts and the adjoining milking shelter, built of dry stone, were restored to their original state by the Pierre des Esclozes association, created for this purpose in 2012. A water supply channel over a kilometer long was also put back into operation. This project, carried out by volunteers and supported by the municipality of Campan, has attracted many visitors. During the summer, members of the association come every week to maintain the site. These days, along with the two major annual projects announced in the press, provide opportunities for new encounters. Various projects and research have developed alongside these activities concerning pastoral life and the history of the remarkable gravity-fed irrigation system that characterizes the Campan Valley. The site thus contributes to informing and mobilizing volunteers to better understand the evolution of the landscapes and the waterways that shape them, as well as the methods of their regular maintenance.

Keywords

courtaou; valley; cowshed; mountain

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