The Attics of Cordon
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Description
These are wooden structures built on stilts, with a high threshold, often two stories tall, and located near the house. They go by various names—such as “raccards” and “mazots”—but they all serve the same purpose: to protect the family’s valuables from fire.
Built at the front of the house relative to the prevailing wind and at a safe distance from the bread oven to protect them from a possible fire, their construction—mostly made of fir and featuring dovetail joints—did not use nails or iron, except for the lock on the front door. Built on stilts to keep out ground moisture, with a high threshold, and often two stories tall, they housed the family’s treasures!
Not gold or silver, no—the important things!
Bread once it was baked, grain flour, pork dried in the fireplace and thus smoked, deeds of sale, purchase, and inheritance for land, houses, and woods.
Passports, when one had one, not to mention the brandy used to “cork” the livestock as well,
and the famous Sunday best, which were none other than the clothes made for the wedding.
