The reconstruction of Neige et Merveilles

CODE: SJ17

Work:

Together we will build a storage room, built in stone. There already exists at this location an old slab and a retaining wall on which the building that we are going to construct will rest. Your mission will be to take this slab and start the foundations of the storage room. The reconstruction is planned in local stone, using the same method as all the buildings on the site. The objective is for the building to be in harmony with the whole. There will be 4 working days per week, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. This work does not require any particular skills and will be supervised by a technical supervisor.

Accomodation and food

The accommodation is located on the construction site. You will be accommodated in dormitory rooms with 4 to 6 beds equipped with mattresses, pillows and bathroom facilities. Please bring your sleeping bag. You will participate in the collective and daily life of the group and the place. Food is provided in the budget, and meals will be prepared by you in turn, accompanied by the group life facilitator and in a kitchen with all the necessary equipment. You will participate in cleaning dishes and tidying up dining areas and the kitchen. Specific foods may be requested in order to cook typical dishes from each country or region. It is also possible to request vegetarian meals.

Location and leisure

The hamlet of the Vallauria mine is located at an altitude of 1500 metres. The site is in the middle of the mountains, crossed by the river. We are 10 km from the village of Tende 06430 (2 hours from Nice by train) and 50 km from Ventimiglia (Italy). The site is a 3-hour walk from the mythical Valley of Wonders with its 40,500 engravings dating from the Neolithic period, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In addition to the weekend, one day in the middle of each week will be devoted to discovery and entertainment activities. You will discover the mountain environment, with its fauna and flora and the surrounding hikes (hiking on the archaeological site of the Vallée des Merveilles in the Mercantour National Park). You will have the opportunity to discover the historical and cultural heritage of the region, visit the surrounding villages and meet the inhabitants of the valley. You can also do sporting and thrilling activities such as canyoning, via ferrata, climbing, etc. We will organize activities and entertainment on site according to the wishes of each and every person in the group.

Project hosted by

The Neige & Merveilles association welcomes you to the heart of the Mercantour National Park at an altitude of 1500 m, to work on the continuation of the Vallauria mining hamlet development project. You will discover an exceptional geological heritage and take part in a human and collective adventure which has lasted for more than 60 years. The Neige et Merveilles association has been working since its creation to revive this historic site in order to offer a haven of peace promoting discovery, meetings and diversity around the volunteer sites and the people on site.
On this masonry renovation site, you will participate in the reconstruction of the site ravaged by storm Alex in 2021. The mining site suffered the full force of this storm. The consequences were numerous, between material damage and impacts on the functioning of the structure. Since 2021, the association has done everything it can to rehabilitate the site in conjunction with the town of Tende, the Mercantour National Park and various local stakeholders.

Directions to meeting point

The meeting point is 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 Tende. It takes 3 hours by bus. We will welcome you in front of the station. The departure time will be on Saturday morning.

Additional comments

There is no need for any particular skills for this project, only motivation! Masonry is quite a physical job, especially to carry some rather heavy stones.