This weekend is the European Heritage Days. This is now a 40-year-old tradition since the first Heritage Day took place in France on 23 September 1984 at the initiative of Jack Lang, then Minister of Culture. Subsequently, this idea gained ground and was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1991. Today, no fewer than 50 states organise this event throughout Europe and even beyond.
Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September, the Visages de Ségala association invites you to a weekend dedicated to chestnuts. Indeed, what could be more local and more traditional than chestnuts in our “country”. In the 17th and 18th centuries, in Ségala, chestnuts helped overcome shortages.
Over the last half-century, the presence of chestnut trees has shrunk dramatically: diseases, exploitation of wood for tannin, drop in chestnut consumption and the sale price of harvests, disappearance of know-how, competition from other productions such as cereals or potatoes, land consolidation and clearing, etc. Fortunately, a few diehards have maintained this culture and these days will be an opportunity to rediscover this marvelous fruit, its production, its harvest, its conservation, its transformation.
Program of the European Heritage Days 2024 organized by Visages de Ségala:
Saturday 21 at 2 p.m., meet at the parking lot of the town hall of Sabadel-Latronquière (46 210) and Sunday 22 at 10 a.m., meet at the parking lot of the school of La Remise in Labathude to visit a chestnut grove and a secadou. These chestnut groves are in operation and one even carries out activities of transformation of the harvest into chestnut-based products.
Sunday 22 from 12 noon, activities at Maison Marot (2 235 route de Pratoucy in 46210 Sénaillac-Latronquière); light snacks with a taste of chestnuts, visit of the house with demonstrations around chestnuts, exhibition, basketwork, stories, sale of chestnut-based products and at 5:30 p.m. a historian will talk to us about chestnut cultivation in Haut Ségala.
Single entry to the various sites: adults €4; young people aged 12 to 18 €3; under 12s free. Information and registration (reservations recommended) on 06 56 88 90 82.
