Traces Vaudoises

Ranked as a historical monument in 1992, the building located right next to the town hall originates from a small wooden chapel built in 1667. Voluntarily destroyed by an inhabitant of Mérindol, he was tried and forced to replace a brick building which we do not know the date of construction. Became too small with the forced conversion of Protestants in 1685, it was demolished to make way for the present church between 1748 and 1754.

Headquarters of the Association of Vaud and Historical Studies of the Luberon, the Muse is also the Museum (private) Vaudois in the region that brings together all the documentation concerning the history of this religious minority in the world, especially in the Luberon. Guided tours for groups and individuals, by appointment (Tel. 04 90 72 91 64).

Created in 1170 by a wealthy citizen of Lyon Valdes (or Vaudes), the Waldensianism is a movement that advocates a simple lifestyle, close to that of the first disciples of Jesus of Nazareth. Having separated from the ostentatious luxury of the Catholic Church, these Vaudois, expelled from Lyon in 1184, settled in the south of France, Provence, Languedoc, Dauphine, and Italy.

A draille is a passage, a trail or path followed from time immemorial by transhumant sheep. Here Mérindol Draille once used for cattle to reach Craux upstream of the village. As for the name Mérindol, it comes from « mar » and « rondolo » or « sea swallow » in Provençal.

In 1504, 11 Waldensian families settled in Mérindol with the agreement of the Bishop of Marseilles. In 1532, the Vaudois, dissenting Catholics will embrace the Reformed Church at the Synod of Chanforan (Piedmont). After years of persecution, Mérindol edict of the Parliament of Aix in 1540 led to the destruction of the village of Mérindol in 1545. The Vaudois memorial, located upstream on the ruins of the original village also offers a panoramic view.

It was the arrival of John Apt Roma Dominican inquisitor in the 1530s, which marked the intensification of persecutions against the Vaudois. Hunted down, imprisoned, burned to death or sent to the galleys, they frequently refuge on Mérindol heights in the wild valleys and the nearby caves. The violent struggle against heretics continues, until the intervention of the king, alerted by the turn of events and enrichment of the inquisitor by looting.

In 1540, a judge from Apt arrested and burned a Protestant miller from Mérindol. He then used the mill to his advantage. The vaudois from Mérindol revolt. This resulted in convictions and following the edict of Mérindol on November 18, 1540, 19 people were condemned to the stake. After several delays and graces granted by the king for them to recant their heresy, grace was removed on January 1, 1545. The village was burned April 18, 1545, the inhabitants were captured and massacred in Vaud.

In spring 1545, in the Luberon, over 3000 people were massacred and 24 devastated villages, including that of Merindol, burned and passed to the sword. This is between the old walls parts of the old castrum, the Vaudois memorial was inaugurated in 1978 through the initiative of three Vaud associations of Germany, Italy and France. He recalls this: "To the Protestants of Provence, many died from being Vaudois, a branch of the church created in 1170 by Valdes and attached to the Reformed Church in 1532".

The view from the heights of Mérindol, hanging on the southern slope of the small Luberon, extends to the alluvial plain of the Durance. Below, the meanders of La Durance. A ferry that enabled to cross the river was established in 1240. In the 15th century, it disappeared in favor of that of Senas.

The garrigues are plant formations that come from the degradation of the Mediterranean forest, mostly by fire or overgrazing. The specific flora of the garrigue (rosemary, kermes oaks, grey-leaved cistus ...) can withstand extreme aridity during the summer season and has a great ecological richness.? The ruins just north of the road (probably used to be a magnificent building) reflect the antiquity of pastoral and agricultural activities on the plateau.

The Arboretum of Font de L'Orme dates from 1864. A small pathway presents some 50 species of trees including 4 species of Mediterranean pines. Managed and maintained by the Luberon National Forest Office, it also houses a log cabin, still inhabited by a forest officer. Small signs will help you recognize these different species. A privileged place to appreciate the ecological richness of the Mediterranean forest.

You could see the fountain in the center of Mérindol and several wells. You will come across some of them throughout your ride, in more or less good condition. Nearly every abandoned today, they reflect the efforts implemented once to bring water closer to the villages, but also livestock. The aridity of the Luberon is known and these wells were essential to all pastoral activity.

Many Vaudois workers from Briançon and Piedmont, recultivated abandoned land around isolated houses. The farm nearby St. Phales, counted up to 250 Huguenots! Until 1530, they fit discreetly in social and ecclesial life before François the 1st, aware of the magnitude of the reformed wave, ordered the bishops and parliaments to pursue the "faithless" accused "of Waldensian and Lutheran heresy".

Below, the Régalon notches the south side of the Petit Luberon with a sumptuous and surprising gash! How did this little stream create this incision in hard limestones? The cause of this is in the closure of the Strait of Gibraltar, 6 million years ago. The Mediterranean Sea is lowered to 1,500m. The entire river network will sink and dig canyons. This is the case for the Rhone river which used to flow 900m lower down from the Durance and the small river of Régalon.

The Egyptian Vulture is the smallest of European vultures. Scavenger and scavenger, its survival depends on the presence of sheep and goats which he operates carcasses. Its diet is varied, however, including all type of small dead animals (including fish) as well as small live prey (large insects, lizards, small birds). This is unfortunately highly migratory globally threatened with extinction, mainly because treatments for livestock.

This Mediterranean raptor is one of the most endangered species. In France, there are about 30 pairs among which 1 is located in the Luberon in contrast to about 10 in the 50s. This disappearance is due to electrocution, theft of their eggs (by collectors), gun shootings, increased human disturbance of its nesting sites, the decrease of its main prey (wild rabbit, red-legged partridge) and the closing the open environments where they hunt. The pair, united for life, will nest on the rock wall of limestone mountains.

Bush burning is the act of burning weeds, and other plants in a defined area, safe for neighboring areas. This technique helps to fight against fires by reducing the mass of fuel but also promotes the maintenance of the area, which keeps the pastoral activity on dry lawns. Bush burning is fully managed by the National Forestry Office.

DFCI veut dire Défense des Forêts Contre les Incendies. Les citernes DFCI sont des réserves d'eau utilisables pour les opérations d’extinction et la défense des habitations en cas de feu de forêt. À cela s’ajoutent des pistes DFCI qui sont des voies carrossables débroussaillées, interdites à la circulation motorisée car réservées aux pompiers pour permettre un accès rapide et efficace aux massifs forestiers en cas d’incendie. Les massifs sont également sous surveillance à l'aide de vigies dans des tours de guets pour déceler toute traces d'incendie. Malgré tous ces dispositifs, les incendies de forêts restent fréquents, il faut donc être très vigilant.

This farm, occupied until the 1950s, now serves as a sheep pen and a welcoming and study place for the public. It was restored by the Luberon Regional Nature Park. An apricot orchard also preserves the old varieties which are endangered. This orchard manages to survive, despite the difficult terrain on which it grows but also the repeated droughts.

On dit parfois qu’en Afrique quand un vieux meurt, c’est une bibliothèque qui brûle… En Provence aussi. Roger Jouve (1936 - 2024) était un éleveur et paysan explorateur, un type d’homme bien rare en réalité. Roger avait passé son enfance à la ferme des Mayorques, où il avait grandi. Il trouvait l’aventure là, devant chez lui sous ses yeux, sans besoin de faire le tour du monde. Il a arpenté le massif jusque sous terre pour inventorier grottes et cavités, avec l’association GREC. Toujours prêt à partager et échanger, avec bienveillance et générosité, il a accompagné le Parc dès sa création et l’ONF Luberon durant des décennies. Amis promeneurs, respectez l’harmonie des lieux, c’est encore un peu chez Roger que vous passez...Il avait été interviewé sur sa vie de berger dans le Petit Luberon, les animaux sauvages, le troupeau, et ses propos ont été retranscrits par Arnoult Seveau dans trois ouvrages (en vente à la boutique de la Maison du Parc). 

Roger Jouve (1936 - 2024) était un éleveur berger entre Durance et Petit Luberon, territoires dont il avait une grande connaissance, notamment de la faune mais pas que. Homme joyeux et espiègle, toujours curieux de tout, érudit autodidacte, en prise directe avec le monde, les animaux, la nature. Ecoutez-le sur « Le Luberon nous parle ».

Introduit au Ve s., l’amandier fait aujourd’hui partie intégrante du paysage provençal. Particulièrement adapté aux terrains secs et pauvres, il a été largement cultivé sur les terrasses provençales. Les vieilles variétés, résultat d’une longue et patiente sélection par des générations d’agriculteurs, régressent ; certaines d’entre elles sont au bord de l’extinction. Le nombre de végétaux cultivés aujourd’hui a largement diminué et un grand nombre de fruits, légumes et céréales sont au bord de la disparition.

Le lézard ocellé est le plus gros lézard d'Europe (40 à 60 cm). De couleur vert-jaune, il possède des taches d’un bleu vif (ocelles) qui en font sa particularité. Il occupe les milieux ensoleillés secs et ouverts, à végétation rase. Il se nourrit essentiellement d’insectes et de fruits. Cette espèce est menacée par la diminution de son biotope, constitué de milieux ouverts ensoleillés et secs (pelouses sèches, landes et garrigues basses) et comprenant les gîtes indispensables à sa reproduction (vieux arbres creux et/ou murs de pierres sèches, et/ou amas ou affleurements rocheux).

Certaines espèces utilisent les zones ouvertes pour s’alimenter mais nichent dans les zones forestières. La fermeture de ces milieux, du fait de la reprise de la forêt associée à la déprise pastorale, constitue une menace majeure pour la Bondrée apivore, espèce discrète qui se nourrit de guêpes, et le Circaète Jean-le-Blanc, spécialisé dans la chasse des serpents et qu’il ne peut se procurer que dans les garrigues basses parsemées d’éboulis et de pelouses sèches. Cette fermeture des milieux est aussi à l’origine de la raréfaction des petits oiseaux des milieux ouverts (Alouette lulu, Pipit rousseline, fauvettes méditerranéennes), qui sont progressivement remplacés par des espèces très communes plus généralistes (pinson des arbres, mésanges).

Les milieux ouverts méditerranéens comme les craux des Mayorques, liés notamment au pastoralisme, hébergent des populations d’oiseaux d’autant plus fragiles et originales qu’elles dépendent du maintien de ces espaces. C’est particulièrement le cas d’espèces autrefois répandues, mais désormais très menacées : Pies grièches à tête rousse et méridionale, Pipit rousseline. Deux espèces encore présentes au début des années 2000 ont malheureusement déjà disparues de la ZPS : le Traquet oreillard et le Bruant ortolan.

Grazing in the Craux dates back to the dawn of time! Many herds, mainly sheeps, in extensive grazing, helped maintain a habitat for a variety of plant and animal species. Rosemary, Dwarf Iris from the garrigues but also many species, from insects to raptors, coexist in these areas.

Le Vautour percnoptère (Neophron percnopterus) est l’un des oiseaux les plus rares et les plus menacés de France et d’Europe. Il existe une petite centaine de couples en France (80 dans les Pyrénées et 20 dans le sud-est). Migrateur, il passe l’hiver en Afrique au Sud du Sahara, et revient chez nous de mars à septembre, pour nicher. Le protéger implique de travailler à échelle transcontinentale. Un noyau de 4 à 6 couples niche depuis des décennies dans les parois rocheuses du Petit Luberon.

Globally threatened, the conservation of the Egyptian vulture involves working on the transcontinental scale. In France, strictly protected, it is the subject of a National Action Plan. Since its creation, the Luberon Park has been running a conservation program based on food support (recycling of slaughter waste), monitoring of nesting, and management of human disturbances. There are a few hundred couples in France (80 in the Pyrenees and 20 in the south-east).

Depuis le promontoire rocheux en bord de sentier (prudence !), s'observe le magnifique massif des Alpilles et la vallée de la Durance. Il y a 200 000 ans, cette rivière était un fleuve qui passait par le seuil de Lamanon pour aller se jeter dans la mer, édifiant son delta à l’emplacement actuel de la plaine de la Crau de Camargue.

Scree, caves and rocky slopes create habitats of community interest, home to many animal and plant species. This ornithological landmark, whatever the season, sees nesting birds such as the Owl Grand Duke, the Blue Monticole (Blue Merle) or the White-bellied Martinet. Sensitive area! Evidenced by a large number of legislations: Natura 2000 Birds Directive, Grand Raptors Biotope Protection Order, Geological Nature Reserve, State Biological Reserve, etc.

With its well exposed rock walls, its breeding tradition, and the proximity of the Durance, the Petit Luberon massif hosts the largest number of breeding pairs in the south-east of France. 4 to 8 pairs feed on large areas, flying over garrigues, ridges, agricultural plains and wetlands. In the Luberon, they are threatened by the huge number of tourists, excessive aviation at low altitude, the scarcity of farmed carcasses and the closure of habitats.

This old Vaudoise farmhouse used to be a prison. Many Vaudois from Mérindol have been imprisoned in this old farm, called since "the Cachots". In 1545, it was here that they waited to be burnt at the stake or for the lucky ones, to be sent via Marseilles to the galleys of the kingdom of France to fight the English.

If you are walking around between June and September, you may have seen this yellow flower, sometimes orange, in the middle of the crops, in the wastelands or by the wayside. The Centaurea of the hills (Centaurea collina L.) can be thought of as a thistle but its leaves are not thorny! A perennial Provencal plant, often found in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.