The highlands of the Causses are the reflections of mixed farming practiced for three millennia. From the 11th century, the major abbeys and Templar commanderies organized the agrarian structures whose foundations are still valid today. There remain clapas - resulting from the stone-clearing of the fields - sheepfolds and cellars for cheese maturing, and hydraulic systems. By associating rangeland farming with the agricultural production needed to feed sheep or cattle, the poor farmers of the Causses developed a system that has ensured their survival.