CLIMATE AND SOIL

CLIMATE Mediterranean climate. Very dry in summer. Annual rainfall rarely above 700 mm. Rain fall is generally concentrated between November and April. The prevailing wind is from the north. SOIL On ancient hills (south face of the "Montagne Noire"), at the foot of the Pic de la Coquillade. The hillsides are steeply sloped, with a great deal of surface erosion, hence the extensive use of terracing and contour planting. SAFER and the DDA carried out their first experiments in contour planting in the Faugeres area. This type of planting is conducive to mechanisation, limits erosion and helps retain water. The soil of the Faugeres Appellation is remarkably homogeneous. More than 80% of the soil belongs to the "Monts de Faugeres" geological system - dated by the VISEEN as schist and sandstone, (primary era). These are some of the oldest soils in France. They are composed of clays which formed from deposits in the primitive sea. Following the hercynian fold, these clays were greatly compressed at very high temperatures, to form the schistous rock that we see today.