GARRIGUE in the Hérault Languedoc
Scrubland was not always this "desert" arid delivered to walkers we see. Formerly it was the site of an important activity.Not to mention the many prehistoric and medieval remains (megaliths, castles, fortified caves by camisards, hermitages ...), herds of goats and sheep were grazing there, glassmakers fueled their furnaces with the timber since the Middle Ages, bouscatiers cut are then burned wood to deliver the cities in coal, lime burners built there their lime kilns near the most wooded areas of ruscaïres (barkers) levied are several types of bark to tanners, entire teams pickers harvested there wild lavender, aspic, and brought back the to be distilled, many small owners was clearing them an acre to plant trees or vines, épierrait and built terraces and these stone huts dry as is commonly known (especially in the Gard) capitelles ...All this ancient activity has declined with the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the rural exodus. Clearing by humans and livestock gradually stopped, regaining the vegetation of the land, many roads were closed and most of the dry stone constructions now beyond the gaze.
