Bayardet

4 points of interest

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  History

  Le Mas de La Barque

  Le Mas de La Barque was only a forester’s house at the end of the 20th century. From the 1960s onwards, it was frequented by children’s ski clubs and then by families from the Gard on the weekend. During the week, the association “Union pour l'Animation de la Grange” organised field trips, heritage classes and theme days open to all. A costly infrastructure was gradually built (buildings, ski lifts, snow canons), then partly demolished again. Today, as part of an overall programme of reclassifying the site, it has been developed for tourism (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog-sledding, etc.) and is run by a semi-public company. The resort offers outdoor activities in summer as well as in winter. 

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  Tradition

  The mysterious boat

  Have you noticed the strange rock shaped like a boat (barque)? Is that what gave the hamlet its name? Alternatively, in the local patois, a berque is a gap in the mountain. So: Mas de la Barque or Mas de la Berque?
  Mas de la Barque is part of the municipality of Vialas and borders the forest of Gourdouze. The estate of the Priory of Gourdouze, to which the forest once belonged, was declared government property during the French Revolution in 1789, before being sold to pay the state’s debts. 

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  Flora

  Sphagnum moss

  You will be crossing wetlands where sphagnum moss lives, whose colour ranges from yellowish green to blood-red. Without them, the role of peatbogs would be seriously compromised. Once dead, they constitute the mainstay of peat and limit the establishment of competitors. They function like sponges, retaining a great deal of water and asphyxiating the roots of other plants. Their presence is a sign that the peatland is in good health; it facilitates the growth of species of great heritage interest, such as the sundew, cranberry, bog-rosemary, etc. Unfortunately, these are fragile and sensitive to crushing, so please stay on the path and get off your bike.

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  Know-how

  Slash-and-burn

  This technique consists of clearing weeds and shrubs using fire: the fire is utilised to get rid of broom, especially in places that a motorised shredder cannot access. Slash-and burn is carried out every 4 to 5 years in a zone chosen by the farmer. Over larger areas, it is supervised by the fire brigade. In the 19th century, 100,000 sheep migrated to summer pastures here (transhumance) and joined the plateau herds, leaving no room for broom. As soon as the meadows are no longer grazed, they are colonised by broom, then shrubs, then forest. These open spaces are due to human activity (clearing) to allow herds to graze on grass. Grazing prevents the spontaneous growth of shrubs and any generalised invasion of forest.