This themed trail takes you past around ten lime kiln remains, built long ago by the villagers, most likely to rebuild St-Luc after the fires of 1845 and 1858, which devastated much of the village. Witnesses of an ancient know-how, they recall the importance of lime, already used 6,000 years ago by the Egyptians and later by the Romans.
Every year since 2019, residents of the valley have been breathing new life into these ruins by clearing away the vegetation that had gradually been covering them. Today, showcased along the trail, they enrich our local cultural heritage.
The Role of Lime Kilns
These kilns were used to bake limestone (which is not found in St-Luc, but in Chandolin), which, after being subjected to very high temperatures (around 900°C), was crushed into small pieces that, upon contact with water, dissolved and formed a whitish paste. Like modern cement, this paste was mixed with sand and gravel and used in construction. It was also used as a whitewash to brighten up building facades. You can see this for yourself in the Old Village of St-Luc.
| Useful information |
The trail begins at the Pierre des Sauvages, above the village. To get there, take the Tsarrire trail or the Chlottes trail (via the Grand Bisse). The trail is then marked with white diamonds and “Four à chaux” signs. |
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