Imagine yourself at the entrance to La Lande-de-Fronsac, where modern and ancient intersect. On one side, a classic shopping area. On the other, a jump in time. This is where the medieval Guyenne construction site is located, a fascinating project where a cathedral is being built as in the 11th century. Yes, you read correctly: stone foundations, walls erected by hand, and all this using techniques from the Middle Ages.
The project, officially launched in October 2023, is the work of Valéry Ossenta history buff inspired by similar projects like Guédelon in Burgundy or the frigate Hermione in Rochefort. There are no modern machines or imposing cranes here. Everything is done the old-fashioned way, thanks to a team of five employees and a hundred volunteers.
The project aims to rebuild a Romanesque chapel and, later, a gothic cloisterin the heart of Gironde. For the moment, the first stones of the chapel have barely been laid, but already, the place attracts the curious. You walk on a stone path, and all around you is the Middle Ages: monks’ huts, a forge, stone-cutting workshops. Even the school children local people come to get their hands dirty, as for this miniature lime kiln that they helped build.
This project is not only a technical challenge. It’s a large-scale project socio-professionaldesigned for train young people in difficulty, offer them a new chance and pass on ancestral know-how. The tools, replicas of those of the timeare also a central element of the project. The idea is to show how we built in the past, without compromise.
Beyond the architectural challenge, the Guyenne site also aims to become a place of meeting and sharing. He is open to the publicwhether for a simple visit or to participate in practical workshops. You can come and discover professions like stone cutting, blacksmithing or even carpentry, and exchange directly with those who built the chapel.The tourist aspect is not neglected. Over time, the site hopes to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, which would make the happiness of local traders.
So if you want to delve into the past and see a cathedral take shape before your eyes, the medieval construction site of Guyenne is the dream place. Between transmission of know-how, professional integrationet spirit of mutual assistanceit is a project that unites and fascinates. And who knows, in forty years, perhaps you will come back to admire this finished cathedral, built stone by stone by the hands of passionate volunteers.
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