Discover the itres, extraordinary heritage of the Val de Bagnes
The Val de Bagnes is rich in an exceptional archaeological heritage in the built world. Our municipality has since the 1970s started to restore the mountain pasture buildings at the rate of three per year. She has been interested for more than 40 years in the study, inventory and revaluation of this heritage. This is how in 2007 scientific research could be initiated…
Let's discover the itres of Val de Bagnes!
Besson Immobilier would like to make the link in this article between the contemporary architecture of Verbier - constituting our main activity - and that dating back several centuries.
Because the latter continues to be a source of inspiration in the realization of our constructions and our renovations, nourishing many dreams of holidays in the mountains : get to know the itres of Val de Bagnes
Walks and trails !
The Val de Bagnes is fortunate to have an invaluable built heritage on its mountain pastures. Enhance your walks and hikes by visiting the restored lakes on either side of our mountains: you won't be disappointed! To date, 600 buildings have been identified and just over thirty shelters have been restored: all within a magical setting.
’ître, what a funny name…
“ Ître ”, from the patois, designates the main chalet of a pasture, built very summarily. This is where the cheese is made and where the shepherds eat and sleep. The inhabitants of the region currently use this term generically, to designate any mountain pasture building except stables.
History and origin
According to literature and testimonies, it would seem that until the 17th century at the earliest, the cattlestabilized in the open air, spending the night outside under supervision of the shepherds. The first large vaulted stable would have appeared in the middle of the 17th century. However, it was during the first half of the 19th century that the community stables in the valley were built – the famous vaulted stables – including those of Louvie (1814), Giétro (1816), Crêt (1834) and La Liah (1847). Each mountain pasture had an attic to store milk processing products and foodstuffs. The ître serves as a residence for the cheese maker and alpants*. It is a relatively crude construction, built in dry stone from 10 to 15m2 with a gable roof covered with stone slabs.
Pride in our heritage
If today we are so proud of these buildings that inspire respect, it was not always so. Indeed, these constructions with their complicated and massive architecture are in reality fragile. At all times, men have worked hard to keep them in good condition. They require know-how and a lot of maintenance.
A most spectacular construction technique!
The archives of the municipality do not provide information on the processes. We therefore imagine that the technique used is the same as that of all vaulted constructions. "At first, a mass of gravelly soil is compacted into a half-cylinder between the longitudinal walls. The vault, made of edge stones, is then placed on this mound. The following operation is probably the most surprising since it involves excavating the embankment and letting the vault act under its own weight and bear against the side walls.°CF . Là-haut dans la montagne... : des îtres et des hommes : inventaire des ruines d'alpage dans le Val de Bagnes de Célestin Taramarcaz et Philippe Curdy.
Iconic Sites
If you are interested in discovering these incredible buildings, here are the most interesting sites:
- Giétro stables . Above the Mauvoisin dam (a heritage book has been dedicated to it
- La Lia (renovated attic, magnificent stables, near the road overlooking the Mauvoisin dam)°
- Louvie (the most beautiful setting)
- Le Crêt (the most complete set)
- Ìtres renovated by the mountain of sery (serving as a small bar) You can enjoy live commentary with Marc Maret, the keeper). A renovation model that respects heritage and is useful for current operations°
- The remains of Grenier, the most spectacular (between Lourtier and Col Termin, reserved for very good ) ;
- The discovery of a succession of storied buildings on the way up to the Panossière cabin, on the mountain pasture, in Corbassière (the Grenier located at the exit of the Vernes: a set of about ten buildings), then the staggering of renovated rooms (Itre neu, at the time when we see the Grand Combin), preserved remains (along the path, the walls of 3 buildings were redone without the roof), in the general context of the operation of the alpine pasture with the renovation of the bisse. Possibility of return by Brunet passing in front of the ître de la Maye, restored 3 years ago.
- Along the bisse du Levron, in Verbier, there are paths with specific architecture and wooden gables.