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Origin and history

The historic complex of Saint-Étienne-du-Valdonnz, located in the hamlet of La Fage, is an emblematic 19th century site. It consists of a steeple of torment, typical of the hamlets of Mount Lozère without churches, as well as a bread oven, a work to be ironed (ferradou), a calvary and a fountain-drink. These elements illustrate local social and economic life related to agricultural and community activities.

The tower of torment, characteristic of the region, was used for various purposes: angelus, glass, call for the communal school, prevention against hailstorms or signal for lost people. These structures, often of stone and surmounted by a cross, were essential in isolated areas. The site, inscribed in the historical monuments in 1992, also bears witness to the medieval history of the estate of La Fage, mentioned as early as 1263 in an emhyteotic lease passed by the bishop of Mende Odilon Guérin du Tournel.

The bread oven, rebuilt in 1937, recalls the ancestral practices of collective cooking, while the work to be ironed and the fountain-drink evokes agro-pastoral activities. Transhumance, a source of income for the inhabitants from the seventeenth century onwards, reinforced the economic importance of the hamlet. Together, combining religious, artisanal and agricultural heritage, reflects the adaptation of the Cevenole communities to their mountain environment.

The estate of La Fage, formerly seigneurial property, confronted several neighbouring mas and was operated by residents under contract. The archives mention taxes in kind, like 20 rye seitiers, and a farmhouse reserved for the lord. These historical elements underline the central role of this site in the local social and economic organization, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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