The Vendoire peat bogs site, located in the north of the Ribérac region on the edge of the Charente, is a valley bottom which is home to alkaline peat bogs. Its wild aspect, the diversity of its habitats and its great entomological wealth make it an original place of great heritage interest which attracts many walkers. If today the peat bogs of Vendoire can be visited, it should be known that after the Second World War, some inhabitants had taken the habit of pulling the peat to heat themselves. Christmas Ducongé, inhabitant of Vendoire remembers.
“During the summer, I still see my father plunging the spade underwater to pull the peat. It was left to dry on the grass because it was gorging with water for two months and then we stored it in our attics. peat was then used as fuel for the fireplaces in our homes. “
The bog was standing on the pruning front to extract these four foot peat pikes with its spear. A tool with a handle of 4 to 6 meters which made it possible to extract peat loaves of more than one meter in length. Thanks to this tool, peat could be extracted up to 6 meters deep. A tedious job and although peat was a poor fuel, inexpensive, it was very popular with the local population in times of scarcity. Peat mining was abandoned in the 1950s.
– Marie-Dominique PRIVATE