Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Capade de Velotte is a typical construction of the bisontin vineyard, built between the 17th and 18th centuries. Located in the area of Velotte, at the n°36 of the Way of the Eyelet, it illustrates the vernacular architecture of the local vineyard huts, called capes. These dry stone buildings served as a shelter for winemakers and a storage place for tools. Its location on the southeast slope of Rosemont Hill reflects the historical importance of viticulture in this area.

It was listed as a historic monument on November 13, 1980, recognizing its heritage value. A restoration campaign in 2015 preserved its corbelled arched circular structure, characteristic of traditional techniques. In the vicinity, a second cape, restored in 2017, bears witness to the past density of these buildings linked to the wine industry. These capes are part of the cultural landscape of the Jura vineyards, of which Besançon was a major pole.

Architecturally, Velotte's cap is distinguished by its entirely dry stone construction, without mortar, and its circular shape surmounted by a corbelled vault. This process, economical and resistant, was adapted to local resources and the needs of winemakers. The Mérimée record confirms its main date in the 17th to 18th centuries, when the region was experiencing a wine boom, before the upheavals of the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, they are tangible remains of this rural heritage, protected and enhanced.

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