Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat
MonumentHidden Treasure
Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat, located in Daglan (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Daglan, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.7363, 1.1704
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00083090
A jewel of Perigord vernacular architecture, this dry-stone hut in the Combe du Rat combines three interlocking cells - a rare feat that makes it a one-of-a-kind specimen.
History
Tucked away in a discreet valley in the Périgord Noir, the dry-stone hut at Combe du Rat belongs to that family of humble but fascinating buildings that wine-growing farmers have sown across the Sarladais landscape. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1991, it embodies better than anyone else the silent virtuosity of the rural builders who, without mortar or an architect, assembled stone like others compose music. What immediately sets the Combe du Rat hut apart from its fellow huts scattered across the surrounding causses and combes is its exceptional tripartite composition: two circular cells with corbelled roofs and a triangular cell, the three spaces linked by short interior corridors. This complex organisation, almost labyrinthine on the scale of the hut, goes well beyond the function of a simple makeshift shelter and bears witness to an architectural care that is rare for this type of construction. The visit, short but memorable, immerses visitors in an atmosphere of silence and minerality. You can still see, in the economy of each stone laid, the logic of a builder who knew his material intimately - Périgord limestone - and knew how to make the most of it with no tools other than his hands, his eye and the experience passed down from generation to generation. The natural setting adds to the charm of the whole: the valley, deep and green, protects the hut from the wind and from view, as if it had always been able to hide away from the world. Around it, traces of the old vineyards - crumbling walls, terraces overgrown with boxwood - tell the story of a bygone rural economy, that of 19th-century Périgord winegrowing, swept away by phylloxera and the agricultural exodus.
Architecture
The Combe du Rat hut is based entirely on the principle of dry-stone construction: there is no binder or mortar to hold together the carefully selected and positioned layers of local limestone. The stability of the whole structure rests solely on the precision of the layout, the slight inward slope of the stone beds and the weight of the roof itself, using a technique that the builders of the Périgord region mastered with remarkable dexterity. The originality of this building lies in its composite layout, which is exceptional in the context of local vineyard huts: two circular cells, covered by a progressively corbelled vault - similar to the famous Provençal 'bories' or Languedoc 'capitelles' - flank a third cell with a triangular cross-section. These three spaces communicate with each other via short passageways cut into the thickness of the walls. This arrangement allowed for a variety of uses: resting in the shade, storing tools, sheltering from the sudden storms so common on the Perigord causses. The walls, generously thick to provide excellent natural thermal insulation, rise to a modest height, in keeping with the building's utilitarian purpose. The roof, formed by the progressive narrowing of the stone courses until they close at the top, creates perfectly watertight vaults without the need for any wooden framework. Enveloped by the valley's vegetation, the building blends discreetly into the landscape, reinforcing its authentic character.
Related Figures
Vignerons anonymes du Sarladais (XIXe siècle) — bâtisseurs présumés de la cabanePaysans de Daglan — utilisateurs et gardiens de la cabane au fil des générationsArchitectes des Bâtiments de France — instructeurs du dossier d'inscription aux Monuments Historiques (1991)Chercheurs du CAUE de la Dordogne — acteurs du recensement du patrimoine vernaculaire périgourdin
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat located?
Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat is located in Daglan, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat built?
Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat open to visitors?
Cabane en pierre sèche de la Combe du Rat is currently closed to visitors.
