Following the footsteps of the Mercantour miners 2

CODE: SJ41

Work:

Together, we will build a larch wood mine gallery using traditional carpentry techniques from the mining era (18th-19th centuries). The aim is to integrate it into the visitor circuit, providing a better understanding of how miners worked. The first step will involve working with the wood, collecting larch logs and stripping their bark on site. These logs will then be transported to the mine where they will be assembled to create the gallery. Other workshops will focus on building dry stone walls to maintain the mine's visitor circuit. There will be four workdays per week, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. This project requires no special skills and will be supervised by a technical instructor who will be happy to share their knowledge of the mine's history and traditional construction techniques.

Accomodation and food

Accommodation is located on the place of the chantier. You will be housed in rooms with 2 to 3 beds, equipped with mattresses, pillows, and a shower in each room. Please bring your sleeping bag. You will participate in the daily life of the group and the site. Each day, a pair of volunteers will cook with the staff, and meals will be shared with the other residents of the hamlet in a friendly atmosphere. You will help with washing dishes and tidying up the dining and kitchen areas. Meals will be adapted to dietary needs whenever possible.

Location and leisure

Location : The hamlet of La Minière de Vallauria is located at an altitude of 1500 meters. The site is nestled in the mountains, bisected by a river. We are 10 km from the village of Tende (06430) (2 hours from Nice by train) and 50 km from Ventimiglia (Italy).

Leisure Activities : There will be three days off work per week. These days will be an opportunity to connect in a different way, explore the surrounding area, and meet people from the hamlet and neighboring villages. Your group will initiate and organize leisure activities, guided by a facilitator. Individual preferences, local activities, and budgets will influence your choices. Activity rooms, a friendly bistro, relaxation areas, a playground, and the entire mountain are all available to you on site.

Project hosted by

At an altitude of 1500 meters, at the gateway to the Mercantour National Park, the Neige et Merveilles association welcomes you to the hamlet of Vallauria, a mining village steeped in history just waiting to be shared. Over 60 years ago, a group of friends working at Renault dreamed of creating a village where people of different nationalities and social backgrounds could meet. The entire site is open to all. Young people, older people, groups, individuals, and school classes come together to understand, share, question, build, and feel. The ruins of the hamlet have been, and continue to be, renovated by young people from all over the world, driven by the desire to build a better world for tomorrow. Above the hamlet lies a silver-lead mine, in operation since the 13th century. The medieval section represents a geological heritage intertwined with the mythical Valley of Wonders, sure to interest those with a curious mind.

Directions to meeting point

The meeting point is Saint-Dalmas-De-Tende station (06430) at around 5 p.m. on Sunday. From Nice-Côte d'Azur airport, a tram will take you to the Nice-Ville SNCF train station where a bus will take you directly to Saint-Dalmas-De-Tende. It takes 3 hours by bus. We will welcome you in front of the station. The departure time will be on Saturday morning.

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