As a child I’ve always liked tales …
And … the story of the Wild Child offers a great plot. Who was this lost child? The interpretive trail “On the Trail of the Wild Child” highlights the unusual story of Joseph, a child found in Lacaune in 1798 in the woods of la Bassine.
I love to dream …
At the bend of a bush, I get surprised by a noise, a smell, a feel ing… and I delve/dive into the world of the wild child and start to venture into the forest. I discover unusual forms of nature, the music of the woods, I go and look for wolves.
Have a guess !
Winding through the forest the trail leads you to discover the original and entertaining history of the Wild Child, the rural life in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, flora and fauna. Activities along the way invite you to create with nature (land art, herbal, xylophone, game to recognize footprints, barefoot path …. and many others). The use of the 5 senses contributes to a smoothly education to the environment.
HISTORY
One of the most unusual events that occurred in the region of Lacaune is the discovery and capture in 1798 of a twelve years child, in the woods of La Bassine (6 Kms from the village).
Named Joseph, the child is thin but strong, a “thin skin with scars, black and sunken eyes.” He is 1,35m high. He says guttural sounds and has a large scar at the glottis. He has a disformed knee and moves faster on his all fours than on feet .
His family origins are uncertain. According to the collective memory, we can make some assumptions.
He was captured and left at a widow’s living in La Caune but escaped. His latest escapade from the ends the life of Joseph, the Wild Child of La Caune and begins that of Victor, the Wild Child of Aveyron. Indeed, this child will be capture a new and final time at St Sernin (15 km from Lacaune). The child is then sent to Paris where he will be the subject of scientific studies. He becomes the subject of many theses on autistic children in France and abroad and raises many questions about the survival of the human being in its natural environment, the use of the senses, behavior and cognitive / intellectual skills. In 1969, Francois Truffaut’s film “Victor l’Enfant Sauvage” brings this child to be internationally known.
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I can go with my familySome equipments (games…) offer a real adventure playground for children. Accompanying booklets (child OR adult) are available at Tourist Information Board of Lacaune “My Activities” link page “entry targets children” |
Trail length: 2.5 km.
Visit time: according to the activities you make, the trail can be walked in 2 hours or half a day.
Markings: traces of feet and hands that could be those of a child.
It is recommended to take appropriate clothing (hiking boots, warm jacket) and water.
Picnic area.
For one day, in July and August, let’s discover the wild child and his environment : organized by the Tourist Information Board of Lacaune.
Enquiries: [email protected]
Go and see too
The Museum of Vieux Lacaune and its room dedicated to the history of the Wild Child.
To go further, the walking itinerary “Following the Wild Child” takes you during 3 days to discover the landscapes traversed by Joseph.