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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La Ferme du Clos Montfort, located in the Hameau Minet in Colombières (Calvados), is an 18th-century herbary farm, representative of the rural constructions of the region. It is distinguished by its architecture in bauge, local technique using land and vegetable fibres, adapted to the absence of accessible stone and wood. The buildings, organised around a square courtyard, reflect a gradual separation of living and agricultural spaces, with upstairs rooms served by a straight staircase.

The farm was partially rebuilt in the 19th century, including a building along the road, including a stable. Its inscription to historical monuments in 2011 protects its facades, roofs, the house with its fire room and its built-in bowl, as well as the bread oven, the enclosed garden (with fruit tree and water room), and the fence walls in a bauge. These elements reflect the evolution of Norman farms between the 16th and 20th centuries.

Integrated into the Marais du Cotentin and Bessin Regional Natural Park, the farm embodies the local rural heritage. Its walled garden, independent bread oven, and multi-stage construction (with successive drying) highlight an ingenious adaptation to environmental constraints. The balge, the main material, offered strength and insulation, while the spatial organization reflected the agricultural and domestic uses of the period.

Recent heritage attention highlights these farms as witnesses to Norman social and economic practices. Le Clos Montfort, with its outbuildings (standable, henhouse, barn) and its preserved fruit tree, illustrates the transition to autonomous homes, while preserving traces of traditional lifestyles, such as the collective cooking of bread.

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