Maison du Parc naturel régional du Verdon

An estate in the heart of the Verdon…

A Provençal bastide with typical architecture

The Valx-Félines estate was once owned by several noble families who leased their property to farmers. In the mid-18th century, a family of pottery makers from Moustiers, the Aillaud family, became the owners of the entire estate.

There are three buildings on the estate:

the ‘Château Aillaud’, the farmhouse and the sheepfold. The Valx country house was renovated in 2001-2002 to house the headquarters of the Verdon Regional Nature Park. This building, referred to as a château in the notarial deeds of the time, features traditional 17th-century architecture.

The Valx-Félines estate covers nearly 250 hectares of oak and pine forests, as well as agricultural land. Owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral since 1993, this area is managed by the Verdon Regional Nature Park. Truffle fields, olive groves, market gardens, hay meadows and cereal crops are all grown side by side and in succession.

Located within the perimeter of the remarkable coastal area, in the listed and classified site of the Gorges du Verdon, the Valx and Félines estates are part of a vast area renowned for its rich heritage in the heart of prestigious landscapes.

In a region often affected by drought, the wealth and agricultural renown of the Valx estate lies in its water. Two main springs feed the estate with water that seeps down from the Ourbès plateau upstream. A network of dry stone canals was remarkably constructed in the 17th century to supply all the cultivated plots, buildings, fountains and wash houses. The irrigation system is gravity-fed, based on a traditional Provençal system.

Keen to keep these places alive rather than letting them fall into disrepair, the Conservatoire du Littoral and the Verdon Regional Nature Park have entered into partnerships with farmers who are committed to and sensitive to the spirit of the place. Current agricultural practices have given the Valx and Félines estates a new lease of life.

Since 2013, GAEC La Ferme des Fabrigoules has been based in the renovated former livestock buildings (sheepfolds of Valx and Félines). Their activity focuses on goat farming and cheese production, but also includes market gardening.