That's it !
Since the summer, when we arrive at Les Béguets, there has been activity: a backhoe loader that goes back and forth, a concrete mixer that turns constantly, noise, men who shovel, who measure, who swear and who laugh. Day after day, it grows, it rises, it climbs, it fills up, much faster than the wheat, sown nearby, by the peasants. The new building is finally emerging from the ground, after a year of collective imagination, interior gestation by those in charge of the Foyer, plans and administrative paperwork.
Since September, we are in the foundations and many are surprised by the techniques used: Roman foundations, Monomur bricks, insulation of the slab with cork and pozzolana (volcanic rock), lime concrete slab. The objective is a building with Low Energy Consumption with the cleanest and closest possible materials. And yes, even in the Allier, we stay up to date with the most modern and ecological techniques!
And the workers are already looking ahead: wooden framework for the walls, with filling in Béguets straw, earthen walls, lime-hemp plaster, etc. Watch out when you return to Les Béguets, the landscape will have changed a lot!
Pozzolana
Pouring the slab
What about the workers? Do you think, you who are so fond of Human? There is Jean, a companion stonemason by trade. The building, he knows. He made the Foyer two years ago and prepared the whole site upstream. True force of Nature, you have to hang on to follow it. With him, we find Julien, biodynamic market gardener, installed for ten years in Saint Menoux. He leaves his project for a while to realize his other dream, that of building houses (He has already done his own.). And Sylvain, who did the Foyer last year. He is at the same time a peasant, a musician and an actor. He is looking for his way, has chosen to invest some time in the Foyer and has found, through the site, a way to achieve it.
And of course volunteers who want to join the adventure for a few hours, a day, a week. Because you will understand, the atmosphere is beautiful and it makes everyone want to participate in this party.