Pastoral history
The Grand Pic Saint-Loup has always been a roaming area for herds. The movement of livestock follows a virtuous and sustainable logic: it takes a natural forage resource, following its cycle of maturity.
In the Neolithic period, our ancestors became sedentary. Now farmers and stockbreeders, they gradually modified their environment by adapting it to their new needs. At the time, the vegetation was what we call a "closed" environment; in other words, a heterogeneous tangle of diverse plant species, through which it was difficult to penetrate.
To cultivate the land and facilitate grazing, the first farmers and stockbreeders had to "open up" this environment, working the land, creating paths, etc. The herds, which moved with the seasons in search of green, nutritious food, contributed to this work by grazing on grasses, plants and shrubs as they moved.
Opening up the environment has a number of advantages. Thinning out the vegetation and giving the soil access to the sun's rays will encourage the development of a hitherto limited biodiversity and flora and fauna. A new landscape was created, emblematic of our region : the garrigue. Pastoralism is an age-old practice that has contributed, and continues to contribute, to the identity of the Grand Pic Saint-Loup. The herds continue to keep the garrigue naturally open and accessible. The consumption of grasses and shrubs reduces the volume of combustible biomass, limiting the risk of fire.
The animals' routes help to maintain the landscape in a natural and regular way. It is also a link between the local people and the farmers, who welcome the herds as they roam. At the end of spring, some shepherds continue the transhumance, taking their animals to where the grass is greener, on Mont Lozère or Mont Aigoual.
Finally, range farming, which moves from pasture to pasture, is the most respectful of animals and the environment. The movement, the open air and the quality of the feed are all healthy practices, adapted to small volumes and producing very good products. Our milk, cheese and meat are the result of authentic production of the highest quality in terms of taste and nutrition.