La « république des escartons », entre Briançonnais et Piémont (1343-1789)

Abstract

The « Escartons » Republic between the Briançon region and Piemont (1343-1789). Agreements between communities of the Briançon region were born progressively in the 13th Century : grazing agreements, then common actions to obtain fiscal and legal advantages. The Transaction, signed in 1343 between the Dauphin and the Briançonnais communities, allowed the creation of a « republic ». From that moment on, the « escartons » - representative assemblies which formed a confederation dedicated to administering taxes, to military defence and to the protection of acquired liberties - could function. They were able to be successfully maintained until 1789, no doubt because of the moderation of the attacks led by the Dauphiné capital and by the central power, and by the constant will of Briançon's elites who smothered centrifugal forces.

The Alpine population of Argentera Valley, Sauze di Cesana, Province of Turin, Italy: vestiges of an Occitan culture and anthropo-ecology

“…The study examined the essential elements of these activities spread across the Midi area of France, a mountainous area suited to the development of transhumance, and known for its Neolithic culture with a pastoral economy (Alinei, 2009). It should be added that the presence of grasses such as Galium verum (Boano & Bouvet, 2000-2002 contributed to the production of rennet and the typical local cheese: toma. These grasses form clumps that colonise relatively deep limestone soils.…”

“…This community is based on strong religious values, with deep roots going back centuries, like an umbilical cord that has never been cut. For this population, Saint Restituto is their inspiration for living and a guide for future progress, their lives proceed with a constant rhythm of religious feasts throughout the calendar year, almost as though this saint were their icon, their "nutrient" (Molteni, 1997;Vivier, 2002), a spirit capable of creating a state of harmony between man and the earth; the element that keeps this place healthy and intact, with its air, its water, light and high-quality dairy products. This sentiment is the legacy of a social nature acquired through remote experiences (Merlin & Molteni, 2014), though in continual evolution.…”