The heritage site

The name Volonne is said to derive from the Celtic "Vel Aon", meaning "towards the waters", as the village is located at the confluence of the Durance and La Grave torrents. Dominated by its two towers dating from the 13th and 16th centuries, the village nestles at the foot of a rocky spur, particularly well exposed to the sun, which sometimes earns it the nickname of the "Little Nice" of the Alps.

The municipal team, particularly active in safeguarding its heritage and beautifying its village has been calling on volunteers from the Opus association since 2016 to enhance the old village. The association has restored the old "chemin de ronde" and since 2020 has been working on the "chemin de la Charreirasse".

The name Charreirasse comes from the Occitan "carrièra", meaning street. It later became "charrèira", meaning rural cart path.

Planned restoration work

Sheltered by its rocky outcrop, the medieval village of Volonne offers a maze of alleyways which, little by little and thanks to construction work, are being restored to their original state, "la calade", the Oc language term for both a stone-paved roadway and the stone-paving technique, which consists of planting stones vertically and tightly together on a bed of sand and lime to create a traditional, environmentally-friendly pavement. You'll learn the "art de la calade" and discover the many surrounding villages, the green gorges of the Verdon, the tumultuous Durance and all the geological curiosities of the region.

This is the last session of work on this street, so don't miss it!

Work schedule :

• Layout
• Laying the bed
• Laying 48 m2 of stone calade
• Filling the joints

Technique used : Stone calade on dry lime mortar bed

At the foot of the Alps, between Luberon and Verdon, if you need water and greenery, this project is for you.

Other volunteer activities during your stay

Over the many years that Opus has been organizing workcamps in Volonne, volunteers have always attended the festival, but not this year! You'll be playing a full part in Volonne's medieval festival, taking part in the parade with other village associations and organizations.

The festival's organizing association will take care of the costumes, so be sure to pack a pair of leggings and a leather belt to complete your look!

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 at the municipal stadium, with access to changing rooms and sanitary facilities, which is a 15-minute walk from the site. The refreshment area will serve as your kitchen. 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 : The Dalle aux Ammonites, known to geologists the world over, the Romanesque Monastery of Ganagobie, the Priory, Museum and Garden of Salagon, the Citadel of Sisteron, the Penitents of Les Mées, hikes in the lower Alps and the Luberon, swimming in the Verdon Gorge and nearby lakes.

Highlight of the project: a major medieval festival in the heart of the village. You'll be taking part in a weekend-long experience of life in the Middle Ages, so get your costumes ready!

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 look forward to welcoming you on Saturday July 19 from 5.30pm.

Departures will take place on the morning of Friday August 8.

• Access by train: Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban station

(accessible by TER from Marseille)

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

Last year's volunteer achievements

In 2024, the group of volunteers built the penultimate section of the calade on the road. It's up to you to finish off this street in style!