Kerterres: sculpted houses in Brittany, France
The Hobbits’ houses of the Lord of the Rings or even those of Asterix and Obelix have always inspired wonder yet always seemed unattainable. However, if you visit Plomeur in Brittany, France, you’ll see that these unique sculptured houses exist.
Due to the initiation of Evelyne Adam, half-artist, half-architect, this association organises workshops that teach you how to build these 100% natural constructions, using just hemp, clay and lime.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oq90zUAYFM]
In the Breton dialect, “Kerterre”means “from the earth”. These houses live up to their name because they are built with the earth itself, without any foundations, without scaffolding or wooden structures, nor even metal or stone structures…These structures can be built in just one to five weeks by hand.
In ecovillages, this type of eco-construction has been developing because it allows them to avoid planning permission which can often be difficult to obtain. If you desire to buy a pre-built Kerterre of a diameter of 2.5 metres, this would cost around £12,000, and for a diameter of 4 metres, around £20,000. The association also offers workshops to build them themselves. To benefit from a larger living space, it is possible to connect multiple Kerterres.
Around the Kerterre, Evelyne is developing a ‘jungle garden’. Loyal to the principles of permaculture, one can see here how, in helping nature in its natural process, results in an abundant and enriching vegetation. During these workshops, you can also learn how to manage natural resources (solar, water, wood etc.) to create energy.
These workshops are very enjoyable, as shown by the enthusiasm of this student:
The Kerterre experience, it’s an individual and collective adventure, organised by very the very kind people of this little corner of the world. I now know how to build a kerterre, how to create a ‘jungle garden’, how to recognise plants that you can eat…Thank you for these wonderful moments that will mark my memory for years to come, and will bear their fruits!
Discover Kerterre in this photo gallery
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