Once upon a time... Le Mas de La Baou
Whence this name?
It is typically Provencal: in Provence, a "mas" means a farm. And a "baou" (or "bau") in Provence, it is a cliff, a rock. The Mas de La Baou is well named, since it is built on a small cliff along the stream Encrême
Céreste has always been a crossroad. This large farm, looking like a fortified farm,, a little apart from the village, was probably playing a specific role.
Its foundations seem very old, probably medieval. It probably pre-existed the small bridge that adjoins it. It may have served as a toll or a quarantine for travelers and pilgrins on Camino de Santiago, approaching the village.
The restoration of the mas:
The restoration dates from 2009, and required a year and a half of work. The entire farm was abandoned and severely degraded. It was restored to enhance this fine example of traditional rural architecture.
Upon our request, artisans from Céreste and surroundings have therefore tried to scrupulously respect the architecture and old materials, and work in the context of "green" building and eco-citizenship.
The renovated building has got the label of the Heritage Foundation (Fondation du Patrimoine).
Past traces: A paved threshing area, amazing holes in stones...
In the sheephold (now owners'home) curious pierced stones catch the eye: they were water pipes from Céreste Castle, cleverly reused at the time of destruction of the castle, in order to introduce in the walls fences for stables.
A large threshing area, paved in the old style, has been found out on the plateau.
A rebirth...
In 2009.
3 years of work later…
The previous sheepfold was a vast vaulted room of 200m2, with impressive pillars, able to shelter 200 sheep: an architecture typical of the large stone sheepfolds of the Luberon. Restored with a traditional lime coating, it is now a living space of exceptional quality.
The bridge of La BAOU
Just behind the mas, the small "bridge of la Baou" over the river l’Encrême, is also named localy « le pont romain »: the roman bridge.
In reality, it is not roman!
It was built in 1740 (from the archives), but classified as "historical monument" and "pont romain" in 1862. This error comes from the fact that the Roman "Via Domitia" passed not far from here.
The real Roman bridge (only the low batteries are still remaining, buried underground by archaeologists, for protection) is a few hundred meters far from here.
Our nice little "Pont de La Baou" meanwhile, for centuries, allows pilgrims, still walking the Camino de Santiago, to cross the river Encrème.