‘Je suis un paysane, je vis dans mon pays, je façonne le paysage, et le paysage me façonne’. 1
Words spoken by ‘le conteur paysan’ (storyteller) Clément Bouscarel on a spring evening walk around Saint-Geniès. Though his Occitane was said to have had a Quercy flavor to it, it hardly mattered as few participants could make much sense out of the rolling R’s and vaguely Italian or Spanish echoing sentences.
A landscape (paysage) is a spatial record of past and present activities and interactions of natural and cultural forces into a unified whole. The landscape is not just a product of nature; climate, relief, soil, flora and fauna. But also a product of people; their (un)intentional interventions, their interpretations and the story telling in search (and production) of meaning.
Saint-Geniès is a small village located in the heart of the black Périgord on the small Chironde watercourse, a tributary of the Coly stream. Of the 12th century castle only a vestiges of the dungeon (2) remain. The village is renowned for the important architectural ensemble of beautifully restored local stone buildings and lauze (dry stacked) roofs.
On the central square a market is held every Sunday morning, in July and August the Wednesday night market allows you to buy and consume local produce on the spot. From December to February the Sunday morning truffle market brings together local producers.
In 1200 the village is acquired by Boson de Salignac and mention of the lordship of Saint-Geniès appears towards 1282. In 1327 the co-lords of Val, Salignac and Saint-Geniès authorizes Gaubert de la Caminade to build the Cheylard chapel. The date the original castle was destroyed is unknown, the current castle (1) dates from the 16th century, when several houses (elements of the 13th century) were united.
From the Romanesque 12th century church of Notre Dame de l’Assomption (1) only the apse remains. The side chapels date from the 13, 15, and 16th centuries, the bell tower near the end of the 15th century . The church was devastated during the wars of religion.
The chapel of Cheylard (or Saint Catherine chapel) (3) has survived in its original form, its 14th century frescoes are of particular interest. It was recognized as a historical monuments in 1899. The middle section of the north wall depicts Saint Thomas Becket (Archbishop of Canterbury between 1162 and 1170), a popular saint in the Périgord and Limousin during the Angevine (‘English’) empire.
Saint-Geniès has an exceptional heritage of lauze roofs, thanks to a 'dynasty' of lauzier masters. Classified as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICP) Mr. Chapoulie is also responsible for the upkeep of beautiful Perigord Noir castles like Castelnaud, Fenelon, Marqueyssac and even re-roofed the Maison de la Sirène in Collonges-la-Rouge, Corrèze.
Lauzes are flat stones between 2 and 6 cm thick and weight between 500 and 800 kg per m2, so a solid oak frame with chestnut slats is needed. When restored, a roof is first 'rissonnee' (hedge-hogged) to check and clean the existing stone. Then re-done from bottom to top on a 'bench'.
Paul Farley and Michael Symmons Roberts described edgelands as;
‘Somewhere in the hollows and spaces between our carefully managed wilderness areas and the creeping, flattening effects of global capitalism ... successive human utilities scar the earth ... complicated, unexamined places that thrive on disregard.’2
The Hautefort – Gourdon railway is now a scar in the landscape, the Hautefort – Sarlat section was inaugurated in 1899 (Sarlat-Gourdon in 1902). The section connecting Terrasson with Sarlat, on which the Saint-Geniès station (5) served, transported passengers till 1940 and goods till 1955. Declassified in 1960 its rails were removed.
In 1969 parts of the route were asphalted to be used as roads, transforming the Valade bridge and viaduc de l Énéa into a road bridges, the 1.5km Saint-Amand tunnel became an important hibernation place for bats and is now included into the Natura 2000 European ecological infrastructure. The railway stations are a string of clues left behind on the map only for those looking to connect the dots.
Saint-Geniès has a 50 minutes Promenade the bourg which offers some great views. And is the starting point for a number of hikes: the 11/15 km Boucle du Sireyjol et de la Chironde explores the Watermills and small cultural heritage like the lavoir (4), former railway station (5) and pigeon-towers. Especially recommended during the European Mill days and National Heritage Weekend when mills are open for visits. Other options are the 15.5km Boucle Pierres et Lauzes, the 7,7km Boucle des Moulins, 7,7km Boucle des Etangs and the 15,4km Boucle des Combes.
‘I am a peasant, I live in my country, I shape the landscape, and the landscape shapes me’.
La 4ème Edition de la Ronde des Moulins, 1er AVRIL 2017. Balade contée & animée -Contes et légendes par Clément Bouscarel en compagnie des ânes de Beaugarry – Saint Geniès.
Paul Farley and, Michael Symmons Roberts, 2011. Edgelands: Journeys into England's True Wilderness. Jonathan Cape, ISBN 9780224089029