Program INTERREG V A: Dry stone walls in the Grande Région

Dry stone walling is a building technique using natural stone, without mortar or other binder, to construct high-stability walls. Nowadays, this way of building, which can still be observed in old vineyards, on agricultural land, and even private properties (retaining walls, boundary walls, staircases, shelters, etc) is recognized for its high ecological, landscape and agronomic value. But dry stone structures, present all over the world for centuries, and the expertise related to that heritage, are collapsing – literally.

The goal of the partnership between the five operators in the wider region centered on Luxembourg is to work out common and cross border solutions to preserve and revalorize their shared heritage.

To promote knowledge and awareness, surveys will be done of the whole project area. These inventories will help locate areas for restoration work, on selected walls, to preserve and ensure the long-term management of the dry stone heritage, having regard to the local environmental situation and landscape integrity of the sites.

To reach the general public and pass on the know-how about dry-stone walling, training workshops for a mixed audience, from local citizens to professionals, will be held in partnership with the CNFPC*, the IPW** and the FFPPS***. The collaboration and transfer of skills between the project partners are intended to enhance the know-how about dry stone walling heritage. Besides promoting the preservation of the natural and cultural value of dry stone walls, this cross border transmission of knowledge is intended to establish a collaborative market for dry stone – something which, except for France, does not currently exist in the target region.