The historic hamlet of Goutets, located in Ariège, will soon begin a major renovation. Made up of 25 18th century buildings, this remarkable heritage site will benefit from a 256,000 euro project, supported by the heritage lottery and the communities.
Located in the heart of Couserans, in Ariège, the small village of Goutets, a historic hamlet in the Pyrenees, will benefit from a renovation. Made up of 25 buildings dating from the 18th century and perched at an altitude of 1,400 meters, these constructions have suffered from time and neglect.
The fire in a barn a few years ago accelerated the desire of the Mountain and Heritage association to propose a major renovation program. After being selected by the heritage lottery last year and thanks to the support of local authorities, the rehabilitation project has finally seen the light of day.
The first developments should begin between June and October, and will take place in three phases over three years. The project has a total cost of 256,000 euros. Crowdfunding is also put forward for certain structures in the hamlet. Ariège artisans from the Syndicat des Montagnes Massat le Port will be responsible for the work.
A major challenge, because they will have to relearn how to work with old materials. The site, classified among the remarkable heritage sites, thus benefits from reinforced protection, guaranteeing its preservation for future generations.
A place steeped in history
The Goutets site, located at an altitude of 1400 m on the foothills of the Massif des Trois Seigneurs, has a long pastoral tradition, dating back to the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. Faced with insufficient food resources, the populations of the valley were pushed to exploit the higher areas for agriculture and livestock breeding.
The hamlets of Goutets, grouping together typical dry stone constructions, are made up of barns-stables, huts for shepherds (or “orris”), mazucs for refining cheese, and shelters for animals. These constructions are emblematic of mountain pastoral architecture.
Abandoned in the 1960s due to agricultural abandonment and rural exodus, the site has been partially rehabilitated since the 1990s, thanks to a preservation project. Today, summer farming has been revived, and Goutets has become a lively place, both for its pastoral activity and its growing tourist potential.
Florian Cibot
