The Terraces of Saint-Clair

Thanks to the transport possibilities offered by the train, which at the time passed through Le Lavandou, farmers developed this technique and enjoyed prosperous years.
In his book, Le Lavandou, Francis Marmier precisely describes the process of constructing the terraces. «The largest terraces are supported by walls three meters high, sometimes exceeding one hundred meters in length, whose bases, up to one meter thick, rest directly on the bedrock. The stones are laid and interlocked without mortar and with no other concern than that of maximum stability; the exterior finish is ultimately enhanced by countless stone chips, hammered into the joints with a mallet. To increase their strength, the walls are built with a significant batter, that is to say, inclined backwards, and reinforced on the inside by a layer of rubble that promotes drainage. Enormous work, accomplished technique, admirable aesthetics… Not far from the sea, on the best-exposed and sheltered hillsides, these dry-stone walls retain heat and create a microclimate conducive to early crops.»

THE AGRICULTURAL ERA
The terraced fields of Saint-Clair have seen many varieties of flowers – wallflowers, calla lilies, ixias, montbretias, freesias, daisies, chamelaucium, marigolds, statice, etc. – and vegetables – broad beans, peas, potatoes, etc. – grow on their land.
In his book, Francis Marmier recounts that in 1952, Marius Dorie, mayor of Le Lavandou and general councillor, was surprised by the scale of agricultural production in Le Lavandou: "900 tons of vegetables and 80,000 baskets of flowers." After this pivotal period for the region's economy, farming was gradually abandoned, and much farmland gave way to the buildings that sprang up all along the Var coastline.