DRY STONE HUT
AT PONTLAPICHE BAS
IN FONTGALOP, DORDOGNE

Text by Christian Lassure,
photos by François Poujardieu
and Dominique Repérant

This large dry stone hut, with its cylindrical lower part dwindled by its tapering, bell-like roof, is a sheep shelter that was built in 1900.

The base cylinder is built of a mixture of hematised sandstone blocks and limestone rubble. In the roof, the Santonian limestone tiles are built to proper courses only in the outward flaring eaves. At the apex of the roof, a towering carved limestone finial gives the whole thing the appearance of a pointed helmet...

The cabane at Pontlapiche Bas is somewhat reminiscent of another hut with a similar shape, to be found at a place known as Bouligan in the municipality of Salviac, Lot (although the latter boasts a more graceful roof).

The entrance has for its lintel a long piece of wood whose outer face is circularly carved. The wooden door stands right beneath the outer lintel, which explains why there is no rebate in the sides of the doorway.

Inside the hut, two sets of cupboard-like recesses, with their surrounds made of four stones, are let into the wall: one at ground level, the other half way up the vertical wall.

Sources : 
- Original documents supplied by François Poujardieu;
- François Poujardieu, Les cabanes en pierre sèche du Périgord, Editions du Roc de Bourzac, Bayac, 2002, 107 p.

© Dominique Repérant

Dry stone hut at Boulegan in Salviac, Lot

To be referenced as:

Dry stone hut at Pontlapiche Bas in Fongalop, Dordogne
Text by Christian Lassure,
photos by François Poujardieu and Dominique Repérant
http://pierreseche.chez-alice.fr/cabane_de_pontlapiche_eng.htm
August 3rd, 2005

© Christian Lassure
August 3rd, 2005

 

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