Earth building course – full day

Raw earth is one of the oldest building materials: a clay soil used without firing, mixed with water and, depending on the technique, with sand or plant fibres. Local and reusable, it naturally regulates indoor humidity and provides good thermal mass. This course teaches you to understand this material and to work with it.

The course day runs from 9:00 to 16:00. In the morning, from 9:00 to 12:00, the group may also include participants booked for the morning only: up to 8 participants per day, morning and full-day participants combined.

Earth building courses take place in the third week of May, the second week of June and the first week of September, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, excluding public holidays. These days are shared with the permaculture course: the first booking for a day sets its theme. Choose your date and the number of participants in the booking calendar, then pay for your booking with your order. You receive a confirmation by email as soon as we receive your payment, then a reminder the day before the course.

• Times: 9:00 to 16:00
• Dates: Third week of May, second week of June and first week of September, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, excluding public holidays
• Group: Up to 8 participants per day, morning and full-day participants combined
• Location: At the farm, in Peslières, in Livradois-Forez; exact location given by email or by telephone
• Language: French
• What to bring: Outdoor work clothes and suitable footwear
• Booking: Online, from the day after tomorrow up to 18 months in advance
• Cancellation: Full refund up to 30 days before the course, 50% from 29 to 8 days before, no refund within the last 7 days; you may send a person of your choice in your place
• Withdrawal: No right of withdrawal: leisure activity provided on a specific date (Article L221-28 12° of the French Consumer Code)

Course programme

Understanding the material: the role of clay, sand, fibres and water; identifying soil suitable for building with simple field tests; overview of techniques: rammed earth, cob, adobe, wattle and daub, plasters; preparing a mix and applying an earth plaster; maintaining, repairing and renovating a raw earth structure.