The Deux-Sèvres branch of Maisons Paysannes is a Departmental Association under the Law of 1901, affiliated to the national association whose head office is in Paris.
       MPF has about 400 members, a Committee, the President of which is Mrs Madeleine Audebrand and a team of volunteers. In the face of the general move away from the countryside, people have become aware of this loss of heritage and are reacting to it.
MPF Nationale has been in existence since 1966 and MPF 79 since 1984.

   Our Branch aims are:

        - To inform,
        - To discover
        - To advise
        - And to pass on experience and  
         know-how.

     To make ourselves better known, we attend meetins on rural buildings, e.g. National Heritage Days or regional seminars. We also take part in Fairs, brocante sales and other local events. We hope to appear in municipal newsletters and in time we are trying to make artisans better aware of restoration techniques.

           In order to discover this local heritage, we organise outings during which we try and make our members aware of various styles, colours and building materials. We point out architectural details during our visits in order to inform potential restorators.

     For advice, our services are free, and we try to arrive on the scenes before the owner changes things; before the arrival of artisans and others; and above all before unwise decisions have been taken. We go round with the owner, discuss his way of life and his wishes and point out what is preferable to keep, materials to use, and those which he ought to make use of. We may also offer other options for both conception and construction.

        We have an advisory service in order to pass on this knowledge and "savoir faire" . We also organise courses and make visits during the course of building works. We hold training courses for artisans who wish it learn about techniques of renovating rural buildings.

              Our aims are to increase the number of recommended firms in the use of old building techniques; to be more aware and more professional in the filling in of building permits, minimise industrial areas, to avoid copying large towns while keeping within the rules of town planning; to keep access to farmland and industrial areas; to preserve stone walls, and local species of trees and hedges; to make children more aware of these ideas and avoid overtaxing the owner on buildings he wishes to rebuild before they disappear for ever.

     Finally, to look for authenticity and simplcity; to avoid keeping up with the Joneses;and never try to take on too much; and to encourage tourism in the countryside.