Landscaping of the terrace of wonders

CODE: SJ66

Work:

We will carry out the layout of the terrace of wonders together.The aim of this project is first of all to create a pleasant and friendly space, by creating seats and benches to enjoy this terrace and admire the view. There will be initial clearing and cleaning work to enhance this space. Your mission will be to install wooden barriers to secure the terrace. Located near one of the mine entrances used by the miners, we will use part of this space to experiment with slaughter by fire for visitors, a technique used since the dawn of time before the arrival of dynamite, which consists of strongly heating the working face using a pyre to cause a thermal shock which will flake the surface of the rock. It is a technique that characterizes the medieval mine of Vallauria. 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 medieval villages and the Roya valley, 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. The purpose of this project lies in the development of a neighboring terrace at the starting point for visits to the mine, located just above the hamlet.This involves creating a comfortable and accessible place for visitors, conducive to discovering the village from another angle as well as being able to accommodate the future storage of wood for the design of the experimental pyres, slaughter by fire. This extraction method, used since the Middle Ages, is part of the grandeur of what the Vallauria mine offers to visitors.

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