The Stilt Walking Shepherds of Landes

The Landes region of southwestern France, bordering the Bay of Biscay, is covered by a large pine forest. In fact, it’s the largest ‘maritime pine’ forest in Europe—’maritime pine’ is a species native to the Mediterranean region. But a hundred years ago, the landscape looked very different. Instead of forests, there was a great level of plain that stretched from horizon to horizon. This plain was covered with stunted bushes and dry heath that were periodically burned off by the local population to create grazing land for sheep. Around the middle of the 19th century, there were an estimated one million sheep in this area. A 1938 postcard showing shepherds from the marshy region of Landes, France, getting around on stilts. The sheep were managed by shepherds who moved around on long stilts. Using stilts had several advantages. It extended their field of vision allowing them to survey distant flocks of sheep. Tall stilts also increased their stride allowing them to cover long distances in less time. Most importantly, it allowed them to traverse the soft, marshy ground that the plains became after the slightest rainfall. As a matter of fact, practically the entire population of Landes walked on slits to avoid the soggy ground during rainy days. This system of locomotion was so effective that men on stilts could keep up with horses at full trot. The locals called this unique mode of transportation tchangues , which means "big legs". The stilts made of wood are about five feet high and are provided with a shoulder and strap to support the foot. The upper part of the wood is flattened and rests against the leg, where it is held by a strong strap. The lower part which rests upon the earth is enlarged and is sometimes strengthened with a sheep's bone. The shepherd carries a staff which he uses as a point of support for getting on to the stilts, and also as a crook for directing his flocks.