The heritage site

At the crossroads known as "des quatre chemins", where in ancient times the Via Aurelia and its extension to Massilia (Marseille) crossed, stands an oppidum with a magnificent view over the Etang de Berre, which gave its first name to the place: "Mira mare".

The town of Miramas did not develop around its historic core as it did elsewhere. Indeed, the arrival of the railways and the creation of a landing stage 3.5 kilometers from the original site led to a transfer of population and the gradual abandonment of the historic site.

Today, with its hundred or so inhabitants, Miramas le Vieux retains many traces of its past, with the remains of the ramparts, the ruins of the castle and the Notre-Dame gateway, and boasts a significant religious heritage, including the parish church of Notre-Dame-de-Beauvezer, the Saint-Vincent chapel, enclosed in the grounds of the former Poudrerie Royale, just down the chemin de la Fontville, and the Saint-Julien chapel, classified as a historic monument and located in the cemetery along the chemin de la Fontville, which is the focus of our restoration project.

Planned restoration work

Miramas-le-Vieux, a hilltop village steeped in history, is full of the charm of Provencal villages, with fabulous views over the wild Etang de Berre coastline.

The Chemin de Fontville calade enables pedestrians to get from the village of Miramas-le-Vieux to the Parc de la Poudrerie Royale as quickly as possible, without having to use the road.

The path is paved with a highly degraded calade, some 120 meters long. A concrete gutter, through which water flows from a spring supplying the village, runs the entire length of Chemin de Fontville.

In 2025, it will be necessary to restore around 50 m2 of calade and, as far as possible, allow run-off water from the road to reach the gully.

Work schedule :

• Staking out joints and purging unstable stones
• Selection and size of replacement stones
• Insertion of missing stones and filling of joints

Technique used : Stone calade on a bed of dry lime mortar.

The proximity of the Etang de Berre and the Mediterranean Sea will entice you to take unforgettable swims.

During your stay, you will be supervised by 2 guides. The technical supervisor will teach you all about traditional building techniques, while the educational supervisor will help you organize your daily life and leisure activities.

The time set aside for the work is around 32 hours a week for adults. Work on the site takes place in the mornings, starting early because of the summer heat. The afternoons, evenings and weekends are devoted to outdoor and discovery activities, providing relaxation and pleasure. Two vehicles are made available to the organizers for travel during the site.

You will take it in turns to prepare meals as a team. This way, everyone can share recipes from their own region, and take advantage of the stay to sample the countless specialities of other regions or countries. If you're already a "chef", that's perfect; if you're not... get cooking!

You'll be staying in the heart of the Poudrerie Royale park. You'll have access to the park's changing rooms and communal areas, with toilets and kitchen facilities. You'll sleep in tents large enough to accommodate two people.

Cots will be available for those who don't have their own camping equipment. You can bring your own tent, cot or mattress if you wish.

Leisure and other activities

On all our workcamps, we want volunteers to play a real part in their stay, so we invite them to work together to propose the activities and events of their choice, in keeping with the values that the association wishes to uphold.

Some ideas for outings : Walks in the Camargue, in the Alpilles, discovery of Les Baux-de-Provence, visits to the towns of Marseille, Salon-de-Provence, Aix-en-Provence or Arles, observation of the flora and fauna of the Park and the Etang de Berre.

Highlight of the project: The Etang Fêtes will give you a whole new perspective on the Etang de Berre.

Practical info

No special skills are required to take part.

Once you have pre-registered, please contact us by phone or e-mail.

The telephone call will enable us to get to know you better and give you more details about the site (organization, arrival arrangements, etc.).

You can ask us any questions you may have, and let us know what you need to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

We'll welcome you on Saturday August 2 from 5.30pm.

Departures will be organized on the morning of Friday August 15.

• Access by train: Miramas station

(accessible by TER from Marseille)

• Access by car : Directly to accommodation, please let us know in advance.