At the end of the 19th century, the hamlet of Les Cours (Villar-d’Arène) was part of a high-mountain economy based on the complementary nature of haymaking, livestock raising/pastoralism, and seasonal work. The landscape is structured by hamlets and agricultural terraces, with clustered, functional buildings; here characterized by long rows of attached houses. The rural family unit organized work according to the rhythm of the seasons, and complementary activities (notably peddling in Oisans) historically compensated for the scarcity of local resources—a feature typical of mountain village societies where housing, the household economy, and the neighborhood are closely intertwined.