The barn and the cellar

Every construction requires a base known as a solin, made of stone and flint. Its height of 60 to 80 cm prevents rising damp and provides a solid foundation for the sole plate (a horizontal oak beam supporting the timber framing).

The framework consists of main beams and vertical posts called colombes. Between these posts, a wattle core is built to act as a frame. On this softwood structure, "gaulettes" (typically young chestnut shoots) are arranged horizontally to form a wooden lattice. Cob (torchis), made of clay soil and plant fibres (wheat or barley straw, etc.), fills the wooden skeleton of the building.

For high-quality cob, the clay is mixed with water, an equal amount of straw is added, and the mixture is kneaded by foot. Remarkably strong, cob is an excellent thermal insulator and moisture-resistant material. In the past, builders sourced materials locally: flint, oak, clay, fibres, and earth from marl pits for the lime wash.

To complete the building, it must be roofed. Made of wheat or rye straw, dried and stripped of residual grain, a thatch roof combines charm with natural practicality. The straw is bundled and laid across the roof slopes. The roof frame is designed with a steep pitch, and the rafters overhang significantly to shed rainwater far from the stone base, removing the need for gutters. Once the ridge is reached, the thatch is capped with a layer of packed clay and planted with iris bulbs. As the old saying went: "Le jour de faîte est jour de fête" (The day the ridge is finished is a day for celebration).

The Barn

The barn is often divided into two sections. The storage area, known as the "tas, tassant, tasserie or culas," was used to store sheaves, while the threshing floor, called the "battière," was where grain was threshed with a flail, winnowed, and screened to remove impurities. Harvested grain was kept in the lofts. In the 19th century, the sickle was replaced by the scythe, leading to an increase in the volume harvested. Because cereals were mown much closer to the ground, the volume to be stored increased considerably. When space ran out in the barn, the sheaves were left outdoors. The century also brought innovation with the mechanical thresher or harvester, and farm machinery was subsequently stored in the barn.

The Cellar

The cellar is an above-ground storage room. Ideally situated to the north and built with very thick walls (70 cm here) to maintain coolness and a stable temperature, it has as few openings as possible. This area was used for storing cider.