Search for the simple life

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This was published 14 years ago

Search for the simple life

One moment ... the bell tolls hourly at La Borie Noble, inviting reflection.

One moment ... the bell tolls hourly at La Borie Noble, inviting reflection.

On hearing of Mahatma Gandhi's murder in 1948, Lanza del Vasto knew exactly what he had to do. Ten years earlier he had left his aristocratic family in Italy and gone to India to meet Gandhi. The two studied and travelled together for several months, profoundly affecting del Vasto's views. When he returned to Europe, he no longer felt connected to his upbringing and began looking for a different, simpler way of life.

His friend's death inspired him and his colleagues to establish the Community of the Ark in 1962. They agreed they would live in non-violent non co-operation with capitalist Europe, just as Gandhi had done with the British colonialists. There would be no profit and no technology. Food and lodging would be provided free for anyone who wished to join them. Work would be done by hand as much as possible. As a result, del Vasto became known as "Gandhi's first disciple in the West".

Initial attempts failed, often because idealists are not practically suited to farming. In 1963, a community was finally established in a village abandoned after World War I, in the picturesque Haut Languedoc mountains of southern France. Del Vasto named it La Borie Noble (the Noble Hut) and, after his death in 1981, he was buried on a hill overlooking his legacy.

While establishing the community was difficult for its founders, getting there today is still something of a challenge. The ticket vendor at the train station in Montpellier claims to have never heard of Les Cabrils, the nearest station to the commune, despite having grown up in the area. His computer knows better, though, and locates the station, which is two hours away by train.

After changing train at Beziers, we arrive at Les Cabrils station. The long grass on the "platform" blends seamlessly into the landscape of lush forests and mountains. The forgotten station house is framed by brambles and broken windows.

After a 20-minute walk along a paved forest road, the restored village and small bell tower of La Borie Noble come into view across the valley.

Travellers, idealists and academics come to this commune from around the world searching for alternative ways to live and work. Veronica Castro, 32, an Argentinian teacher who has been living here for three months, says she didn't know what to expect when she arrived. "I thought that the people coming here would be hippies but that the people living here permanently would be very structured with the religion," she says. "But they are really open to different ideas and all religions."

The spiritual duties are taken as seriously as the physical work. In the morning and evening, groups read from religious texts that support the ideals of non-violence and the spiritual quest. On the hour, during the day, the bell tower rings to allow everyone to pause and "be in the moment".

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Though there are no compulsory routines, everyone is encouraged to experience community life as it's intended. When I forget my turn for washing up, not a word is mentioned. As a result, I feel more compelled to work harder for the community and help out where I can.

Commune cliches still hold some truth. While drugs and wife-swapping are not evident, there's a lot of facial hair and bohemian clothes. Lentils appear regularly on the generally excellent vegetarian menu. In sympathy, I grow a goatee.

My six hours of daily work are spent constructing a stone wall in the garden. Others work in the orchard and vegetable garden and take turns making preserves and cooking meals. Cheese and bread are made on site and sold to the local community to pay bills and taxes. Visitor numbers fluctuate but there can be more than 60 in summer. In the 1970s there were more than 100 permanent residents; today there are about 20, some of whom have lived here for 40 years.

Candles light simply furnished houses and communal bathrooms. Electricity is reserved for the kitchen and the rooms of older residents. The two communal showers are heated only if the wood furnace is lit in advance. And you may have to collect the wood from storage yourself.

Cows are milked by hand and draught horses plough the fields and collect hay. Everything is recycled. Del Vasto believed in total harmony with the environment.

I'm surprised how enjoyable this simple lifestyle is. I don't miss my laptop and I'm grateful for the absence of phone reception. Without technology or even electricity for entertainment, a travelling musician playing a West African Kora is a rare thrill.

There's no sense of the modern drive to make every second count. And maybe that's what makes its appeal so timeless.

FAST FACTS

Getting there

La Borie Noble is 17 kilometres from Lodeve (on the A75) in Languedoc province. It is half an hour to Les Cabrils station from Beziers by train, then a 20-minute walk to the community.


In warmer months the community is busy, so reserve a bed by emailing morgane.treheusc@laposte.net (in French if possible) or phoning +33 (0) 6744 0989. There is no charge for staying and no minimum stay is required. Help is appreciated with running the community.

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