Occitan, a language and culture that fans speak in the country
Occitan, a language and culture that makes the country speak
Périgord-Limousin is an Occitan land. 1 years of history linking the territory and Occitan culture have left us with a beautiful heritage!
In Périgord-Limousin there are originalities that are cultivated. We display, very often without knowing it, a cultural identity inherited from a long Occitan history. It must be said that this imagination has had plenty of time, over a thousand years of stubborn presence, to shape the country in which we live.
This one reveals itself, if you take the time to listen to the people here, observe their behavior, confront the local French or walk around the towns...
Far from being turned towards the past by following in the footsteps of our rich heritage, let us continue to travel the paths that always beg to be taken, to live well in Périgord-Limousin.
Whether you are imbued with this culture or aspire to discover it, a whole universe specific to Périgord-Limousin is available to you.
Occitan, what is it?
Occitan or langue d'oc is a Romance language spoken in the southern third of France and in certain regions of Italy and Spain. “òc” in Occitan means “yes”, “that’s it!” ". From this term came the name of a territory, Occitanie, which covers 33 departments in France. Périgord-Limousin constitutes the extreme fringe. Occitan, sometimes called patois, includes six dialects: Languedoc, Provençal, Gascon, the limousine that concerns us, Auvergne and Vivaro-Alpine and local variations.
Here are some little cultural keys that we invite you to put under your hat so that when the time comes you can fully enjoy sharing and communicating in Périgord-Limousin!
'De veire tanben / also see:
For a first immersion in the culture
You have to go to Abjat-sur-Bandiat, in the heart of the Park.
With the Terra adventure course Zellé,Mesfia-te (Zellé, Beware), adventurers in search of local popular culture, that of tales and legends, songs, sayings and stories, will immerse themselves in the Occitan world of Périgord-Limousin. They will set off to discover beliefs with good fountains or even the legend of brambles, will come across emblematic characters like the lebérou and will have to face the scathing rosseu. An opportunity also to appreciate the creation of Métiers d'art, another richness of the intangible heritage of the Park. Mas mesfiatz-vos, you might just be surprised…
Also take advantage of your getaway to Abjat to venture into “Lu vargier of the legendas“, walking space with sound by QRcode (in Occitan, French and English) telling you the legend of the beauty of Fargeas. Free access.
This Terra adventure trail and the telling of the garden of legends were created in 2022 by the Park and the Town Hall of Abjat-sur-Bandiat, with the support of Occitan cultural associations (IEO Limousin, Cercl'oc and UOCC).
Access the course (free upon registration)
©Stéphanie Pouplier PNRPL What is the situation of the Occitan language today?
The Public Office for the Occitan Language launched in 2020 a sociolinguistic survey dedicated to the practices and representations of the Occitan language in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie Regions as well as in Val d'Aran (Spain).
8 people were questioned about their knowledge of Occitan, their practice, their representation of the language and their appetite for public action in favor of maintaining or even developing Occitan. In Périgord-Limousin, here is what the 000 interviews give us:
* Speakers (understand and speak Occitan): 20% (7% in the study area)
* Occitan-impregnated (do not speak but understand Occitan): 57% (43% in the study area)
* Positioning regarding the development of Occitan:
– favorable to public actions: pnr = 80% (Together: 79%)
– wishes to maintain or even develop Occitan: pnr = 93% (Together: 92%)
In Périgord-Limousin, the language is still very strong and the appetite is also there…
Full results of the OPLO survey
Occitan culture in the Park’s missions
Far valer the particularities of Occitan cultures in the country
Promoting the country's Occitan cultural particularities is the mission entrusted to the Park. The Park is imbued…
©Stéphanie Pouplier (pnrpl)
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A residence to promote the cultural heritage of the Park
Nine professionals in the arts and crafts, brought together in an artistic residency, have the mission of promoting the…
©@stéphanie Pouplier PNRPL
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