Val de Dagne
Encyclopedia
The Val de Dagne is a valley to the south east of Carcassonne
in the department of Aude
in South West France
. It forms a fiscal area of the Carcassonne arrondissment in Aude.
and Montlaur
, and the southern part extending roughly from the slopes of the Corbières
Occidental range in the west, to the entry of the gorge of the Sou River as it approaches its confluence with the Orbieu
west of Lagrasse
http://www.lagrasse.com. However the precise extent of the area known as the Val de Dagne is more vague than this, and villages and hamlets beyond this main valley, particularly across its western watershed towards Limoux
, are said to lie in the Val.
Approaching from the direction of Carcassonne the northern part of the valley spreads out from Monze, and includes the villages of Pradelles-en-Val
and Montlaur.
In the southern part of the valley there are seven villages and a small hamlet. The largest village is Serviès-en-Val
, 3 km from the eastern end of the valley, with a village school, a rugby stadium and three small shops. Smaller villages and hamlets lie along the valley sides around Serviès; Villar-en-Val
near the western head of the valley, Labastide-en-Val
along the sides of a southern tributary valley, Villetritouls
, Taurize
http://www.taurize.net and Rieux-en-Val
on the southern valley edge, Arquettes-en-Val
on the facing northern slope, and Villemagne
, a wine producing hamlet near the entrance to the gorge, based on the site of a Roman
villa. The hamlets of Fajac-en-Val
on the plateau above Arquettes, and Molières-sur-l'Alberte on the plateau above Villar, are also described by some commentators as being in the Val de Dagne.
Since just before the turn of the millennium there has been a considerable influx of foreign house buyers into the valley from a variety of countries. They have been mainly attracted by the low cost of older housing stock, much of which has been restored, either for permanent use or as occasionally used second homes.
The valley contains a number of interesting churches, although they are all little used. There is one in each village, and an additional one sits on a small hillock on the valley floor below Villetritouls. In the church at Fajac-en-Val there are wall paintings, recently produced by a local artist.
, except for the introduction of farm machinery and other improvements which have been made possible by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy
.
The closure of the independent Serviès co-operative in 2006 coincided with the beginnings of a radical change in the appearance of the valley, as a large number of vineyards have been, and continue to be grubbed up to be replaced, mainly by cereal crops, most commonly barley and rye. The consequent reduction in the percentage of local land under vines, as well as altering the appearance of the landscape, will have a fundamental effect on the local economy.
Economic change has been brought about by a combination of factors, mainly concerning a loss of wine markets, and time alone will tell how climatic change will exacerbate this change and how local farmers will attempt to cope with it.
The declining state of local wine production, particularly that based on local co-operatives, has led to a change of policy by the Regional Authorities of Languedoc Roussillon, and a conscious attempt by them to encourage and develop tourism in the area. This is very largely in its infancy, although there is an increasing amount of accommodation available in, and particularly near the valley in nearby Carcassonne, Lagrasse, Lézignan-Corbières
and Narbonne
, and local hotels and restaurants are being encouraged to remain open throughout the year. However in the valley itself there are few of these, and only time will tell if there are any developments within the service sector to attract tourists in future years.
In addition to the influx of non-French residents, some local houses provide second homes for French families, so that in most villages there is a tendency towards a falling percentage of permanent residents. This brings its own changes in terms of lowering levels of viability for schools, bars, shops, etc., and this is all part of the current economic transformation of the valley.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
in the department of Aude
Aude
Aude is a department in south-central France named after the river Aude. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country".Aude is also a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries, deriving initially from Aude or Oda, a wife of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine, and mother...
in South West France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It forms a fiscal area of the Carcassonne arrondissment in Aude.
Geography
The valley forms roughly a Z shape, the northern part following the line of the D3 immediately to the south of the Alaric Mountains, between MonzeMonze, Aude
Monze is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
and Montlaur
Montlaur, Aude
Montlaur is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
, and the southern part extending roughly from the slopes of the Corbières
Corbières
Corbières is a municipality in the district of Gruyère in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. On 1 January 2011 the former municipality of Villarvolard merged into the municipality of Corbières.-History:...
Occidental range in the west, to the entry of the gorge of the Sou River as it approaches its confluence with the Orbieu
Orbieu
The Orbieu is a long river in the Aude département, in south central France. Its source is at Fourtou, in the Corbières. It flows generally northeast...
west of Lagrasse
Lagrasse
Lagrasse is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.Lagrasse is part of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France association .-Geography:...
http://www.lagrasse.com. However the precise extent of the area known as the Val de Dagne is more vague than this, and villages and hamlets beyond this main valley, particularly across its western watershed towards Limoux
Limoux
Limoux is a commune and subprefecture in the Aude department, a part of the ancient Languedoc province and the present-day Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France...
, are said to lie in the Val.
Approaching from the direction of Carcassonne the northern part of the valley spreads out from Monze, and includes the villages of Pradelles-en-Val
Pradelles-en-Val
Pradelles-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
and Montlaur.
In the southern part of the valley there are seven villages and a small hamlet. The largest village is Serviès-en-Val
Serviès-en-Val
Serviès-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, 3 km from the eastern end of the valley, with a village school, a rugby stadium and three small shops. Smaller villages and hamlets lie along the valley sides around Serviès; Villar-en-Val
Villar-en-Val
Villar-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
near the western head of the valley, Labastide-en-Val
Labastide-en-Val
Labastide-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
along the sides of a southern tributary valley, Villetritouls
Villetritouls
Villetritouls is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
, Taurize
Taurize
Taurize is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
http://www.taurize.net and Rieux-en-Val
Rieux-en-Val
Rieux-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. It is located approximately halfway between Carcasonne and Perpignan.-Population:-References:*...
on the southern valley edge, Arquettes-en-Val
Arquettes-en-Val
Arquettes-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
on the facing northern slope, and Villemagne
Villemagne
Villemagne is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
, a wine producing hamlet near the entrance to the gorge, based on the site of a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
villa. The hamlets of Fajac-en-Val
Fajac-en-Val
Fajac-en-Val is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
on the plateau above Arquettes, and Molières-sur-l'Alberte on the plateau above Villar, are also described by some commentators as being in the Val de Dagne.
Architecture
This is an area which for centuries has depended for its livelihood mainly upon viticulture, and has remained for the most part relatively poor. Villages and hamlets are of stone built houses, many of which, particularly on the main streets, incorporate the traditional large doorway to a chai - an area for wine production. The relative poverty of the valley is reflected in the appearance of many of its houses and other buildings.Since just before the turn of the millennium there has been a considerable influx of foreign house buyers into the valley from a variety of countries. They have been mainly attracted by the low cost of older housing stock, much of which has been restored, either for permanent use or as occasionally used second homes.
The valley contains a number of interesting churches, although they are all little used. There is one in each village, and an additional one sits on a small hillock on the valley floor below Villetritouls. In the church at Fajac-en-Val there are wall paintings, recently produced by a local artist.
Economy
Most of the local French work in the vineyards which provide grapes for the wine producing co-operatives at Montlaur and Monze, the one at Serviès having merged in 2006 with that at Fabrezan. In this respect life has hardly changed since the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, except for the introduction of farm machinery and other improvements which have been made possible by the EU's Common Agricultural Policy
Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy is a system of European Union agricultural subsidies and programmes. It represents 48% of the EU's budget, €49.8 billion in 2006 ....
.
The closure of the independent Serviès co-operative in 2006 coincided with the beginnings of a radical change in the appearance of the valley, as a large number of vineyards have been, and continue to be grubbed up to be replaced, mainly by cereal crops, most commonly barley and rye. The consequent reduction in the percentage of local land under vines, as well as altering the appearance of the landscape, will have a fundamental effect on the local economy.
Economic change has been brought about by a combination of factors, mainly concerning a loss of wine markets, and time alone will tell how climatic change will exacerbate this change and how local farmers will attempt to cope with it.
The declining state of local wine production, particularly that based on local co-operatives, has led to a change of policy by the Regional Authorities of Languedoc Roussillon, and a conscious attempt by them to encourage and develop tourism in the area. This is very largely in its infancy, although there is an increasing amount of accommodation available in, and particularly near the valley in nearby Carcassonne, Lagrasse, Lézignan-Corbières
Lézignan-Corbières
Lézignan-Corbières is a commune in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Situated in the Corbières wine region not far from Narbonne, it has a Vine and Wine Museum .-Geography:...
and Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and local hotels and restaurants are being encouraged to remain open throughout the year. However in the valley itself there are few of these, and only time will tell if there are any developments within the service sector to attract tourists in future years.
In addition to the influx of non-French residents, some local houses provide second homes for French families, so that in most villages there is a tendency towards a falling percentage of permanent residents. This brings its own changes in terms of lowering levels of viability for schools, bars, shops, etc., and this is all part of the current economic transformation of the valley.