Mottec, a stop on the road of seasonal migrations ( Remuage )
Until the years 1950-1955,Mottec was a mayen, a stopover for Anniviards travelling from the mountain to the valley of the Rhone for agricultural work and to tend the livestock.
The testimony of Régis Theytaz published in the annex, permits one to follow and understand the remuage that was the life of his family until 1955.
In the valley of Zinal, including Mottec, residents of Ayer, Mission, Saint-Jean and Vissoie met.
Cattle were driven to the mayens for a few weeks, until the pastures were ready to receive them, late May-early June. The return from pastures took place, late September-early October. When parts of the meadows were reserved for hay, the inhabitants returned to the mayens with the livestock at the beginning of winter.
The mayens consisted of simple houses, with a bedroom, a kitchen and a cellar, and granges-écuries (barn-stables).
Opposite Mottec, on the right bank of the Navisence in 1940, there were seven mayens with at least forty chalets and granges- écuries between Mijonette at 1560 m and Barneuze at 2100 m. At the mayen of Chapec (1900 m) above Vernecs there were two chalets, dating from 1764 and 1777 and stables,that were sold to the pasture(alpage) of Sorebois and demolished to recover the wood.
The Chapel of Saint-Laurent marked the boundary of the land belonging to the “ Société de Zinal “. To be a member of the “ Société “, it was necessary to belong to a Bourgeoisie and to be a landowner.
The testimony of Régis Theytaz published in the annex, permits one to follow and understand the remuage that was the life of his family until 1955.
In the valley of Zinal, including Mottec, residents of Ayer, Mission, Saint-Jean and Vissoie met.
Cattle were driven to the mayens for a few weeks, until the pastures were ready to receive them, late May-early June. The return from pastures took place, late September-early October. When parts of the meadows were reserved for hay, the inhabitants returned to the mayens with the livestock at the beginning of winter.
The mayens consisted of simple houses, with a bedroom, a kitchen and a cellar, and granges-écuries (barn-stables).
Opposite Mottec, on the right bank of the Navisence in 1940, there were seven mayens with at least forty chalets and granges- écuries between Mijonette at 1560 m and Barneuze at 2100 m. At the mayen of Chapec (1900 m) above Vernecs there were two chalets, dating from 1764 and 1777 and stables,that were sold to the pasture(alpage) of Sorebois and demolished to recover the wood.
The Chapel of Saint-Laurent marked the boundary of the land belonging to the “ Société de Zinal “. To be a member of the “ Société “, it was necessary to belong to a Bourgeoisie and to be a landowner.
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Mottec, a stop on the road of seasonal migrations ( Remuage )
3961 Mottec
