Terraced landscapes in France

    What is the used name in your country?
    la terrasse (female), le paysage (male) terrassé la terrasse aménagée (for cultivation), terrasses conservées (e.g. historical terraces in the Vosges massif where they are today used for grasing)

    28.09.2017, by Bénédicte Gaillard

    How/why/by, whom was it created?

    Research: Alexandra Kruse & Bénédicte Gaillard; Upload: Bénédicte Gaillard. The entries are still in process

    Artificial terraced landscape date back early and historical findings prove wine cultivation at the rivers through Romans. They already used prepared terraces for the cultivation.

    The majority of terraces is used for fruit, olive and wine production in the southern parts of France. There is also nut production.

    In France terraces are still in use and are maintained and also newly constructed or changed etc. According to the ground we have many different forms, from very steep and small terraces up to long ones with only marginal steps between the different terraces. Sometimes one is not even sure, if one see one (plain) field or a terraced field.

    Small terraces, most probably former cereal fields. Vosges 2019, A. Kruse

    Artificial terraces in grasslands, Vosges 2021, A. Kruse

    Occurence

    They occur mainly in the south of France in the hilly or even mountain regions and at some river slops.

    Natural terraces do only occur next to rivers in the high mountains. Most (all others) are artificial – towards different extent – in order to make production possible (at all), or more profitable, to use inclination better

     

    Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 10:55